126 CultureShock! Chile
That salesperson then transfers your purchase to empaque.
You present your receipt at empaque in order to pick up the
wrapped goods.
Líder and Jumbo are cheaper big box stores that sell
food, toiletries, clothing, and household items. Homecenter
is the largest hardware store chain. These stores sell many
goods imported from Europe, Latin America, the United
States and Canada. The downtown area is full of galerías,
large indoor networks of passageways lined with many
small shops (ideal to avoid the rain and traffic!). Other areas
that sell less expensive goods are Patronato Street and
the outlet mall in Maipú. Mercados persas or just persas are
permanent flea markets/bazaars. Each persa is made up
of a number of small stalls selling almost anything at very
low prices. Two of the biggest persas are Persa Bío-Bío (in
the comuna of Santiago) and Persa Estación by the Estación
Central train station. Also, there are a lot of very cheap used
clothing stores in Providencia and downtown. Most of the
used clothing is imported from Europe. If you enjoy rummage
stores, they are worth a peek for bargains or vintage items.
Except for the malls, all stores close Saturday at 2:00 pm and
are closed all day Sunday.Clothing
In Chile, prices for high-quality items, especially clothes and
imported toiletries can be quite steep. There is, of course, a
wide range of cheaper items of lower quality. Clothing tends
to run smaller than in the United States so large men and
women may have a problem finding clothes in their size. The
clothing also tends to be cut for the Mediterranean woman’s
figure. Some women may find it doesn’t fit properly in the
hips and waist. Ask about a good modista (seamstress) for
tailor-made outfits. In fact, because well-made ready-to-wear
clothing can be quite expensive and labour costs are still
quite low, having clothes made by a tailor is a good option
for men’s clothing as well. Women’s shoes also run small,
usually up to a US size 8 or European size 38. Chile has a
successful shoe industry, in addition to cheap imports from
Brazil and China, so you will find a wide selection of footwear