Anybody who has lived in Ibiza for any period of time, will know that Thomas Green’s British Supermarket is way more than just a shop. Community hub, charity collection point, parcel drop off, information sharing central, and most recently the addition of ‘Greggs style’ (we think we can call them that without getting the lawyers involved) hot pies and pasties which are the ruination of many a good intentioned Ibiza diet.
The Thomas Green’s benches are one sure sign of their special something different, I mean you don’t sit down for a chat with the manager of Lidl once you’ve done your shop do you? So that is where we sat with Jillian to get some background on the Thomas Green’s story in the week of their 14th birthday.
In 2006, at age 50, after a successful career in corporate retail management Joe Ritchie moved to Ibiza with his family and a vision for a new life. This vision included 2 main points: providing a service people wanted; and moving away from the faceless and cold corporate world that focused more on profit than good customer service.
This vision was realised in July that year with the opening of Thomas Green’s British Supermarket. The original shop was part of a franchise with shops all over Europe. Only Thomas Green’s Ibiza remains open today. This is in large part due to Joe’s dedication to giving great service at a reasonable price.
Thomas Green’s quickly became became popular not just for the products they sell but for meet-ups, information sharing, parcel delivery, or just a chat, and became an important part of British-life in San Antonio and beyond.
Over the years life on the island has changed dramatically. In 2020, Thomas Green’s is no longer the only British supermarket on the island, but Joe remains at the helm assisted by his daughter Jillian. One thing that has not changed is their dedication to their community and to giving excellent service to their loyal customers.
The in-store range now includes over 6000 different products including all the big-name British brands as well as exclusive and start-up brands which can’t be found anywhere else in Ibiza, with additional lines available seasonally.
If there’s anything they don’t stock all you have to do is ask and they will get it for you if they can. I can vouch for that, with requests over the years from Cod’s Roe to Bakewell Tarts hitting the shelves in no time.
It’s not just the range that has expanded over the years; in 2012, the shop doubled in size with renovations making it into the Thomas Green’s you’ll find open today in its original location which looks very different as the years have passed. We shouldn’t mention the expansion of Joe’s waistline (seriously, he paid us not to, so we’ve lost that fiver).
Alongside British kitchen cupboard favourites you can also find greetings cards, second-hand English books, & takeaway pasties and sausage rolls which are a firm favourite with residents and tourists alike.
The benches outside provide a meeting place for many & you don’t have to buy anything to stop by for a chat.
The customer service is still second-to-none which has been particularly evident this year as, during the State of Alarm, Joe & Jillian worked hard to make sure people felt safe in store and made sure those who couldn’t come out to shop got everything they needed in the safest way possible. Working in collaboration with a local delivery service they made sure no one went without home comforts and children all over the island got a visit from the Easter bunny.
Their website is now updated making it easier to order online than ever before. You can browse the most popular products or order online at: tgibiza.co.uk
We wish Thomas Green’s a very happy 14th birthday. Thank you Thomas Green’s! Here’s to 14 more.
Contact Information
Webshop tgibiza.co.uk
Facebook Thomas Green’s facebook
Telephone 971 80 47 72
Hours 10am to 6pm but hours do vary, best to check on Facebook or telephone before making a journey
