The Chino - A Spanish Institution

In my first few weeks in Madrid I discovered what would later become an essential part of life in the city; the Chino. These are the equivalent of the corner shop in England and sell everything from stationary and food to bed linen and crockery. We were forever popping out to the Chino for something or other.

If you're on the hunt for one you won't have to look far; any shop with the words "Alimentación" or "Bazar" on the sign is more often than not a Chino. They also often make a play on the famous Spanish department store El Corte Ingles and call themselves "El Corte Chino". The unequivocal king of the Chinos in my opinion is La Casa de Pin on the Ronda de Atocha; an absolute palace spread over three floors devoted to homeware, knick knacks and everything else you could want.

In Spanish the word "chino/a" means "chinese man/chinese woman" or can simply be used as an adjective to mean chinese e.g. "la tienda china". It's not surprising therefore that these shops are run by chinese families who have migrated over the years to Spain. Coming from England, where we're all so desperate to be seen as politically correct, I was a bit reluctant to use the word Chino at first, it just seemed a bit rude somehow.

We've all heard someone say that all English corner shops are run by "pakis" or make jokes about "Mr Patel" something which often comes across as racist even if it's intended to be funny. Here, just like in every aspect of their life, the Spanish take a more direct approach. The shops are run by chinese people or "chinos" so they use the same name for the shop. This might seem a bit demeaning but it's really innocent. I'm sure if they were run by russians or greeks they'd call them "rusos" or "griegos". Throughout my year in Madrid I never once heard anyone be racist towards a chino (person or shop).

If you're living in Spain for any length of time "chino" will just become part of your new Spanish vocabulary. Need a new lightbulb or adaptor plug? Head to the Chino. Forgotten to buy pasta or need some decorations to jazz up your new room? The Chino's got you covered. I even bought an emergency suitcase from La Casa de Pin the day before flying home as my mountain of stuff refused to be squashed into the two I'd brought with me.

What's more these shops are often open long after the supermarkets shut on a Sunday or Saint's day; something you will be eternally grateful for when you check your cupboards that morning and find them empty...