SIMÁN is a
department store
A department store is a retail establishment offering a wide range of consumer goods in different areas of the store under one roof, each area ("department") specializing in a product category. In modern major cities, the department store mad ...
from
El Salvador
El Salvador, officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. El Salvador's capital and largest city is S ...
, has 100 years of operation and currently has regionalized along
Central America
Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually ...
.
History
SIMÁN was founded on December 8, 1921, by Don J. J. Simán, of Palestinian origin, when he decided to open a small shop in the commercial area of the
San Salvador
San Salvador () is the Capital city, capital and the largest city of El Salvador and its San Salvador Department, eponymous department. It is the country's largest agglomeration, serving as the country's political, cultural, educational and fin ...
downtown. Its first name was "JOSE J. SIMÁN ", then when the children integrated into the business, its name changed to" JOSE J. SIMÁN e HIJOS. "Later it was incorporated as a limited company under the name: "ALMACENES SIMÁN S.A." For the 1960s, the store moved to larger premises in the Salvadoran capital downtown, later becoming a limited company with variable capital so that now the name is "ALMACENES SIMÁN S.A. de C.V. "(ALSISA)
Its construction began in 1967 and then became in 1970 in the first department store in
El Salvador
El Salvador, officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. El Salvador's capital and largest city is S ...
and the largest in
Central America
Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually ...
.
The store transferred its operations to the new branch in the
Plaza Mundo
Plaza Mundo is a chain of shopping malls owned by real estate group Grupo Agrisal, which is headquartered in El Salvador. As of 2023, Plaza Mundo has two shopping malls located in Soyapango , ApopaandUsulután History
Plaza Mundo first opened in S ...
shopping mall in September 2010 and it is currently headquartered in the Lifestyle Center La Gran Via.
In 1974 a large parking was built at the downtown store, now closed, and the original store located in the center of the capital was expanded.
In 1983 Almacenes SIMÁN decided to expand its operations by acquiring a building located in the largest shopping center of
El Salvador
El Salvador, officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. El Salvador's capital and largest city is S ...
at the time now called
Metrocentro.
In 1986, due to the earthquake that shook the city of
San Salvador
San Salvador () is the Capital city, capital and the largest city of El Salvador and its San Salvador Department, eponymous department. It is the country's largest agglomeration, serving as the country's political, cultural, educational and fin ...
, the Central Branch is damaged, so it was decided to open a small branch in La Casona located in Colonia Escalon in
San Salvador
San Salvador () is the Capital city, capital and the largest city of El Salvador and its San Salvador Department, eponymous department. It is the country's largest agglomeration, serving as the country's political, cultural, educational and fin ...
. There is currently operating the
Centro Comercial Galerias.
In 1990 is opened the third branch of Departments in the second largest city of
El Salvador
El Salvador, officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. El Salvador's capital and largest city is S ...
,
Santa Ana with a total sales area of over 1,500 square meters, and then is moved to the
Metrocentro Santa Ana shopping mall in the year 1998.
In 1993, Almacenes SIMÁN extended to the neighboring country
Guatemala
Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize, to the east by Honduras, and to the southeast by El Salvador. It is hydrologically b ...
in a branch in Los Próceres Shopping Center located in Zona 10 of
Guatemala City
Guatemala City (, also known colloquially by the nickname Guate), is the Capital city, national capital and largest city of the Guatemala, Republic of Guatemala. It is also the Municipalities of Guatemala, municipal capital of the Guatemala Depa ...
.
In 1994, Almacenes SIMÁN opens a fourth branch in
San Miguel, the third largest city of
El Salvador
El Salvador, officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. El Salvador's capital and largest city is S ...
.
On December 7, 1994, officially inaugurated the branch Galerias, located in the
Centro Comercial Galerias shopping center, where La Casona is located. (corporate offices were located in this shopping center).
In 2002 Almacenes SIMÁN acquired the Galerias Santo Domingo Shopping Center in the capital of
Nicaragua
Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America aft ...
, beginning operations in a third Central American country.
In 2003, SIMÁN opened its second store in the Republic of
Guatemala
Guatemala, officially the Republic of Guatemala, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the north and west by Mexico, to the northeast by Belize, to the east by Honduras, and to the southeast by El Salvador. It is hydrologically b ...
, in the trendy Miraflores mall.
In 2004 SIMÁN opened a new store in the Lifestyle Center La Gran Via in
Antiguo Cuscatlan in
El Salvador
El Salvador, officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. El Salvador's capital and largest city is S ...
.
On November 6, 2008 opened its third store in Guatemala City, located in Zona 10 in the Oakland Mall. In the same month, is opened a branch in the
Metrocentro Managua Shopping mall in
Nicaragua
Nicaragua, officially the Republic of Nicaragua, is the geographically largest Sovereign state, country in Central America, comprising . With a population of 7,142,529 as of 2024, it is the third-most populous country in Central America aft ...
.
Later expands in 2009 by opening operations in
Costa Rica
Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America. It borders Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, Panama to the southeast, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, as well as Maritime bo ...
in the newest Mall of
Grupo Roble,
Multiplaza
Multiplaza is a chain of shopping malls, owned by Grupo Roble of El Salvador (the real estate subsidiary of Grupo Poma), in Central America.
Background
The first Multiplaza mall opened in Tegucigalpa, Honduras in 1990 as part of the expansion pla ...
in the city of Escazu in the capital
San Jose.
In 2010, they opened another branch in
Soyapango
Soyapango is a district in the San Salvador department of El Salvador. Soyapango is the country's largest municipality with 284,700 residents. Soyapango is a satellite city of San Salvador and it is the main thoroughfare between San Salvador and ...
, located in stage IV of Plaza Mundo shopping mall to replace the branch closed in the downtown of the capital.
In 2015 opened the fourth store in
Guatemala City
Guatemala City (, also known colloquially by the nickname Guate), is the Capital city, national capital and largest city of the Guatemala, Republic of Guatemala. It is also the Municipalities of Guatemala, municipal capital of the Guatemala Depa ...
, located in Carretera a El Salvador in the
Pradera Concepcion Mall.
Campaign "Es Tiempo De Vivir" (Is Time to live) new image 2010
In order to update the image of SIMÁN, the singer
David Bisbal
David Bisbal Ferre (born 5 June 1979) is a Spanish singer, songwriter, and actor. He gained his initial fame as the runner-up on the first edition of the reality television talent show '' Operación Triunfo''.
He has since released five studi ...
was hired in 2010, touring
Central America
Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually ...
and launching the new image of the company with the campaign "Tribute to women" and "It is Time to live."
The campaign was successful as the first to win a prize
billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
in Central America, for the best marketing campaign using an artist
David Bisbal
David Bisbal Ferre (born 5 June 1979) is a Spanish singer, songwriter, and actor. He gained his initial fame as the runner-up on the first edition of the reality television talent show '' Operación Triunfo''.
He has since released five studi ...
.
"Tribute to women" (Base of the campaign)
Branches
As of January 2024:
* :
# Lifestyle Center La Gran Via
#
Centro Comercial Galerias
#
Metrocentro San Salvador
#
Metrocentro Santa Ana
#
Metrocentro San Miguel
# Plaza Mundo
#Outlet
* :
# Centro Comercial Próceres
# Centro Comercial Miraflores
# Centro Comercial Oakland Mall
#
Quetzaltenango
Quetzaltenango (, also known by its Maya name Xelajú or Xela ) is a municipality and namesake department in western Guatemala. The city is located in a mountain valley at an elevation of above sea level at its lowest part. It may reach above ...
, Interplaza Xela
#
, Centro comercial Pradera Concepción
* (as of January 2024):
#
Estelí
Estelí (), officially Villa de San Antonio de Pavia de Estelí is a city and Municipalities of Nicaragua, municipality within the Estelí Department, Estelí department. It is the 8th largest city in Nicaragua due to the high urbanization of its ...
, Multicentro Estelí
#
León
#
Managua
Managua () is the capital city, capital and largest city of Nicaragua, and one of the List of largest cities in Central America, largest cities in Central America. Located on the shores of Lake Managua, the city had an estimated population of 1, ...
, Galerías Santo Domingo
# Managua,
Metrocentro
* :
#
Alajuela
Alajuela () is a district in the Alajuela (canton), Alajuela canton of the Alajuela Province of Costa Rica. As the seat of the Municipality of Alajuela canton, it is awarded the status of city. By virtue of being the city of the first canton of ...
,
Alajuela City Mall
#
Curridabat
Curridabat is a district of the Curridabat canton, in the San José province of Costa Rica
Costa Rica, officially the Republic of Costa Rica, is a country in Central America. It borders Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the nor ...
– Provincia San José,
Multiplaza del Este
# San José -
Escazú -
Multiplaza Escazú
Alliance Inditex
ALSISA is in charge of operating the franchise since 2002 of the Spanish group
Inditex
Industria de Diseño Textil, S.A. (Inditex; , ; ) is a Spanish multinational clothing company headquartered in Arteixo, Galicia, Spain. The largest fast fashion group in the world, it operates over 7,200 stores in 93 markets worldwide. The compa ...
in
Central America
Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually ...
with the clothing stores
Zara,
Pull and Bear,
Bershka
Bershka () is a Spanish clothing retailer founded in 1998 in Spain. It is part of the Spanish Inditex group (which also owns brands such as Zara, Massimo Dutti, Pull&Bear, Oysho, Uterqüe, Stradivarius and Zara Home).
The company was crea ...
,
Massimo Dutti
Massimo Dutti, S.A. () is a Spanish premium clothing retailer specializing in cashmere and wool products, established in 1985 and owned by Spanish multinational company Inditex, the parent company of Zara, Pull&Bear, and other brands.
The off ...
and
Stradivarius
A Stradivarius is one of the string instruments, such as violins, violas, cellos, and guitars, crafted by members of the Stradivari family, particularly Antonio Stradivari (Latin: Antonius Stradivarius), in Cremona, Italy, during the late 17th ...
.
It began operations with the opening of the first store
Zara in
Central America
Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually ...
located in
El Salvador
El Salvador, officially the Republic of El Salvador, is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south by the Pacific Ocean. El Salvador's capital and largest city is S ...
, now has 18 stores which are located in:
See also
*
Centro Comercial Galerias
References
{{reflist
External links
www.siman.com
San Salvador
Department stores of El Salvador
Retail companies established in 1921
Salvadoran brands
Department stores of Central America
Retail companies of Costa Rica
Retail companies of Honduras
Retail companies of Guatemala