Fun Filipino Fact: You’ll mostly find what you need at the nearest sari-sari store.
Wherever you are in the world, it’s always good to know where the nearest convenience store is.
This is basically your one-stop shop for essentials like food and toiletries.
Most towns in Cebu have several branches of 7-Eleven, Uncle John’s, and Quikstop, but some far-flung areas, particularly in the countryside, may not have them.
Enter the sari-sari store!
There are many of these along street corners and sidewalks, especially within residential areas. They are sometimes referred to as streetside stores or general merchandise stores.
“Sari-sari” means “variety” in Tagalog, so you can expect everything from snacks, canned goods, ingredients, and home essentials being sold.
Additionally, sari-sari store products are extremely cheap!
But what is a sari-sari store exactly? How did it start off, and how did it become so ubiquitous around the country?
Like many Filipino businesses, it originated from the Chinese trade.
HISTORY OF THE SARI-SARI STORE
An online article from Sunstar Cebu explained that the sari-sari store was a result of roadside stalls that were built and owned by Chinese traders. This helped them dodge land ownership laws while selling their products to Filipinos and Spanish settlers.
Colonial Filipinos created their own versions of these, with much smaller stalls along the streets.
Soon, Filipino sari-sari stores outnumbered Chinese-owned establishments, but the latter was much more successful because of their scale, efficiency, and product quality.
The Philippines soon enacted what is called the “Nationalization of the Retail Trade Law,” which forbade Chinese store owners from transferring business ownership to their children.
To combat this, Chinese traders registered their businesses under the name of their Filipino spouse in order to continue selling. Eventually, however, many Chinese businessmen decided to venture out to greener pastures.
Chinese-Filipinos started to run bigger establishments like retail outlets and even shopping centers, leaving Filipinos to dominate the sari-sari store business to this very day.
A typical sari-sari store is now considered a lucrative business, with some earning thousands of pesos a day. It’s especially helpful for those who are looking for passive household income.
These small variety stores have become so ubiquitous around the country that you will most likely find one that is close to any Cebu tourist spot, whether at the beach or up in the mountains.
They are usually run by young Filipino entrepreneurs looking to help out their families, all from the comfort of their home.
WHAT MAKES THEM SO SPECIAL?
A variety of products are sold at extremely affordable prices, making it convenient for residents if they need a lacking ingredient, a quick snack, or a household item.
Household items include slippers, matches, hair ties, dishwashing soap, and even toys.
Sari-sari stores are sure to have a vast selection of chips and biscuits as well. Canned goods and instant noodles are staples that many residents purchase throughout the day. They also sell soft drinks, beer, powdered juice, instant coffee, and bottled water.
Some stores even go so far by expanding to make space for an eatery where they sell homemade dishes, like a streetside carinderia. This type of setup is frequented by fellow neighbors and passersby.
If you’re visiting the Philippines from a different country, sari-sari store owners are kind enough to help you with anything you might need. This also makes it one of the best places to practice the Filipino language.
When you’re in Cebu, make sure you know important Bisaya words and phrases like “Tag pila ni?” (How much is this?) to communicate with the owners or store handler better.
Finally, you may also get quite the laugh because of the funny Filipino business names they use to get customers’ attention.
Take a quick search online and you will find stores called Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Store, Bread Pitt, and Tindahan Store (Tindahan is the Tagalog term for store).
No matter where you go, a sari-sari store will definitely be around the corner, frequented by everyone around the neighborhood. It is always a big help as these stores sell a number of items and essentials at a competitively good price.
If you accidentally forget to buy something at the groceries, a sari-sari store is definitely your one-stop shop to get what you need.
