Sanborns closes iconic locations with more to follow
Carlos Slim, Mexico’s richest man, gave a press conference this week where he spoke about the closure of some of Sanborns most iconic locations and about how drastic changes were needed to return to profitability.
Sanborns first location opened in Mexico City in 1903 and has since become a ubiquitous department store brand across the country.
Primarily known as a chain of restaurants, Sanborns features large retail areas selling everything from telescopes to video games and books.
Some of the most iconic locations to shut their door forever included those known as La Fragua, San Ángel and Casa Boker — which Slim defended as a necessary but difficult move.
Though most high-profile closures have been limited to Mexico City, locations like Mérida’s Fiesta Americana branch called it quits in 2019 after a 24-year run.
Slim said that going forward, the franchise would modernize and be much more strategic about choosing locations.
When questioned about their most famous storefront, Los Azulejos on Calle Madero in Mexico City, Slim said nothing was off the table; but also added that he doubted it would ever come to that.
The decline of the franchise began in the 1990s but started to speed up in the 2000s as competition in Mexico’s restaurant and retail space heated up across the country.
It has also become a stereotype that only senior citizens frequent Sanborns, along with students looking for a quiet place to study and take advantage of WiFi and free coffee refills.
Though the Sanborns menu features Mexican staples like arrachera, chilaquiles, molletes and enchiladas, quality has dipped over the past few decades.
Sanborns played a significant role in Mexican history, particularly during the Mexican Revolution. One of their branches was used as a rendezvous point and gathering place by Emiliano Zapata’s troops.
One of the franchise oddities is the uniforms worn by waitresses which feature large V-shaped shoulder pads in bright colors that somehow look like a mix between a traditional Mexican garment and something you might see worn by an alien species on StarTrek or on stage at a KISS concert.
Senior Editor Carlos Rosado van der Gracht is a Mexican expedition/Canadian photographer, adventure leader, and PhD candidate. Born in Mérida, Carlos holds multimedia, philosophy, and translation degrees from universities in Mexico, Canada and Norway.
