Galerías El Triunfo is a treasure trove of the strange, the wonderful, and the unashamedly outlandish. More than a home decor store, El Triunfo is a surreal experience where, if you’re not careful, you’ll arrive simply looking for a lamp and end up leaving with a Greek-style bust, a neon dog statue, three baroque-style cherubs and an existential crisis.
Somehow, this store has expanded across the country with 47 branches, bringing its extravaganza to every corner of Mexico. Mexico City alone has 19 stores.
@rubencarpinteiro Amé el último adorno. ❤️ #humor #comedia #risa #galeriaseltriunfo #paratii #parati #foryou #muebles #ideas #decoración ♬ earthquake – JISOO
The chain’s penchant for — let’s call them whimsical — products has made it an easy target for TikTokers and Instagrammers, who love highlighting the odder items at Galerias El Triunfo.
Galerías El Triunfo started 50 years ago as a small crafts retailer. It was founded by Don Fermín, who was “one of the most visionary men to ever walk this planet,” as Ricardo López, the store’s community manager, proudly told me.
“As Mexico began to open up its borders to international commerce, Don Fermín looked abroad for things that were unique,” López said.
And indeed, he found them: The store’s aisles are typically packed with decor items that range from perfectly normal or incredibly useful to extraordinary and, at times, otherworldly.
“Find everything to decorate your space,” El Triunfo’s Instagram handle reads.
And when they say everything, they truly mean everything. There are thousands of items here suitable for homes, offices, hotels, restaurants, bars, beauty salons and every type of shop, business or event. But think of the most bizarre decorative item you can come up with, and you’ll likely find it there.
A toilet seat with a sink included in the water tank? A pot shaped like a shiny two-meter-high heel? Yes to both.
“We’re always following fashion, colors and trends, and we only look for new, innovative designs that represent something no one has seen before and that make each space it’s used for look unique,” López said. “We base our work on the fashion industry and everything that’s happening around it.”
A visit to Galerías El Triunfo only confirms the store’s commitment to uniqueness. It truly caters to every taste and fantasy. And when clients stumble across some extravagant item, it’s not uncommon to hear them whisper, “Who on earth would buy this?”
This collective feeling among its shoppers has inspired the social media trend “POV: Shopping at Galerías El Triunfo.” With millions of views across TikTok and Instagram, the trend features two people pretending to be a shopper and a store employee.
“Excuse me, I’m looking for a dining table that has butterfly wings instead of legs,” the shopper asks.
“Now that you mention it, we just got that in,” the store worker says, pointing to a dining table that indeed fits the bizarre request.
The reel then continues in the same format, displaying the most exotic items found in the store.
This trend has prompted thousands of comments from shoppers who’ve had the same type of experience at Galerias El Triunfo, showing the store’s wide popularity among Mexicans. On Instagram, the store’s account has 128,000 followers.
According to the site Data Mexico, Galerias El Triunfo is among the top five businesses in Mexico in what Mexico’s statistics agency INEGI calls the “retail trade of articles for interior decoration” sector. According to INEGI, the sector took in a total 3.37 trillion pesos (US $1.81 billion) in 2024. Other retailers included in this category include the crafts store Fantasias Miguel and Distribuidora Storehome (THS).
“We want to bring our customers new things every day, and make Mexico a more beautiful place,” López said. “We want people who don’t know what to look for to be amazed and turn their spaces or events into something spectacular.”
Be it a party, a wedding or a quinceañera, if it calls for unicorns and baroque chandeliers, Galerías El Triunfo probably has exactly what your event needs — plus a couple of things you didn’t know existed.
For a deeper dive on Galerias El Triunfo’s popularity and its offerings, watch this video by Mexican YouTuber Lalo Villar.
Gabriela Solis is a Mexican lawyer turned full-time writer. She was born and raised in Guadalajara and covers business, culture, lifestyle and travel for Mexico News Daily. You can follow her lifestyle blog Dunas y Palmeras.
