All you need to know about Tiendas in Loja Ecuador
"I'll be back in a minute - just need to run to the tienda." A simple statement one might hear almost any time in Loja. But, what does it mean? The word tienda needs some clarification. Whether you are visiting Loja in Ecuador’s southern Sierras for the first time, or are thinking of moving here, one of the first things you’ll need to know is where the closest tienda or "corner store" is located. You’ll want to know this for the same reasons you would in any city and most suburbs of the US: where to go to get a couple of items without having to deal with a large supermarket. As commonly used in conversation, the tienda is similar to your local "mom and pop" convenience store, or a chain like 7-Eleven, Wawa, or Casey's in the U.S. The local tienda is like a little general store where one goes to pick up a quick snack at an odd hour, buy tobacco or beer, grab a roll of toilet paper, or get that ingredient forgotten on the shopping list or that one
