Shopping in Lebanon

So, there is not a lot of “one stop shopping” in Lebanon like there is all over the U.S. There is no Target (wouldn’t shop there anyway), Costco or even IKEA. We do have the Khoury Home Center here in Batroun which is probably the closest I’ve gotten to a Target like store and we do a lot of our shopping there and there are also home goods, toys, etc. available. Things can also be ordered on line with a reasonable turnaround time and very reasonable or free delivery fees. Most large stores price things in dollars and will accept both dollars and Lebanese lira…even together in one transaction! This is not something that I have experienced anywhere else that I have traveled to.

One of our favorite grocery stores is Spinney’s which is a chain throughout Lebanon. They do also have some miscellaneous home goods, but it’s mostly groceries. This chain has been around for a long time and we have shopped here on previous visits, but they have significantly upgraded their stores and it is much more organized and delightful to shop in. Here are some photos from Spinneys - looks the same as an American store, just with different products. They have fresh fish, a bakery, a meat counter, deli counter, etc. You can also buy hard liquor, beer and wine.

Spinneys has locations all over Lebanon

George with freshly filleted salmon.

The primary difference in the grocery shopping experience is in the produce section. You gather your produce and then take it to the person by the scale who will weigh it and stick a price tag on it. This happens in all of the grocery stores and here is a photo from Khoury’s

Here are customers getting their produce weighed and labeled. There are bananas on a shelf, which is unusual as they are usually hanging in a bunch.

This is typically how you see bananas for sale. This fruit stand is located on our typical walking route through downtown Batroun.

While you can find anything here in Lebanon, it may not be the brand you are accustomed to. There are some spices/sauces that you might be hard to find for foods that are less commonly served here, such as spicy peppers or some Asian sauces, but other than that, everything is available. I have found some really yummy and unusual things that I never came across in the states and I’ve included some photos of those below:

Look and feel like cheese puffs, but tastes like peanut butter - super yummy.

What?! I just had to walk away from these temptations.

We have made lots of home purchases - rugs, towels, electronics, furniture, etc. and have had really great experiences with a variety of companies. We have done this shopping online and in person. Customer service is amazing here, with the exception of one sporting goods chain store. Many people speak English, most speak French and Arabic is definitely the language of commerce. I am working on my Arabic, but it is challenging and thankfully George and I do our shopping together…or I send him :-)

Beautiful furniture store - this is Nelly’s younger sister, the owner of the store, and she is fabulous to work with.

While most things come assembled or are assembled upon delivery, George occasionally still gets to use his tools.

Our new barbecue assembly on the landing outside of our condo.