Grupo Sanborns is a retailing arm of the Carlos Slim-run Grupo Carso that includes the namesake Sanborns restaurant and junior department store chain, Mixup music stores, iShop electronics stores, Sears department stores in Mexico, and until October 2023, Mexico's sole Saks Fifth Avenue store.
As of 2021 the group sales were 53 billion Mexican pesos, equivalent to around 2.6 billion USD and it operated in 62 metropolitan areas and towns across the country with formats including: 197 Sanborns restaurant-and-retail stores and Sanborns Cafés (stand-alone restaurants) 141 Mixup (music/video) and iShop (official Apple reseller) stores (usually located next to each other) 97 Sears full-line, mid-range department stores
From 2007 until 2023, the group operated the only Saks Fifth Avenue stores in Mexico, both in Mexico City, one at Plaza Carso mall in Nuevo Polanco from 2010–2020, the other at Centro Santa Fe from 2007–2023. Deciding not to renew its Saks franchise, the group is to convert it to a Sears. | Title: Carlos Slim se despide de Saks Fifth Avenue en México
Sanborns
Format
The namesake Sanborns chain began in the early 20th century as a transplant of the American coffee shop (diner) to Mexico City. As of 2021, there were 197 Sanborns across Mexico, from Tijuana in the northwest to Cancún in the east.
Almost all Sanborns branches have sit-down restaurants and usually a cocktail bar as well. Iconic menu items include the enchiladas suizas ("Swiss enchiladas") with chicken, cheese and green sauce.
Larger locations also function as a junior department store, including departments such as: electronics including TVs, cameras, small appliances, cellphones and accessories, tablets, laptops and accessories entertainment: music, video, videogames, guitars, keyboards and musical instruments pharmacy service counter and personal care cosmetics and fragrances magazines and books toys and boardgames bakery service counter, candy, fine wines, liquor, tobacco products men's, women's and children's clothing and accessories including sunglasses gifts, home decoration, stationery, luggage and other travel goods financial services such as payment of utility and other bills, pre-payment of cellular service, and cash deposits to bank accounts
Locations
As of 2021, 196 Sanborns were located across Mexico plus one in El Salvador, with a total floor area of , and average of per store. The El Salvador location has since closed, as did Panama prior to that.
Sanborns stores are found in nearly all parts of Mexico, from Tijuana in the northwest to Cancún in the east. However, of Mexico's 31 states, there are only 6 without a Sanborns: Baja California Sur, Oaxaca, Colima, Nayarit, Tlaxcala and Durango.
As of October 2023, Sanborns lists 146 locations, of which the majority are in the Mexico City metropolitan area with 60 in the city itself and 21 in the adjacent State of Mexico. 65 others are located across 25 other states.
History
The retail company was founded in Mexico City on June 19, 1903, by California brothers Walter and Frank Sanborn, U.S. immigrants seeking a better life in Mexico. They also opened the country's first soda fountain. The original location and its lunch counter is still in operation. At first there were three branches, two on what is now Madero Street and one on 16 de Septiembre street.
During the Mexican Revolution, troops of Emiliano Zapata used a Sanborns branch located where the Libreria Madero is today, as a rendezvous point and gathering place. Extant photos show Zapatista soldiers enjoying their first restaurant meal at Sanborns' lunch counter. Thus the Sanborns slogan Meet me at Sanborns.
In 1919, Walter Sanborn, tired of the turmoil of the Mexican Revolution, returned to the US and left the management of the company to his brother Frank.
The trademark of the franchise, the three owls, represent Mr. Frank Sanborn and his sons, Francis and Jonathan. For some time, the official name of the company was "Sanborns Hermanos" (Sanborn Brothers), when Mr. Frank died.
Also in 1919, Sanborns acquired its most famous branch location, the 16th century House of Tiles, Casa de los Azulejos, a colonial mansion that is a major tourist attraction and national monument, its inside decorated with a mural by José Clemente Orozco.
In 1946, Frank Sanborn sold his interest in Sanborns to fellow pharmacist Charles Walgreen Jr. of Chicago.
Like Walgreens, Sanborns does not use an apostrophe in its name. In Sanborns' case, it is due to the Spanish language not using apostrophes to indicate possession.
Walgreens sold its interest in 1985.