In English the word ultramarine refers to a deep blue pigment used by painters. It was originally made from ground-up lapis lazuli, which was brought to Europe from Asia, beyond the seas. Ultra-marinos is literally "beyond seas." In Spanish, however, the world ultramarinos means groceries, perhaps because many of them used to come from beyond the seas. Not knowing the meaning of the Spanish word, I didn't realize until we visited it that Ultramarinos Estrada, on the Cholla Bay Road, is a large grocery and liquor store.
The store is neat and spacious. In addition to the usual range of groceries and dry goods, it has an excellent selection of beers and liquors at very reasonable prices, as well as ice. It also sells ironwood carvings. On a shelf above the carvings we saw a row of soccer trophies--not for sale.
The store is owned by the Estrada family. Angel and Maria Estrada and their two sons, Angel and Abraham, all work there. We talked to them all and learned that the soccer trophies were won by the father, Angel. Abraham has lived in the U.S. and speaks excellent English. He is a friendly and outgoing person, very attentive to customers' needs. The Estradas also have a daughter Susana who does not work in the store, but she and her husband, Carlos Serrano, have a similar store called Delta on Ave. Simon Morua. So although not all members of the family work in this store, they are all in the same business. In the future the Estradas would like to open a second store somewhere else in town.
Ultramarinos Estrada is in an excellent location for visitors to Cholla Bay. It's on the right hand side of the road shortly after it turns off from Blvd. Juarez. There's a selection of just about anything you might need, including cold Tecate beer and styrofoam coolers for ice, as well as excellent service from this entrepreneurial family.
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