Shopping in Mazatlán

Large Shopping Centers
A couple of these shopping complexes will remind you of shopping malls in the U.S. or Canada. You won't find many touristy-type items here, but for everyday purchases such as food, clothes, toys, music, and household goods, the selection is great and the prices are very competitive. Consider taking the bus there for 3 pesos, then take a Pulmonia or taxi home with your bags of purchases (usually around 35 to 40 pesos).

La Gran Plaza and Comercial Mexicana (now called Mega). Our personal favorites! Here you'll find a variety of small boutique-type shops; a food court with Mexican, Chinese and American dishes; a 3-screen movie theater; and the large department store, Comercial Mexicana which has changed its name to Mega. Just inside the store you can sit and enjoy a cold beverage, a snack such as quesadillas or sandwiches, or even the "dish of the day" at a low price. This store has just about everything and food shopping here is easy and pleasant. From the Golden Zone, take the Cerritos Juárez bus, or walk there from McDonalds. From downtown, take the Playa Sur or Gran Plaza bus. Note that next to La Gran Plaza is Sam's Club and your membership card from the U.S. will work here too!

Plaza del Mar and Ley. Also very large and very good. There are several Ley stores accessible by bus in Mazatlán and they are referred to as Ley 1, 2 and 3 or Ley Centro (in the middle of downtown). Get off the bus at Plaza del Mar and you'll be at the largest of the Ley stores. From the Golden Zone: Sábalo-Cocos bus and Urias-Sábalo bus. From downtown: Sábalo-Cocos bus.

Soriana. Probably the largest of Mazatlan's grocery and variety stores which opened in 2001 and put the pressure on all the other stores to remodel and update. There's a food court in the front and is flanked by a Blockbuster Video, Burger King and a multiplex cinema with 8 or 10 screens.

Gigante. Another large variety and grocery store. It recently joined the rest of the grocery stores in Mazatlan by joining through a major face lift. From the Golden Zone: Sábalo-Cocos bus and Urias-Sábalo bus. From downtown: Sábalo-Cocos bus and Playa Sur bus plus a walk. A new Office Depot just opened next door.

ISSSTE (Instituto Seguridad Social Servicio Trabajores del Estado). Also a large variety and grocery store with good value. Employees of government agencies and other companies participating in the association receive discounts, but it is open to the public for shopping. From the Golden Zone: Sábalo-Cocos bus and Playa Sur bus. Buses from downtown: Insurgentes, Playa Sur and Sábalo-Cocos.

Central Market—Mercado. This is not to be missed! It is located between B. Juárez and Aquiles Serdán streets, and Melchor Ocampo and Leandro Valle. You'll find the market surrounded by a variety of small shops, food vendors and juice bars where you can enjoy fresh fruit and vegetable juices and iced Agua Frescas.

Inside, the market is divided in sections by food types. You'll find a couple of aisles with fresh seafood; chickens are to one end; the middle rows have cooled displays of beef and pork; then several alleys of fresh fruits and veggies. The dairy vendors are scattered around the market. Near the B. Juárez entrances you'll find fellow tourists shopping for T-shirts, blankets, and every imaginable Mazatlán souvenir.

Food prices are generally not negotiable. You see rates posted for fruits and vegetables. However, the clothing and tourist items are definitely negotiable. Don't ever pay the first price they give you! Counter with a price about half of their first price. Expect a better price if you're buying several of one item. It helps to price items at two or three vendors so you've done your homework. Now, I'll go back and make an exception to what I just wrote above. Sometimes they will start off with a fair price. Especially if you don't look like a "dumb tourist." So use your head when given a price. If you know that wallet should be about 150 pesos, don't turn around and offer half. It can't hurt to ask if they won't give you a better price. After a few tries, you'll get the hang of it.

From the Golden Zone, the Sábalo-Cocos bus will take you right alongside the market on Serdán. With the Sábalo-Centro bus, you won't see the market since you are a block west of B. Juárez. Either follow the map, or get out when most of the people leave the bus at Leandro Valle street. If you see the tall spires of the Cathedral, you've gone a street too far. No big deal. You'll want to visit the Cathedral and the Central Square park anyway.

Surrounding the Mercado. There is great shopping for several blocks on all sides of the Mercado. The best shops seem to be along Serdán. You'll find clothing and shoe stores with low prices and frequent signs posted advertising their sale prices.

Juárez Market/ Sunday Flea Market. There is a large daily produce market similar to the central Mercado. Sunday mornings, there is a large flea market covering several streets near the regular market. From the Golden Zone, take the Cerritos-Juárez bus. From downtown, walk over to Av. Miguel Alemán and take the Juárez bus.