4 Local Shops Not To Miss In Santiago
Santiago is home to 6.7 million people each with their own unique taste and style. Shopping here can be as cheap or as expensive as you want it to be. Stores vary from Mont Blanc and Carolina Herrera to an entire shopping center dedicated to selling cheap imports from China. Everywhere I go I am on the lookout for unique items to add to the wardrobe and to my home. These are the top four stores that I love and believe to be the best in the city for unique items.
Top 4 stores:
Tienda Makers
Filia
Echniuco
Tienda AMD
Tienda Makers
Tienda Makers is an art collective store that highlights the work of local artists in Santiago. Their items range from sculptures to jewelry, to sustainable items for the kitchen, and art. The range of items is always changing in-store and online. I try to stop by every two weeks or so and there are always new items to see. Their Instagram page is really active (@tiendamakers) and always reflects their items. I have found it to be an excellent way to follow the work of some of my favorite artists so that I can be aware of their newest items. For example when Elena Ho, a Chilean illustrator, and designer, released her long-anticipated coloring book Tienda Makers was the only store to carry it. Fortunately, I knew that it was being released and was one of the first in line to get it. It did not disappoint.
Filia
I originally stumbled upon this store via Tienda Makers Instagram. One day I decided to check it out in person and it was a dream! The store’s name Filia comes from the Greek philos (meaning: love or attraction to something). That is the exact feeling you get when you see the gorgeous items that they have. Filia is not so much a store as a “design platform, where designers and artists sell their creations based on collaboration and fair trade, without intermediaries. Each brand has and maintains its style and personality, but the set of brands that make up this community of creators share the same wishes and experiences”. The main requirement for artists to be allowed to have items here are that they own the whole manufacturing process and that they are local to Santiago. Filia devotes an entire page of its website to list all the brands that they work with which is another wonderful resource to find more local designers of items ranging from shoes to face cream to custom textiles. Every inch of the store is covered in something beautiful to look at here. Since Filia showcases the newest works by artists, the inventory is constantly changing making it a place I try to stop when I am in the area.
Echniuco
Encuentro Chileno de Nuestra Cocina, the formal name of Echniuco, was established in 2011 as a store to grow awareness of Chilean cuisine. Now it is in its ninth year, and has become a promoter of both national cuisine and Chilean manufacturing, expanding its stores to offer space to Chilean artisans. Echniuco carries items from Chilean cheese to unique metal jewelry and ceramics. The store is expertly curated and not as full as the other two mentioned. This gives Euchniuco a more high brow feel to the offerings there. No matter what you look at you know you are getting an item that is from Chile. Proceeds from the store’s sales go to their Euchniuco Foundation. This foundation works to provide tools to improve the management of each of the micro suppliers as well as helping enhance their business relationships with current and new clients. Euchniuco acts as a bridge between entities with purchasing potential and suppliers. You know that you are giving back to the country when you purchase items from here.
Tienda AMD
Speaking of giving back, I had to add my favorite second-hand store to the list. Tienda AMD is owned and operated by Red ELEAM. Red ELEAM is a foundation that supports homes or long-stay establishments for older adults (ELEAM), working to provide initiatives that promote positive aging and the overall well-being of the elderly who reside there. Their second-hand store, which just opened in October 2020, is unreal. I have been able to find items from BCBG, Ralph Lauren, and KUNA there. The store is small so you are bound to get into a conversation with the volunteer that works there. While they mainly have clothing and accessories, they have been known to stock the occasional home item or two. All these items are incredibly unique and come at a price that is hard to turn away. The store itself is housed in Centro Comercial Pueblo del Ingles which is made to resemble old markets in England - think almost Renaissance Faire-esq. It’s a great place to just walk around and enjoy your new purchase.
Are there any local businesses that you like to frequent? The best ways to show businesses what we believe in is with our dollars, or Chilean pesos. Local businesses whether they be boutique shops or coffee stops are excellent ways to support those that live in our community and make our world a beautiful place to be.
