Colmado - A Dominican’s Sanctuary
Today I want to share with you the post I wrote as a Content Creator for the IG account of Embajador Dominicano last year :
“If you are interested in mingling with the local peoeple in the Dominican Republic, find your favourite Colmado in town.
A Colmado is like a kiosk or a little grocery store where you can get drinks, snacks, or even toothpastes or other small things. Originally this concept derives from Spain where they call it ‘Tienda de Ultramarines’ (oversea shops).
’Overseas’ as they would sell things imported from the overseas, especially during the colonial times. There are different opinions on where the expression Colmado comes from. Some say it stems from ‘cuelmo’ (hay) because traditionally the shops in the rural areas used to have hay ceilings. Others say it originates from the word ‘colmar’ which means filling up, as the shops would attract customers by showcasing their products in the show windows.
It seems as though the Colmados in the DR have developed their own concept, so much so that it has cultivated their very own culture ! And if you get lucky and find a popular one, you can see some true magics happening.
Not only is it kiosk or grocery store in the neighbourhood - in fact it’s become part of people’s everyday life, their favourite bar, their favourite ‘club’, their sanctuary.
If you visit Santo Domingo, you will find plenty of them in Zona Colonial, however the popular ones do stand out a bit: by the amount of their loyally repeating customers, the volume and taste of music and the incredible vibes, the amount of people hanging out in the evening and on weekends, some even have names (just like the one in the video).
Even though you might feel a little bit intimidated at first, get in, and have a seat (if they have seats), enjoy the drink and the music - your courage will be rewarded.”
Check out this video so you can see how a regular “regular”colmado turns into the best club in town !
Check out the original post on IG - please also like, share and follow ❤️
Sources: Wikipedia, wordReference.com
📍Colmado Los Muchachos, Santo Domingo
🎥 Edwin M. Ferrera
