.....to Mr and Mrs Apolonia for opening their new store in Lagoa It's beautiful and one of the nicest stores I've ever seen, the attention to detail is unbelievable, Ok! it's a little more expensive than the others in that area but to compensate for that it's a shopping experience the even a chauvinist pig like me can enjoy, long may they live and prosper.

Well said pato, we love it. Well worth a bit more expense.

Yes, I also agree, but is it really more expensive on a like for like basis ?
Or do they just stock more expensive brands ? (or maybe less of the cheaper products) ?

Will get a report from my wife as she popping in today. We did visit the store over by Albufeira a few years ago and bought some items not normally seen in Intermarche etc, and I don't mean Marmite or anything like that!!

Thanks for the heads up Dave, I was in wonderland!

Well I don't like it. Don't know why, maybe it's the sterile atmosphere ( yes I know that's probably how a supermarket should be) but I feel I could be anywhere in the world other than Portugal. Give me pingo or intermarche where I can bump into Portuguese friends and get served by unsmiling Portuguese I might pop in for a particular ingredient if I had to do an English recipe but apart from that....

Just got back from 3 weeks CVO - called into Apolonia to have a look - we were there when a 40% off sale was on for wine. Dao reserva Ferro Torre for €3.10. I bought 2 bottles in Lidl for €2.95 standard price! It is a nice clean sterile environment - bit like shopping in a fridge. Aldi, Pingo and even Intermarche are a lot better and cheaper.

bruce wrote:Thanks for the heads up Dave, I was in wonderland!

Nice to see you both, we enjoyed your company, thanks Sue

smudger wrote:Will get a report from my wife as she popping in today. We did visit the store over by Albufeira a few years ago and bought some items not normally seen in Intermarche etc, and I don't mean Marmite or anything like that!!

Report from my wife and daughter very favourable, not the same from son-in-law........he was paying........also he choose 4 wines, 3 of which were undrinkable!! My wife did better with good wines, all under €3 a bottle! Think the big discount was still on.
Me? Made do with a Sagres after cleaning the decking back in homeland.....