Hello,
Does anyone know if there is an equivalent to the American drugstores like Rite-Aid and Duane Reade? From my few visits to Spain I don't recall seeing many large drugstores with aisles of products you can browse. Just the traditional old-fashioned pharmacies where the purpose was strictly to have your prescription filled by the friendly pharmacist. Unless, do people go elsewhere than a pharmacy in Spain if they wan't to buy typical over-the-counter stuff like cosmetics, vitamins, cough syrup, etc.? Like a health and beauty store? Thank you!

God knows I LOVED the pharmacies in Spain....they have real pharmacists that give real advice and real medicine!! And all without having to go to a doctor to tell the same story to get a prescription to take to the faux pharmacist at Safeway!!! Nonetheless, I found Madrid chock full of cute cosmetic stores, not to mention the huge section in El Corte Ingles.

Hi Toni,
Yes, I found the pharmacies in Spain charming as well. Kinda like stepping back in time, before the advent of drugstore franchises here in the US, you know? But, what cute cosmetics store are you referring to? The only cosmetics I found in Madrid were the expensive department store kind in El Corte Ingles, not the less expensive drugstore kind. Can you please tell me where you looked?

Hey Brenda and ToniG.

Ena to the rescue!!! I knew all those shopping expeditions with her were not a total waste of time

The best and cheapest is a chain called "La Oriental" and they have many stores, including one in Callao and another right smack in the center of Sol, on the corner of Puerta del Sol and Calle del Carmen (in front of El Oso y El Madro�o).

The biggest chain is quite possibly "Juteco" ( oly one with a website, it is at www.juteco.es ). THey have stores all over Madrid and one in Barcelona. The most central one in Madrid is on Calle "Carrera de San Jer�nimo" at #18. See store listings, locations and even maps at www.juteco.es/tiendas.htm .

Another good and inexpensive one is called Perfumer�as "Gilgo", also a chain and has many locations.

Saludos,
jer...

quote:

Does anyone know if there is an equivalent to the American drugstores like Rite-Aid and Duane Reade? From my few visits to Spain I don't recall seeing many large drugstores with aisles of products you can browse.

The quintessential "American drugstore", as we know it, does not exist in Spain. At least not as far as I have been able to find. I think, Brenda, that your intial observations are correct. If you want meds (prescription or not) you have to go to a traditional pharmacy here in Spain. If you want cosmetics, you go to any of the stores Jer mentioned...or to the Corte Ingl�s. For you New Yorkers, I think Sephora is also here in Madrid. You can also wander the "para-farmacia" aisles in any of the large hypermarkets (Carrefour, Alcampo, Gigante, Al Costo, etc) where there is a selection of beauty products, skin care products, oral care, foot care and general first aid materials such as bandaids (I haven�t seen aspirin or any other medication sold in these areas).

Don�t be confused by stores called "droguerias". These are generally dry goods stores that sell alot of cleaning products, household supplies (toilet paper, etc) and are always chock full of marujas.

When we were living in the Valencian region, there was a chain there called "Drug Store" which sold everything but what you would find in a para-farmacia section or in an American drug store. You could even rent videos there!

Happy shopping!

Hey Chica, thanks!

To confirm your comment about Sephora, it is indeed here in Madrid (and Barcelona).

The one on calle Alberto Aguilera (Metro Arg�elles) is right across the street from El Corte Ingl�s and has been open for years and a new one just opened at Puerta del Sol #5 about 5 months ago.

It is upscale and E.X.P.E.N.S.I.V.E. by Spanish standards but may not be so for American tourists, heck, it is even cheap by NYC standards.

Saludos,
jer...

Oh yeah, the closest thing to a huge American drugstores that I have seen here in Spain would have to be in the big supermarkets like "Alcampo", "Carrefour", "Continente", etc... There you will find aisles of health and beauty aide products, and those places are also the cheapest. Unfortunately they are not as central as the smaller stores mentioned above.

One last thing, for anyone interested, there is a good thread on Spanish Pharmacies HERE

Saludos,
jer...

I live here in Madrid and let me tell you that drugstores don�t exist here in Spain. You have to divide the different products you want to find, they are not all together in the same shop as you can find in UK or USA. If you want good cosmetics, there are fantastic shops around the corner, like The Make Up Store. YOu can find one in la calle Goya, near Col�n. Anyway, it�s a bit expensive. In El Corte Ingl�s you can find anything butit�s too expensive. Try Juteco, too, much cheaper!

Hey Aidah, welcome to the board and thanks for the input, great to have another local around

Yes, "The Make Up Store" is expensive as is "Sephora"., There are more "The Make Up Store" locations in Madrid on...

MAKE UP STORE
C/Fuencarral 124
Madrid
0034-91 5939954

MAKE UP STORE
c/Orense 14
Madrid
0034-91 5554594

CENTRO COMERCIAL TRES AGUAS
Avda. San Mart�n de Valdeiglesias n�24
28922 (Alcorc�n) Madrid

Their website is at www.makeupstore.se and for more stores in other parts of Spain, click HERE

Saludos,
jer...