Department stores in Mexico have a history and personality that’s genuinely their own. This isn’t a country that imported the format and left it unchanged — the major Mexican chains developed their own identities, their own aesthetics, and their own relationship with the shopping public that makes them worth understanding, even if you don’t plan to buy a cashmere scarf or a kitchen appliance while you’re here.
Here’s our guide to the department stores of Mexico City — who they are, where they came from, and which ones are worth visiting.
El Palacio de Hierro
El Palacio de Hierro is Mexico’s premier luxury department store, and it’s been that way for over 130 years. Founded in 1891 by a group of French immigrants (the name means “The Iron Palace,” referring to the original building’s iron-frame construction), it positions itself as Mexico’s answer to Harrods or Bergdorf Goodman. The branding leans hard into luxury — their longtime slogan, “Soy totalmente Palacio” (I am totally Palacio), has become one of the most recognized advertising phrases in Mexico.
The flagship store in Polanco on Calle Moliere is the one to visit. It’s architecturally interesting — a modern building that manages to feel grand without being ostentatious — and the merchandise covers the full luxury spectrum: international fashion brands, cosmetics, home goods, gourmet food, electronics, and a surprisingly good wine section. The ground floor cosmetics area rivals anything at a European department store, and the designer fashion floors carry brands that are otherwise hard to find in Mexico.
Other important locations include the Perisur mall in southern CDMX and the Centro Santa Fe store in western CDMX. The Historic Center location on 20 de Noviembre street occupies a beautiful Art Nouveau building that’s worth seeing for the architecture even if you’re not shopping.
Prices at Palacio are high by Mexican standards — this is where Mexico City’s upper middle class and wealthy families shop. But for visitors from the US or Europe, many items are comparably or even more affordably priced than at equivalent stores back home, especially Mexican-designed goods.
Liverpool
Liverpool is Mexico’s largest department store chain by revenue and number of locations, and it’s the one most Mexicans actually shop at. Founded in 1847 — making it older than most department stores in Europe — it was started by a French-born merchant named Jean-Baptiste Ebrard who named it after the English port city, for reasons that are not entirely clear but probably related to trade connections.
The brand occupies the broad middle-to-upper range. Think Macy’s or John Lewis — not budget, not ultra-luxury, but a wide selection of fashion, cosmetics, home goods, electronics, and seasonal items at prices that middle-class families can manage. Liverpool stores are anchor tenants in most major Mexican malls, and walking through one gives you a reliable snapshot of mainstream Mexican consumer culture.
The most notable location for visitors is probably the Insurgentes store in Colonia Juarez, which is large, centrally located, and easily accessible. The Polanco location in the Moliere corridor is more upscale, matching the neighborhood’s tone.
Liverpool also owns Suburbia, a lower-priced chain aimed at a more budget-conscious market. Suburbia stores are less interesting for tourists but are everywhere in Mexico City.
Sears Mexico
Yes, Sears. While the American Sears chain effectively died, Sears Mexico is alive and thriving. The brand was licensed to Grupo Carso (Carlos Slim’s conglomerate) decades ago and operates independently of the former US parent company. There are dozens of Sears locations across Mexico City, and they function as solid mid-range department stores.
The inventory skews practical — appliances, electronics, mattresses, men’s clothing, work wear. The fashion selection isn’t going to excite anyone, but the prices are fair and the stores are well-maintained. The flagship on Paseo de la Reforma is the most visible to tourists.
For visitors, Sears Mexico is more of a curiosity than a destination — the experience of walking into a thriving Sears while knowing the brand has essentially vanished in the US is genuinely surreal. But if you need practical items (a phone charger, a suitcase, basic clothing), it’s a reliable option at reasonable prices.
A Brief History of Mexican Department Stores
Mexico’s department store tradition was largely built by French immigrants in the late 19th century, during the Porfiriato — the long presidency of Porfirio Diaz, who actively encouraged European immigration and investment. French merchants dominated Mexico City’s retail landscape, and the department store format they introduced was modeled on the grands magasins of Paris: Bon Marche, Au Printemps, Galeries Lafayette.
El Palacio de Hierro and Liverpool both date from this era, and both were founded by Frenchmen. Other French-founded stores that once defined Mexico City’s retail landscape — El Puerto de Liverpool (the original name), El Centro Mercantil, La Ciudad de Londres — have either been absorbed by the surviving chains or disappeared entirely.
The French influence is still visible in the architecture. The Centro Mercantil building on the Zocalo (now the Gran Hotel Ciudad de Mexico, with its spectacular Tiffany stained-glass ceiling) was built as a department store. The original Palacio de Hierro building in the Historic Center is an iron-framed Art Nouveau gem. These buildings are worth visiting for their architecture even if you have no interest in retail.
Where to Find Them
Department stores in Mexico City are everywhere, but the concentrations that matter for visitors are:
Polanco — El Palacio de Hierro flagship on Moliere, plus Liverpool in the same corridor. The most upscale shopping experience.
Historic Center — El Palacio de Hierro on 20 de Noviembre (beautiful building), plus various Liverpool and Sears locations. More accessible prices and the architectural bonus of the colonial-era surroundings.
Major malls — Every large mall has at least one Liverpool and usually a Palacio de Hierro. Perisur and Centro Santa Fe have particularly complete offerings.
Is It Worth Shopping at Department Stores?
Honestly, for most tourists the answer is “probably not as a primary activity.” The unique shopping experiences in Mexico City are at the markets, the independent boutiques, and the artisan shops — places that offer things you can’t find at home. Department stores sell many of the same international brands available worldwide, just in a different wrapper.
That said, there are exceptions. Mexican-designed fashion, cosmetics from Mexican brands, and artisanal food products at Palacio de Hierro’s gourmet section can all make good purchases. And if you’re interested in retail history and architecture, the Historic Center stores are genuinely worth a visit.
For the full range of shopping in Mexico City, from handicraft markets to art galleries and design shops, see our complete guide.