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Hi Everyone

I am going to the Abastos today. I know there are many food vendors there but wanted to ask what else? I am looking for craft supplies. Is there an area for Hobby Lobby or Michaels type products? Let me know what, other than food, you have found there and where it is.

Thanks a bunch

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TexMex,

I was in GDL a few days ago, looking for craft supplies. There is a Fantasia Michaels that has lots of supplies, just not the ones I was looking for. It appears to be THE place to go to for wedding and baby shower DIY things. Lots of things for babies and kids, too.

Within another few blocks are loads of fabric stores and sewing notions places, saw some knitting and embroidery and lots of crochet supplies.

None of these are near the abastos, but are accessible from the Tapatio Walkway near San Juan de Dios Mercado.

PM me later in the day and I can give you pretty good directions by foot.

If you ask, there are others on the board who can also give you walking directions. Don't even think of taking your car. The streets are one way and they are doing lots of construction. Park in the lot near the mercado and walk.

Alternately, take the bus from Chapala, walk 2 blocks from the old station near to WalMart, get on the blue macrobus and get off at San Juan de Dios.

You will probably need to make another trip.

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The correct name of the store is: Fantasías MIGUEL, no Michael´s

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Putting the directions here for others, if interested - this is also how to get to Plaza del Sol: from Chapala, on Lázaro Cárdenas take the exit for Mariano Otero just past the Abastos market and follow that up to the yellow arches (Arcos del Milenio); on the right is Avenida Chapultepec (good if you're going to fancy fabric stores or coffee & syrup suppliers); past that also to the right is Avenida Arcos; keep going - you will be faced with a choice to continue again onto Lázaro Cárdenas by dipping down into a (dangerous) re-entrance, or by going left around to the back of the yellow arches - that is Mario Otero.

Follow Mariano Otero past the Expo; you'll see Chocolatera Ibarra and then Fiesta Inn on your right; beside that also on your right is Fantasías Miguel, with underground parking and an entrance to the store from the underground. This is how you could get to Plaza del Sol if you keep going, but if you arrive at Plaza del Sol you've gone too far. On the other side from Plaza del Sol by the way is a yummy Brazilian restaurant (Pampas or something) if you're into grilled meats (and they have a lot of different salada and vegetables as well). It's a complicated batch of intersections and I wish you luck. There is also a Fantasías Miguel on Hidalgo in the city centre as someone above mentions, if that's easier for you.

As to what's in the store ( it reminds me a bit of a dollar store, not really a crafts store): millions of ribbons, things for making plastic boxes, feathers, beads, ornaments for clothing (like shields, buttons), stickers of various kinds, things for kids to assemble, plastic flowers, and many kinds of containers, individual and serial for holding said objects or could be used tp hold mixed paints/watercolours etc. Really depends on what you're looking for whether it's worth going or not.

Abastos market: the food mentioned above is not Japanese, it's Korean-style Japanese, the owners are Korean. They have told me that when the do events, they prepare authentic Korean (which is very distinct from Japanese), but what they sell in the Abastos is "what Mexicans expect" (quoting the cook) i.e., want to think is Asian/Japanese..... I don't find it good - heavy and greasy, total opposite of what Japanese food is - but that's me. On Fridays, one of the vegetable vendors sells less common vegetables more known to the Asian table: bitter gourds, daikon, lady's fingers (giant okra) etc.

La Gallina feliz is worth going to for staples like sugar, icing sugar, chia seeds, Chapala flour in bulk, some medicinal herbs, spices, salt, nuts (hazelnuts, pistachios, almonds), dates, chiles and vanilla pods (2,000 pesos per kilo mind you). It's nothing magical, just a big bulk store but certainly cheaper than buying in Ajijic. I once got agar agar at Mamá Coneja down the street. Somewhere in the Abastos is a Callebaut chocolate distributor, but I don't know where. What I've had from Gallina feliz and the place next to it is Turin chocolate, ok but inferior if you taste it alongside good quality chocolate. Turin's white "chocolate" is vanilla-y, which I like.

Maybe some of this is useful for those contemplating a trip there.

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Haven't tried the Fantasia Michael's store, but years ago the best I had found was a place called Manualidades (which means handicrafts) on the south side of Hidalgo in El Centro GDL. Like the OP, I miss having a Hobby Lobby or Michael's around.

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