Live in the Philippines

Live in the Philippines helps expats with visas, moving and other services regarding the Philippines.

Shopping at the Sari Sari Store

Philippine Culture, Video / by

Do you know what a “sari sari” store is?  If you have ever been to the Philippines, I bet you know!  If you have yet to visit the Philippines, though, maybe you don’t know what a sari sari store is.

Basically, a sari sari store is kind of a neighborhood convenience store.  I would be that almost 100% of Filipino neighborhoods have at least one sari-sari store!  Even most upscale neighborhoods have a sari-sari store!  What I have noticed, though, is that if you live in the a more upscale neighborhood, the product selection at the sari-sari store varies a bit.  For example, in some of the neighborhoods where we have lived, the sari-sari stores even carried diet coke, which is very rare.  But, the neighborhood had a number of foreigner residents, and many foreigners drink diet sodas. so the sari-sari stores adapted their selection to earn some extra customers who might not have shopped there otherwise.

Most sari sari stores are little stores that are operated in front of the owner’s house, and serve maybe 100 or 200 meters of the street in the neighborhood before the next sari-sari store comes into play.

If you live in the Philippines, I bet that you will shop at a sari-sari store on a pretty regular basis.

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  3. we have 2 of them just down the road from our house in tarlac .i can get a big 1 qt red horse and a pack of cigarets for under $1 wow i love the Philippines 🙂

  7. I say that all the time. We have more freedom in the Philippines then here in the good ole USA land of the free my ***. A business owner does not even have the right to allow smoking in his establishment anymore.

      • Bob – My brothers girlfriends family own a Sari Sari store on the outskirts of Dumaguete. Only 1 peso mark up on each item. That a lot of stuff you need to sell to make some good coin. 1 peso extra is worth it for convenience. I know some Sari Sari stores make a bit extra where they can with slightly higher mark ups. Still worth it for ease.

  26. Ha ha… not “safari safari” but sari sari. It is a small store (tiny) that is in front of somebody’s house, along the road. You just go up to the window in front to buy something. Generally you can’t go inside, just to the window where they will serve you.

  29. My brother-in-law owns a Sari Sari store near Dumaguette. I spent a couple of afternoons watching the locals make purchases, it was fascinating. He had a little of everything tucked away in the store in odd corners. 20-30 people a day would come to purchase Smart or Globe phone time to the tune of 25 pesos a shot, big spenders might get 50 pesos worth. A pill, a bag of oil, a small sack of rice, a bottle of beer for daddy who just got home from work, one mosquito strip, a bottle of pop into a plastic bag, chicken vitamins; you name it. Prices were beyond reasonable, and he makes a good living at it.

    • Hi Ken – Thanks for sharing your story. I bet it was interesting to spend some time watching how the store works! I have some relatives down in GenSan who have a successful sari sari store too. They have owned it for many years already. I have never inquired, but they must be making some money, as it has been going so long now.

    • That’s strange, Ron… it loads perfectly fine for me. I just double checked it and it is still working fine. Must be something on your end.

  31. interesting video! I never seen soda served in a baggie b4 lol Can u have it in the bottle? Is your beer served the same way?

    • Hi Kevin, they put the soft drinks in bags so you don’t have to pay deposit on the bottle. I have had soft drinks from a bag many times over the years.
      Have never seen beer served that way. I don’t think many people drink beer from a straw.

  32. I always enjoy the sari sari store just a few steps away from the hotel I stay in when I visit. They seldom fail to have anything I need, they are open 24 / 7 . In the evening there are a table or two with people enjoying a San Mig or Red Horse in front of the place. I buy load for my Globe Tattoo there as well. Run out of load at 2 AM ? No Problem.

  33. I love the sari sari, I funded the start up of one for my fiancé while she was waiting for her visa, she is smart and did very well. However once she left, the sister put it into bankruptcy in 6 weeks. Not everyone is meant to run a business so my advice is don’t fund one unless the person knows what they are doing:-). Now it is being used as a bed space rental

  35. My girlfriends grandmother has a sari sari store beside my girlfriends parents house, she sells most things except alcohol, but within 400 metres of her sari sari store there is 5 of these stores that do sell just about everything, very handy if just want something in a hurry and they sell it ..

  36. hahahaha!!! they’re so cute!!!! i love their videos, i think they’re fil-am already based in the Philippines and they’re slowly learning Tagalog and Bisaya as well. good job guys!! sari-sari stores are all over the Philippines and it’s. very convenience.

  37. oh!! There is a sari sari next to my apartment and is very convenient indeed!
    Water, load, cigarettes, snacks, just stretch my arm .. 😉

    They serve turron in the afternoon and I love turron!!

    Early morning another lady serves delicious breakfast, fresh donuts stuffed with fresh cream!
    I love the sari sari!!! 🙂

  38. Hi Bob – Yep good old sari-sari stores! and and bakery too.The ones we have here sells spam and skittles. I t’s like garage turned into sari-sari store. They close late at night so very convenient. No need to go to 7-11. It’s a good little business to begin with as well cause people will always buy something.

  39. My family used to own a sari-sari store in Manila, right at the heart of universities and schools. It was a big hit and helped augment my father’s income plus send us all 3 broods up to college. BTW, what’s with the double postings Bob?

    • Hi Jonathan – I didn’t notice the double postings until you mentioned them. That did happen on a few comments that were auto-imported from Facebook to the website. There must have been some kind of glitch on a few of them. Thanks for letting me know.

  40. Hi Bob,

    Before I migrated here in US, I use to have small sari-sari store in my bahay kubo(hut). I have enjoyed rendering this service to my neighbors since we live at the top of the boondocks (bundok or in Bisaya BUKID). But it was too much for me to keep it up because a lot of my neighbors were very poor and most often they promise to pay you at the end of the month and almost always you won’t see that money. So byebye sari-sari store for me. I was bankrupt!

    Anyways, one thing I miss the most there being in the Philippines is the fresh fruits and fresh vegetables at the wet market. I wish we have that here in US.

    • Aurora!

      I like your suggestion 😉

      I will ask to pay at the end of the month ! ehehehe

      🙂

  41. But…. unless you are a local, don’t get ice in your drink! Freezing does not kill the critters in the water!

    • It depends on where you are in the country. For example, here in Davao where I live the water is treated. I drink tap water all the time and never have any issues with it.