Cartimar Market was my one-stop shopping center when I used to live near the De La Salle campus in Manila. Cartimar was a jeep or LRT ride away, and there, I would find just about anything. The market is divided into different sections, and your every need will be provided by scores of individual shops and stores that make up this diverse shopping center. Entering the market from Taft Avenue, you will be greeted by shoe stores that used to sell discount local leather goods of great quality (my Dad used to buy his shoes there, if he was too lazy to go all the way to Marikina or Cubao), but are now overflowing with counterfeit sneakers and shoes (NIke, Adidas, etc.) that look like such close imitations of the originals. There is is also new Savemore Supermarket for cheap groceries, but inside the main market itself are rows upon rows of stalls that sell export overruns of big brands such as Hollister, American Eagle and The Gap. Towards the back is a food court that has a wide range of concessionaires that you could choose from.
Towards the far end of the row of stalls are ukay-ukay centers where most of my friends go to buy their winterwear (for vacationing in cold countries). The second-hand coats, parkas and jackets are still in great condition, and they sell for a third of the price of the new ones. I think this is very practical, especially if you won't wind up using them all the time anyway. Further still are some houseware stores that sell a lot of discounted kitchen and cooking equipment. My sister bought several pots, plans and coffee brewing equipment at wholesale price from one of the stores when she opened up her cafe. Then, at the end of the market are rows upon rows of cycling shops that offer all sorts of bicycles (they do assemblies, repairs, clean ups, servicing, and professional packing and cushioning for when you want to take your bike on a plane and don't know a thing about bubble-wrapping the fragile parts).
Probably what makes the market famous though are the rows of pet stores that sell everything from puppies to kittens, fish and all sorts of birds. They also sell pet supplies such as dog and cat food, fish tanks, cages, leashes and feeding bowls. I heard that for a time, Cartimar was even a "bagsakan" of endangered species, which have prompted several raids from the DENR. They found illegal and endangered wildlife such as baby sharks, sugar gliders, wild squirrels and turtles. Just at tip: know what you are buying if you don't want to be embroiled in some illegal wildlife or endangered species lawsuit from the government.
Finally, the market also has an extensive home and garden section where you can buy indoor and outdoor plants, herbs and succulents. They also offer potting soil, pots, pebbles, statuary, fountains, and rocks for your garden. If you can spare an afternoon, go to Cartimar and just look around. You'll never know what you'll find and end up taking home. read more
