Fifth Avenue Vendor Stalls Relocated to 38th Avenue

PLAYA DEL CARMEN – More than 20 commercial vendor stalls occupying spaces on Fifth Avenue, were relocated to 38th Street, on the slope that leads to down to Shangri-la Beach.

The foregoing occurred Thursday morning, an action that did not please the businesses already established on Calle 38. Said stalls were previously located on Fifth Avenue, between Calles 34 and 38.

Municipal authorities reported that the move is due to upcoming remodeling in this section of 5th Avenue, and that the relocation is temporary.

The small stalls in question sell handicrafts and various souvenir-type objects. The stalls or kiosks are mobile and are usually set up, lining the sides of 5th Avenue.

Owners and managers of restaurants, boutique hotels and other establishments on calle 38 are not in favor of the vendors’ relocation. They complain that the location of the stalls obstruct foot traffic, block easy passage from the street and will generate a bad image of an area that is meticulously cared for by the tenants themselves.

“The movement began very early in the morning. They (municipal authorities) came to us to put it (the vendors) in this area where we have been organizing for a long time to make it look good. This is something that will now detract from its harmony,” said Armando Martínez, manager of a restaurant in the zone.

One of the constant complaints from the business sector on Fifth Avenue and the surrounding areas is the presence of itinerant vendors and drug sales. There are still some areas that have been relatively untouched by of these types of activities, and others where they abound.

The area in question, the descent of Calle 38, which leads to Shangri-la beach, along with the coastal sections of Avenue CTM and Coco Beach, are some of the most valuable areas in the city, as there are high-end condominium complexes, beach clubs and fine restaurants which attract tourists and vacation renters.

Providers of tourist services on the descent of Calle 38, said that what makes the situation worse is that they are just now entering a period of economic recovery. Last year, this area was one of the points closed for the longest time due to the health contingency of the coronavirus.

Source: SIPSE