It’s been a few weeks now since the opening of S & R. We’ve been very happy with it. I’ve been rarely going now to the other grocery stores here. When going there I’ve been eyeing some stuff there, coming back a few days after and its gone. Just for example I want a purple colored towel, good for our girls here in the house. I was telling my daughter that we will buy that next time we go there, I had some other stuff in mind to buy that day. Few days after when we came back it’s gone already. They still have other towels there, but the color that I want were gone already. Been going there a few times since then but no towel of that color yet there. So I will just have to wait. Or should I say Jean will have to wait for that color to come back there on stock then. For now I bought her a different color of towel.
Other stuff that the kids were eyeing there was the gigantic trampoline. See we used to have trampoline that we brought with us from the States. It was overused for a long time. Time to get a new one. The only problem our old trampoline the size it’s 10 feet in diameter. The one they have there at S & R was 15 feet in diameter. No matter what angle we are measuring on our yard that trampoline just don’t have enough space here. Big sigh for our kids and us. Bob and I both know that our kids enjoyed having trampoline. We are waiting if they will have the size that we want later. We are hoping for it though.
Other craze for the kids there was the pop-tart and Dr. Pepper soda. Can’t buy every time we go there. It will blow my budget away. Ha ha ha. :-). We also like the cooked babyback ribs there. It comes with one bottle of 2 liter soda with it. Really sometimes when me and Aaron and my niece Glenda take our daily walk, sometimes we would stop at S & R. Just like to walk around inside and just see what new stuff they have there again. That’s the new place to be for our family now.
Since the opening we hardly shop at the other store. We now buy our meats and other stuff there. Just little stuff we would buy from the other grocery store. Good thing it’s just a walking distance from our house. That’s really a plus for us. One thing we saw there that we used to buy in Costco in the States was the king crab. Gee it’s just too darn expensive. We just have to turn our heads away when passing that aisle. LOL. For Thanksgiving I am already looking at their whole turkey there. It’s butterball brand too.
I had a friend that I brought there. She’s living part time here in Davao. She want’s to get the membership but she’s not sure if she will be here by the end of the year or next year. She might be in the States the whole year. So I told her just don’t get a membership right now, to just let me know when she wants to buy something at S & R. Day before yesterday I brought her there. She’s wanting some medicines that she’s used to buy in the States. They had there at S & R, so she bought that with a bottle of lotion that she likes from there too.
After she bought the stuff we ate our lunch there. Good food and affordable. She’s just amazed with the place too.
All in all, so happy to have the S & R here and especially it’s really near to our house. I know some of you would say that you will not buy something from a place that you will pay for a membership. But for us it’s just so worth it. I found stuff there that my family were so happy to have it. At the end that’s all that matters to me and Bob.
Happy shopping everyone!
Hope to see you at S&R!
Hi Feyma,
I can agree that the S & R is great fun! I’d really go broke if we went there every day though haha Too many things that I want!
Well worth the membership price I think!
Enjoy! Queenie
Hi Queenie – Ha ha ha… So true, we’ll be broke if going back there daily. Geez, as if we want something in every aisle, gosh, not good. My youngest wants two things there as of now. And its not cheap though. One was the sky fort (Php90k). I felt for him on that. We used to have one in the States at our backyard that Bob built for the boys. Unfortunately he didn’t experience playing with it since we moved here in the PI when he was just 2 months old. And the other one was the storage shed (Php60k). He just like to have that so that they can use our bodega for something. We told him that we ain’t going to buy any of those 2 that he wanted. For one he is too old for the sky fort, he just wants it just for the heck of it. And we don’t need the shed since we already had bodega at the back of our house.
Anyway, I’m with you, it’s worth it for us too to have the membership. We go there almost everyday. 🙂
Have a good one!
Hi Feyma,
I totally agree with you, we do about 75% of all our shopping at Costco here in the states and I love the place. They double the manufactures warranty on almost electronics purchases there or at the online site also. I was in the S&R in Cebu a few times earlier this year when visiting there, and was amazed it was so much like Costco, Bob said membership was quite a bit cheaper also. I understand returning items in the Philippines is almost unheard of, but Costco here is so easy to take anything back for any reason, and was just curious if S&R would let you return things there or not.
When our time comes, so that we can move there in a few , and retire, Davao is at the top of the list I think, and with the addition of S&R there now, that makes it an even better choice. I hope we can find a nice property within 1 hr. of Davao so our weekly shopping trips can include S&R. One thing we have discovered when going to Costco though, is that when you see something you like, buy it then, cause you may never see it again, for many items.
Hi Bill S. – We love shopping at Costco before too. Not sure of the product warranty, it might just still the manufacturers warranty. Usually it’s a one year warranty here for almost all the products. But not sure what the S & R policy on that though. Yep membership at S & R is cheaper than Costco. Same with Costco whatever products you see today it might not be there for a long time again.
Good luck on your move someday. If ever you choose Davao good for you. We like it here. Check the place out first and see if you like it.
Have a great day!
wow, would not even come close to getting excited about a mall or superstore in the philippines or the u.s., but glad there is something for everyone, lol
Did you have the Hot Dog or Pizza ?
Hi Ralph – Yes we did try the hotdog and the pizza. Both we like it a lot plus the unlimited drinks. 🙂
Do you guys go to Cebu to shop at the S & R there? I don’t think you have one there in Bohol.
Have a wonderful day!
Well, actually it is not a mall, it is a membership store just like Costco. We are not excited so much about the store, but about being able to get quality products that we miss from the states, which previously were not available in the Philippines.
So correct Hon. To be honest I’m just so happy to have S & R here in Davao. Our family shops there almost everyday. All of us love the store. If other people don’t like it, I don’t really care.
I had a feeling you are going there today. 😉 LOL
hope some expats will stop their complaining that the thing they miss most about the u.s. ____ as that can now be found in a superstore/mall/membershipstore in the philippines. lol
but they will probably find something else they miss.
We ran into Bob not far from there the other day. The next day we went to S&R and completely filled 2 carts with items needed for new townhouse we are moving into. probably going back today to get some other items and have lunch. We like the 100% beef hot dogs for lunch and get a carry out of a couple caesar salads to have later with dinner.
BTW Thank You for your real estate recommendations ! With your help I found the exact type of townhouse I was looking for in the exact location. If you see me at S&R approach us, we owe you lunch. I was able to pick Bob out of the crowd but it might be a little tougher to find you so hopefully you will recognise me .
Hi Robert Von Hahnke – Yep Bob mentioned to me that he saw you the other day. It’s really good to have the S & R lots of good places to shop now here in Davao.
Hey, don’t worry I will give you a shout if see you somewhere. Lunch at S & R will be good. 🙂 …I’m so glad you like the place that I told Mae to show you. You telling me that you’re living alone, that place really is perfect for you with the security guards and also near the mall.
Have fun on your move and good luck on your stay here in Davao. If you have some questions feel free to contact me.
Have a great day!
Of course, immigrating to another country always entails missing things from your original country. The people in our families who immigrated to the USA undoubtedly missed things from the “old country.” I don’t find anything wrong with that, in fact it is just human nature. I love living in the Philippines, but there are some things I miss from back home. One thing that I missed for years was good breakfast sausage, but they have it at S&R, and I enjoy it.
very true bob. also with the arrival of such stores/megamalls/superstores/memberstores/department stores is that the world is now becoming more homogenized and more and more, all countries will be more alike in some ways.
Hi Ron,
You know in the US I never even ventured into a Costco as it just did not interest me.
The S & R is just a unique store that might hold some surprises, even if one is mostly window shopping. I don’t think that a lone S & R store in the cities is going to change the make-up of the country.
As you’ve stated, you spend most of your time now in the US, so you aren’t missing too much from home. You’ve also praised Prince Warehouse in Bogo in the past, but I find it really sub-par.
As you say, there is something for everyone.
being in the u.s. most of the time lately, i hear what filipinos miss most about the philippines and i think you would be surprised at what those things are (no it is not the megastore/memberstore/megamall/departmentstores).
I think I know what Filipinos in the States miss, and it’s mostly family. Remember, my wife lived in the States for 10 years before we moved to the Philippines. Been there, done that… I even have the t-shirt! 🙂
many fil-ams now have most of their families in the u.s. and tho it is true that mostly family is very true, many give other things they miss. glad you got the tshirt bob, hope its an official one, lol
I am with Bob on the family being number 1. All my wife’s family is there. We know some not many Filipinos who have brought a significant amount of their families to the US. The ones that have brought a of family here rarely go back to the PI.
I guess you have my curiosity up on what you think Filipinos miss more than their families. So what is it?
From the response to the opening of Jollibee in Woodside Queens, New Jersey and more recently Jollibee in Jersey City, New Jersey it is something missed by the Filipino population here in the USA. There was one Jollibee in Las Vegas a few years ago, now there are two of them. About 20 Jollibee in California.
Hi Feyma,
Thanks, you answered one question that I had about S & R and that was whether they stocked soda’s such as Dr. Pepper. Is it only in the large plastic bottles or do they have can’s also?
Hi Edwin – The Dr. Pepper that I saw there were all in the cans. They also had other pop in the bottle in 1.5 liters and 2 liters. We always get the 2 liters Pepsi max there.
Take care!
Hi Feyma – There is an old saying ‘ never put off till tomorrow, what can be done today’. You’ll just have to tell Bob to increase your allowance now you have a shop you really like.
Kind regards.
Jim.
WoW that sounds like a great place for family shopping. A BJ’s recently opened near me and I got a free pass in the mail but have not used it yet. I had the same thing when a Costco opened near me a decade ago and I came out with a shopping cart loaded with stuff LOL.
Feyma, do they sell medium sized piggy banks in S & R ? Why not think about getting one and every once in a while ( when Bob is not looking hehehe ) feed the piggy bank. Maybe when you are not looking Bob can feed the piggy bank. Sooner or later you will have enough money in it to buy that King Crab for you and Bob for a special occasion, how about for your anniversary dinner ?
King Crab is one of my favorites also although I seldom buy it any more it is so expensive, but every once in a while for a very special treat it is ok to splurge a bit.
The only possible difficulty I can see with this Membership Store for you and Bob and your family is that it could very easily become habit forming with daily visits and your house filling up with all of those good deals, or stocking up on things you miss before a ” Yes Sir, No Stock ” situation happens at the store.
I can understand how you have waited so long for American or American style hard to get items to become available to you. Enjoy it !
I wonder if they have an audio department.
Most things I hear, is they miss their fresh vegetables. Things that, while they can be found in the U.S., taste different because of different soil conditions, etc. My wife tells me all the time how much she misses the fresh vegetables she grew up with. And her family of course.
it was mentioned that fresh vegetables taste different for some reason, Is is possible to bring vegetable seeds from the sates or have them shipped/mailed there ?
The vegetables here are pretty good too, but they are different. Different types of veggies. Different sizes than we are used to. Instead of having one nice big baked potato, you may have to have 2 or 3 tiny ones.
hi scott, yup, that is what my wife says also about what she misses from the phils when she is here in the u.s. cost of the veggies is much higher in the u.s. also compared to phils. she also misses the fresh seafoods. nothing fresh about the seafoods in u.s., all frozen in most stores.
Mrs Feyma,
It’s great to have another option like S&R there. Looking forward to checking out what they have when we get there. Take care and thanks for the good info about S&R.
Try and see , you will like it PapaDuck. Lot’s of goodies, bring along with you your checkbook. 🙂 … LOL…