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MINI PRICE STORE
EMILIO MORALES NOVOA
I always say shopping is cheaper than a psychiatrist.
Tammy Faye Bakker
Owner Emilio Morales Novoa is bashful when he talks about it, but his passion for the retail
store he founded is evident in his smile. For a business that has only been operating for three
years, expansion is a good sign. By late 2014 Mini Price Store will have broken ground on
their new premises, a move that has become necessary because of the way it's grown.
“The problem is we don't have the room to keep all the lines we would like to sell,” he
says. Mini Price Store began as a way to save time and money for people living in Manuel
Antonio and Quepos who had to drive all the way to San Jose to shop at PriceSmart. Back
then it was a 7-hour round trip to San Jose. Emilio started his business with almost nothing,
but could see the need in town for a Costco-style store carrying many U.S. and brand name
products that local expats long for but can't usually buy. He would make the trip to San Jose
on the bus, armed with orders from local businesses, and return to distribute the goods from
his mother's car.
Emilio began storing the goods he brought back in his home, and then he rented a small
storage space. When people started showing up to buy his products he knew he had to find
a storefront. Since that simple beginning the business has continued to boom. “We have a
lot more customers now because the big supermarket [Supermas] closed,” he explains. “So
we have a new clientele and we try to take care of them and find everything that we didn't
have here before.” And with more local restaurants looking for distinctive ingredients, Mini
Price Store tries to meet their needs as well. “We're working together with local chefs here
in Manuel Antonio. They give me tips about specialty products they use,” Emilio says. He's
bringing in more Asian products to help feed that need.
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