Fu Supermarket
The reliable little grocery stop on John E. Mars Road where Statia locals pop in for pantry basics, cold drinks and last‑minute beach snacks.
Why Go
On an island where 'running to the store' can mean driving across half of Statia, Fu Supermarket is the kind of neighborhood spot that quietly keeps Oranjestad Bay stocked — a compact Chinese‑run corner shop lined with rice, canned goods, chilled sodas and the odd import you didn't expect to find this far off the cruise‑ship map.
The Experience
Step in off John E. Mars Road and you get the classic Statia grocery experience: fluorescent light, narrow aisles packed floor‑to‑ceiling, a hum from the drink coolers at the back, and a shopkeeper who greets regulars by name. It is not a boutique deli or a foodie destination — it is a working supermarket built for a village of a few thousand people, and that is exactly its charm. Locals drift in for a bag of rice, cooking oil, Maggi cubes, laundry soap and phone top‑ups; divers and apartment renters wander in for bottled water, sunblock, cold Presidente or Amstel Bright, chips, cookies and something quick for lunch. Prices are in US dollars, transactions are quick, and the whole visit rarely takes more than a few minutes — which is the point.
What to Try
Grab a case of chilled water and a couple of cold beers before you head down to Lower Town or out to a dive with Scubaqua or Golden Rock Dive Center. Stock a self‑catering apartment with the essentials — eggs, bread, pasta, sauce, coffee, UHT milk, local hot sauce — so you don't blow your holiday budget on every meal out. Pick up sunscreen, insect repellent, batteries or a cheap beach towel you forgot to pack. And keep an eye on the snack shelf for Dutch imports (stroopwafels, speculaas, drop) that quietly sneak in via the Sint Maarten supply run.
Insider Tip
Statia is small and shops keep island hours — most groceries wind down early evening and Sunday trading is limited, so do your big shop on a weekday afternoon and treat Fu as your top‑up spot the rest of the week. Bring smaller US bills where you can (change for a fifty on a two‑dollar soda is not always guaranteed), and if you're heading out on an early boat dive, buy your water and snacks the night before — nothing in Oranjestad opens at 6am.
The Practical Stuff
Location: 7 John E. Mars Road, Oranjestad, Sint Eustatius (Caribbean Netherlands), a short drive or walk from Upper Town guesthouses and a few minutes from the road down to Lower Town and the dive shops. Type: neighborhood supermarket / convenience grocery. Payment: US dollars, cash preferred; card acceptance can be patchy, so carry some notes. Hours: typical island grocery hours (roughly mornings through early evening, reduced on Sundays and public holidays) — call ahead or ask your guesthouse if you're timing a specific run. Good to know: no hot food counter or seating, this is a shop‑and‑go stop, not a café.
Pair It With
- Aquarium Dive Site — Grab your water, electrolytes and post‑dive snacks at Fu, then head straight out with a Statia dive operator to one of the island's signature reef sites.
- Baby Beach (Zeelandia area) — Stock a cooler with cold drinks and beach snacks before heading to the quieter north‑side sand for a low‑key afternoon.
- Alvin V. Courtar Park — Perfect pre‑park stop for cold drinks, ice cream or a quick picnic to enjoy in the shade after a wander through Oranjestad.
- A Quiet Getaway – One‑Bedroom Apartment — Closest self‑catering stay to load up on breakfast supplies, coffee, pasta and pantry basics for the week.
- Bacchanalia Guide — Pick up a bottle of water or a snack at Fu on the walk over, then settle in for a proper sit‑down meal at one of Oranjestad's local eateries.
