www.CostaRicaTicas.com

Went to check out the Walmart in Escazu, very disapointing. In reality it is a Hipermas with newer furnishings. The only product I was able to find that I had not seen elsewhere was "Elios" frozen pizza. Not even close to as good as a Mexican Walmart, only local meats, cheeses, and cold cuts. I guess its back to my Sorreto and Auto Mercado rotation.

FYI; My trusted cabbie,who is a supervisor with MasO Menos, informed me that Walmart is the silent owner of "ALL" of the Major Grociers in CR..So he said??? he added Walmart just recently completed the venture.

To confirm the above, the house brand of skin cream (for massage sessions) I buy at Wal-Mart is the same as at the Max x Menos.

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PacoLoco: "You pay for it one way or another."
Ace: "Rent everything, do not buy in Costa Rica"

Not sure if they own "ALL" of the Groceries in CR but they did take over Mas x Menos last year, haven't you guys noticed the cashiers WalMart name tags?

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Living well is the best revenge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwUtj_YnNoY

Your trusted cabbie is full of .....

Wal Mart has a controlling interest in the holding company that owns Mas x Menos, Pali, Maxi Bodgea & Hypermas. They have no position in Auto Mercado, Perimacado, Mega Super or Pricesmart.

Hopefully he is a better taxista then super market annalist

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

I visited the Hiper Mas (Walmart), not in Escazu, but the other location, not sure exactly where it's located. I was just driving where my girl told me to.

Goddamn, the prices on imported stuff are insane. The electronics are the worst, but everything is expensive.

A Black & Decker mixer was a little over $60. It's $29 here. A Casio Exlim digital camera (6mp--last year's model) that I bought for $160 was 166,000¢ ($320+). Basically prices were double. Even K*ds clothing with American logos (Disney, Spiderman, etc) were like 4,500¢ for a shirt.

-Do you local guys actually buy electronics in CR or do you import them?
-What's the limit on importing stuff (kitchen appliances, electronics, etc). I remember reading $500 is the mas without having to pay duty. Is that accurate?

No doubt, that import tax is one thing that even WAL-MART won't be able to get around.

Usually most guys bring things back when the go to the States or have stuff sent to the house of a friend who is coming down.

Everyone is entitled to a $500 exoneration once every six months. That is why that question is on the customs form you fill out when you enter the country. How much stuff you can bring in without getting busted is not a easy question to answer. I know guys that have brought in over a 1000 dollars worth of stuff, in one trip, and been waived through custom. Others have been stopped, and there passport stamped that the used their exoneration for the next six months, when they have had 2-3 hundred bucks worth of stuff. All depends on the guy at customs,

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

I too noticed the high prices at hypermart in Escazu. But there was this one tiny, flaca little tica working in the electronics department I'd have given my shaved right nut for
P.S. Finally, my master's degree for post 500. I can log off happy now

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The only thing that matters is happiness in all it forms...

I thought the same. I'm working on my doctorates now.

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[url=http://www.amishrakefight.org/gfy/]

Yes, it is an Hipermas, not a Walmart. The rumor was that it was going to be a Walmart, but I read an article in the newspaper that quoted the manager of central american operations for Walmart that because they couldn't get all the products that consumers expect from a Walmart, it would continue to carry the Hipermas name, until such time as they worked out their supply issues.

Yes, eveything imported is expensive. Expect to pay 2x what it's worth in the states, or more. Plasma TV's, for instance, are about 2-4x as expensive. I saw a plasma at Hipermas for over $3000 that was $850 in the US. One of the problems is that stuff comes here at it's MSRP, but in the US that price is often significantly less, so it's taxed in CR at it's MSRP.

One thing I like about Hipermas is it's produce. It's always fresh and good. Yes, I know there are plenty of markets and vendors on the street I can buy produce from, but it's just easier for me to get everything at one place.

Hipermas in Escazu isn't the same as the Hipermas's you find in other parts of town. It's like the difference between a Supertarget and a K-Mart.