Crayton and I stopped by our local Sanborns a few weeks ago in search of a dish rack. Sanborns is a Mexican chain kind of like Target, but way smaller and not as cheap. They’ve got electronics, perfume, purses, drugstore items.
They don’t sell dish racks. But this Sanborns, a stone’s throw from El Angel, had a bar — a small doorway sandwiched between the digital cameras and boxes of chocolates.
It was odd. I’d never seen a stand-alone bar inside a Sanborns before. (Or any other department store, for that matter.) This one looked like no one had touched it since the 70’s. A sign above the door said simply, “Bar” and a wooden-easel menu advertised mixed, frothy drinks. Inside, cushioned, C-shaped brown chairs sat next to round tables. The entire place screamed “Ramada Inn, 1972.” Of course we had to stop by for a drink.
We made it there last Friday, after the bars finally reopened. We’d lucked into live music: An older gentleman onstage tap-tap-tapped on a tinkly Casio keyboard. “Bienvenidos, damas y caballeros…” he called, and launched into a flowery, synthesized ballad.
A waiter in a jacket and bow tie promptly took our order, and mentioned they had two-for-one drinks. (Dude!) Then he brought us fruit sprinkled with chile powder, peanuts and chicharrones.
Sipping my Paloma, eating free snacks and listening to an old guy espouse the beauty of love — how could you not adore this place? (Full disclosure: Half the crowd had gray hair.)
I kinda wanted to take one of these balloons home with me. They say, “I was at Sanborns.”
We’ll definitely be back.
Sanborns bars are the best!
xD.