Buenos Aires Shopping
Sep 6th, 2007, 05:02 AM
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Buenos Aires Shopping
I'm going in October, and hope to knock off most of my Christmas shopping! I'm particularly looking for interesting leather, jewelry, accessories and vintage nicknacks. Also love local cosmetics, toiletries, etc.
I'm staying in Palermo Viejo, which I hear is near a lot of great shopping.
Would welcome any and all suggestions for cool and unique stuff! Also, how good are the savings?
I'm staying in Palermo Viejo, which I hear is near a lot of great shopping.
Would welcome any and all suggestions for cool and unique stuff! Also, how good are the savings?
Sep 6th, 2007, 06:18 AM
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Hello hillarud:
The tourist mecca shopping area is Florida Avenue [or is it street?] in the heart of downtown.
However, there you will find a lot of tourist junk at tourist prices. Also you might see a tango display on the street. If you do, keep one hand on your money.
Buenos Aires is a very large city so you will find different areas specializing in different product.
Leather is a great buy. Ask at your hotel or any Porteno [local] for directions to the "leather district" where you will find small factory stores with very good prices and some excellent quality as well as some poorer stuff too.
My wife bought a pair of high boots with a low heel that she could not find anywhere else. Price? $ Can 70.00 for full leather inside and out. I expect that the same pair of boots if they could be found in Canada would run about $ Can 600.00. The quality was very good.
There are streets and streets of these small leather factory/stores.
I have a daughter who sews costumes so we went to a "button" store. I swear that there were blocks of stores selling only buttons and ribbons. Not the one store selling both.
Taxis are cheap, safe and plentiful. It is best to phone for one from your residence and have your restaurant, store or some merchant call for one when you want to return. The taxi company should be able to take you to the leather district. But the driver's cousin could own one of the stores, so look around at others while you are there. There are small shops offering e-mail/phone service. Do not call for a taxi from there or a public phone as the taxi comapanies will ignore those calls. I understand that they had a lot of crank calls and will not deal with such a call if there is no legitimate name attached to it. Only rarely did we flag one off the street.
The food is very good for steak, pasta and wonderful strong coffee. Vegetables are not often offered with dinner but ordered by the customer. Portions are often large.
We saw a lot of silver antique estate stuff for sale but it was not very cheap. We suspected that old family treasure had to be sold to put bread on the table during their very tough times, not that it is great now. It was a sad sight to think that family treasure had to be sold off but I guess that is the way of the world.
Hope this is of help to you.
Oh yes, I bought shoes as well. Not in the leather district, but on a main city street. The selection was great. I have a very narrow foot and could not only get my size, but they had half sizes as well! I got a very good fit.
Have a great trip.
Woodie
The tourist mecca shopping area is Florida Avenue [or is it street?] in the heart of downtown.
However, there you will find a lot of tourist junk at tourist prices. Also you might see a tango display on the street. If you do, keep one hand on your money.
Buenos Aires is a very large city so you will find different areas specializing in different product.
Leather is a great buy. Ask at your hotel or any Porteno [local] for directions to the "leather district" where you will find small factory stores with very good prices and some excellent quality as well as some poorer stuff too.
My wife bought a pair of high boots with a low heel that she could not find anywhere else. Price? $ Can 70.00 for full leather inside and out. I expect that the same pair of boots if they could be found in Canada would run about $ Can 600.00. The quality was very good.
There are streets and streets of these small leather factory/stores.
I have a daughter who sews costumes so we went to a "button" store. I swear that there were blocks of stores selling only buttons and ribbons. Not the one store selling both.
Taxis are cheap, safe and plentiful. It is best to phone for one from your residence and have your restaurant, store or some merchant call for one when you want to return. The taxi company should be able to take you to the leather district. But the driver's cousin could own one of the stores, so look around at others while you are there. There are small shops offering e-mail/phone service. Do not call for a taxi from there or a public phone as the taxi comapanies will ignore those calls. I understand that they had a lot of crank calls and will not deal with such a call if there is no legitimate name attached to it. Only rarely did we flag one off the street.
The food is very good for steak, pasta and wonderful strong coffee. Vegetables are not often offered with dinner but ordered by the customer. Portions are often large.
We saw a lot of silver antique estate stuff for sale but it was not very cheap. We suspected that old family treasure had to be sold to put bread on the table during their very tough times, not that it is great now. It was a sad sight to think that family treasure had to be sold off but I guess that is the way of the world.
Hope this is of help to you.
Oh yes, I bought shoes as well. Not in the leather district, but on a main city street. The selection was great. I have a very narrow foot and could not only get my size, but they had half sizes as well! I got a very good fit.
Have a great trip.
Woodie
Jun 25th, 2009, 08:13 AM
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Just arrived from BA and foudna greta leather shop (factory) half block from Florida street called Silvia y Marios. They are on Marcello T Alvear 550.
Highly recommended, they make the stuff right there, the quality is superb, modern designs and soft textures.
I paid cash they even gave me a discount!
In Palermo there are nice places too, but much more expensive. Murillo Street is a real waste of time, nothing to see there.
Good luck.Cheers!!!
Highly recommended, they make the stuff right there, the quality is superb, modern designs and soft textures.
I paid cash they even gave me a discount!
In Palermo there are nice places too, but much more expensive. Murillo Street is a real waste of time, nothing to see there.
Good luck.Cheers!!!
Jun 25th, 2009, 08:25 AM
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Welcome to the Fodor's Argentina forum, arikoren!
I'm sure all readers would be happy to hear more about your trip, besides your leather shopping, I mean....
BTW, in most shops in Argentina in which the owner is at the cash register, you get a discount for paying in cash, particularly if you don't need an invoice. It can be up to 20%.
In many tourist-oriented upscale shops, you can get back most of our VAT tax, which we call IVA (21%).
I'm sure all readers would be happy to hear more about your trip, besides your leather shopping, I mean....
BTW, in most shops in Argentina in which the owner is at the cash register, you get a discount for paying in cash, particularly if you don't need an invoice. It can be up to 20%.
In many tourist-oriented upscale shops, you can get back most of our VAT tax, which we call IVA (21%).
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