São Paulo – Yes, it is packed most of the time. Treading the sidewalks is usually not easy, what with the crowd of passersby loaded with bags all over. As a matter of fact, there could be more places in which to stop, grab a bite, rest a bit. That is all true. But it all pales in comparison with what 25th of March Street has to offer São Paulo natives and tourists alike. The best-known shopping address in São Paulo, 25, as it is affectionately known by regulars, is bargain heaven to those who need to buy fabric, lingerie, costume jewellery, home, household utilities, toys, accessories, bed, bath and linen items, packaging, decoration items, party supplies, and haberdashery of all kinds. And a few more things, for sure. Aside from being a guarantee of good deals, strolling around the street is a great pastime for many.
Speaking of great pastime, it must be said that the street is part of the history of the Arab community in São Paulo. The 25th of March has only become what it is through the labour of immigrants who arrived in Brazil in the late 19th century and set up shop there. Now, according to information from the Union of Shopkeepers at 25th of March and Surroundings (Univinco), 40% of the stores in the region are still run by entrepreneurs of Arab origin. So much so that March 25, the date in which the first Brazilian constitution was promulgated, is now the National Day of the Arab Community in the country. It is a tribute to the entrepreneurs and their families, to all those who have made the street into a trade hub with an annual turnover of 10 billion reals (US$ 5.5 billion), comprising 3,000 companies that attract up to 1.5 million consumers a day come December.
Rio Grande do Norte state-born architect and urban designer Larissa Marinho is one of these loyal visitors of the 25th. Living in Vitória, in the state of Espírito Santo, she takes a mandatory trip to the street whenever she comes to São Paulo. In addition to stuffing her suitcase with decoration items for her clients, she renews her costume jewellery collection. “The 25th is the best place to buy lots of stuff while saving time (because all sorts of things are up for sale and stores are lined up door-to-door) and money too,” explains Larissa. “Some decorative items cost one third of the price charged elsewhere,” she says. “I love the 25th.”
For enthusiasts such as the architect, the street is a playground where buying a lot and paying little are truly the main attractions. This is why the site has become a tourist spot of the largest Brazilian metropolis. But there are other advantages that make consumers want to return, such as the possibility of finding new options of stores with each visit, that is, the experience of digging up endless finds and opportunities. You have a ten-storey gallery in which there is a great packaging store on the 6th, the spot right on that corner where you can get lingerie for half the price charged at shopping malls and so on and so forth. Once there, no one will ever be plagued by boredom.
No boundaries
In the 25th’s boundless shopping world, some traditional addresses are always worth the trip. One case in point is the Niazi Chohfi stores, which sell national and imported fabric, knitting, decoration, carpets, curtains, accessories, bed, bath and linen, and lingerie. The company has two establishments in the street, at numbers 607 and 702. In both addresses, there are oasis-like cafés amidst such turmoil. The highlight is the one at number 607. There, the Niazi Café is located on the 9th floor. In addition to croissants, sandwiches, patties and various breads, you can also sweeten up your life with delicacies such as dedo árabe and nut cushion. Plus you will get a view of the 25th from above, with tables on the verandah so you can eat sitting down, feeling the breeze of good bargains.
Back in the street, spots worth visiting include Casa Fátima, another fabric shop, Armarinhos Fernando, which sells utensils and home utensils, highlighting a toy section, Comercial Gomes, also for various utensils and toys, Comercial Maluli, for haberdashery (all imaginable types, colours and styles of lace are available there), Aslan Armarinhos, for haberdashery and items for handicraft, Depósito de Meias São Jorge (a bona fide supermarket of socks and lingerie of all brands and models), Katmandu, for imported African and Asian products such as necklaces, decorative items, boxes, baskets, clothing and so on.
To renew your tableware, replenish your stock of glasses or buy new cooking pots, Doural, at number 595, is a major reference. Seeking costume jewellery? Stop by Criativa Bijoux, Selina Bijuterias Finas, or Ladylux Bijoux, among many and many others. Packaging? Officina Embalagens has them.
Arab lunch
If the time has come to replenish your energies and then go back to using your credit card, a good Arab-style lunch is, of course, the best choice. Go to Restaurante Monte Líbano, on Cavalheiro Basílio Jafet Street, 38, near the corner with the 25th. On the first floor, room 101, nine out of ten businessmen based in the street eat their meals almost every day. The atmosphere suits the place. Two other Arabian options close by: Jacob and Empório Syrio, both on Comendador Abdo Schahin Street. Because of the tasty food they serve, the three establishments are usually quite packed from noon until 2:00 pm. If you can, show up after that so you can eat peacefully.
Now that the body has been fed, it is time to walk some more. Not much, because most stores close by 5:00 pm. But enough to dig up bargains and discover products you did not even know existed on the most famous, most Arab commercial street in São Paulo.
Service
Niazi Chohfi
www.niazi.com.br
Armarinhos Fernando
www.armarinhos-fernando.com.br
Comercial Gomes
www.comercialgomes.com.br
Comercial Maluli
www.comercialmaluli.com.br
Aslan Armarinhos
www.aslan.com.br
Depósito de Meias São Jorge
www.saojorge.com.br
Katmandu
www.katmandu.com.br
Doural
www.doural.com.br
Criativa Bijoux
www.criativabijoux.com.br
Selina Bijuterias Finas
www.selina.com.br
Officina Embalagens
www.oficinaembalagens.com.br
Restaurante Monte Líbano
www.reginahgastronomia.com.br
Empório Syrio
www.emporiosyrio.com.br
Guia da 25
www.guiada25.com.br
Portal da 25
www.portalda25.com.br
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
