Maharlika: A Little Piece of the Philippines
- Danie
- Apr 6, 2019
- 2 min read
If you ask any Filipino kid in El Paso if they've been to Maharlika, the answer is yes.
A beautifully quaint store full of the Philippine's most beloved products. A home-sick Pinoy's one stop shop.
I vividly remember lying down on the sacks of rice while my mom finished her hour long conversation with a friend she just met. My eyes loved to wander down the colorful assortment of packaged noodles as I waited for what seemed like eternity. My visit always ended with Pocky, Yan-Yans, or Hello Pandas as a treat.
Although a simple memory, the store served to fuel my family with just the right ingredients for Filipino dishes and memory-lane inducing snacks. It never ceased to connect me with my home country, even if I was a million miles away.
I revisited the store recently to pick up a few basic necessities- and as always, the memories seem to always come back immediately.
The store has been in business for as long as I can remember; my earliest memory of the place being at the age of five. We had just moved to El Paso, and my folks were still trying to settle in. Having a place full of familiar snacks and goods from the Philippines was almost life-changing.
From sweet spaghetti conveniently packaged in a plastic bag, to the delicious little ingredients for halo-halo, this place has it all.
The magical thing about this Filipino store is it's ability to connect Pinoys together. With El Paso's Asian population being only at 1.3% it's hard to get connected to people of the same ethnic background.
This store is used as a "unspoken" point of location to meet other Filipinos. You would be amazed at all the stories of people who have become close friends because they met at Maharlika.
This place makes you feel right at home, whether your a Filipino or not. It's a welcoming environment. An area where you could stay, chat, and forget everything you need to do all at once.
With two friendly co-owners, the store is run by only the best. It keeps people coming back. It opens doors to brand new stories, friendships, and discoveries.
Not only is Maharlika run by amazing people, it is powered by them as well. For as long as El Paso's Filipino community keep cooking and sharing their passions, this store will deliver.
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