Thread: Furniture and Appliances in Panama City

I am in need of some furniture and appliances for my apartment. I would like decent stuff. Are there any best places to go.

Looking for stainless steel appliances and black furniture. 3 flats screens and a speaker system as well.

Also how mug can one negotiate on that stuff here.

Econo Precio has good quality stuff at a good price. It's on Via Espana.

There's a ton of super high end stores if you want the top end stuff. There's a few of them on Via Brazil.

Matt knows about the top end!

Originally Posted by No-Non-Sense-Matt

Econo Precio has good quality stuff at a good price. It's on Via Espana.

There's a ton of super high end stores if you want the top end stuff. There's a few of them on Via Brazil.

Would you say it is better to purchase furniture in PC then to ship things from home?

Yes -- no doubt about it. In general, good quality beds and desks are half the price.

Another place worth checking out is: Conway. Most of their stuff is made with high quality wood.

Gotta love real wood!

I know snohobo loves wood.

Good to know. I don't plan to ship any of our things to Panama. Starting everything brand new, if we choose to stay after our trail period. Our kids however, are more attached to their toys....in which I will bring little by little, mainly their legos and books.
Would you recommend the Conway in Albrook Mall or is there another location that has more selection?

We buy at Econo Precios and Furniture City (for the past 6 years) and we have never been disappointed. Everything comes from China regardless of the name on the box. We spend about 60K a year at Econo Precios on office and apartment furniture. They deliver, assemble and repair (warranty) if needed. We have been buying there for a long time and never had anything fail. You can get a 5% discount if using a creditcard and maybe 7% paying in cash or check.

Furniture City is good for Sofa's, American Style Beds (box spring & matresses). Prices are higher than Econo Precios but there are certain items at Furniture City that Econo Precios doesn't carry (or you will not like). You can negoiate a larger discount but remember their prices are higher. We buy appliances at Panafoto and you can negoiate special prices (discounts) depending upon the volume of your purchases. Panafoto is very competitive and they delivery/install. A $5.00 to $10.00 tip is always appreciated by the installer delivery person and be sure to get their cell phone number is you need their help in the future (especially if they are good).

Since we are at the topic of furniture..
I am a fan of tropical hardwood, and I wonder if we can find any fine furniture made with indigenous tropical hardwood here, or the woods are all exported out?

To the best of my knowledge Decolosal here in Panama City is the only creditable local manufacturer of residential or office furniture and I am sure they can (and do) produce furniture from tropical hardwood. Colombia and Ecuador produce and supply high quality furniture from any wood that you desire and of course Asia is a good supplier of rare hardwoods. In Colombia you can visit the millshops and pick the most exoctic furniture you could imagine from a designer handbook and within a few weeks they produce it just exactly like the picture (or better). They are really really very good. In Colombia there's no margin for error as you must be really good at what you do (or represent to do) or you fail as there are no second chances. There are 1,000's of hungry educated people standing outside waiting for your job.

DECOLOSAL

Originally Posted by Viewpoint

To the best of my knowledge Decolosal here in Panama City is the only creditable local manufacturer of residential or office furniture and I am sure they can (and do) produce furniture from tropical hardwood. Colombia and Ecuador produce and supply high quality furniture from any wood that you desire and of course Asia is a good supplier of rare hardwoods. In Colombia you can visit the millshops and pick the most exoctic furniture you could imagine from a designer handbook and within a few weeks they produce it just exactly like the picture (or better). They are really really very good. In Colombia there's no margin for error as you must be really good at what you do (or represent to do) or you fail as there are no second chances. There are 1,000's of hungry educated people standing outside waiting for your job.

DECOLOSAL

I went to the website, but it seems like they are more into office furniture than home furniture. Anyway, thanks. What you describe in Columbia is interesting. Wish they export some of that here.

Originally Posted by Liont

I went to the website, but it seems like they are more into office furniture than home furniture. Anyway, thanks. What you describe in Columbia is interesting. Wish they export some of that here.

My wife worked there for 5 years as a CPA and she was my source of information. You can ask Herman Bern who furnishes all his furniture for his hotels or the Decapolis hotel as all that furniture came from Decolosal. Colombian and Ecuadorian furniture is available in Panama. I suggest you call them and ask them. If you found your way to their website you could have gone to products and found pictures of their products on their home page just click on the picture that says hotels and look at the pictures.

Decolosal manufactures and installs millions of dollars of residential furniture each year so I am sure they can handle your needs.

Try Reanco on Transmittica hwy for appliances. They also have a small store in Gorgona

Wood-lovers, I came across this link on encuentra24. Their stuff look hand-made by artesans, which is rare in today's world. Anyone used them before?
Madera Nativa

It probably isn't practical to get in Panama but Belize has incredible hardwood forests. One time when traveling through Belize I met a guy from St Louis who was buying a couple hundred grand of wood for making instruments and picture frames. He said some of the best hardwood in the world can be found in Belize. He told me he makes a buying trip every year.

I was at Sol de la India at Tumba Muerto.
They do have nice pieces - standalone and smaller prieces - made of heavy solid wood. Some of them have nice carvings. If you like ethnic furniture, you could check that out.

Originally Posted by No-Non-Sense-Matt

Gotta love real wood!

I know snohobo loves wood.

It's true but Matt is really your hard wood expert - I deal mainly in soft varietals.

I get a newsletter from Expats in Panama
Last month they had a "Furniture Tour" that was a bus full of expats on what was described as a 'whirlwind adventure' to 14 ( i think it was 14) furniture stores in the city. You're at each store for no more than 10 or 15 minutes. The point is not to buy, but to shop and see without having to navigate and drive yourself. Seemed like a cool thing!