The duty-free zone at the north end of town is the reason most Costa Ricans visit Golfito. Created in 1990 to compensate the local economy for the United Fruit pullout, the Depósito sells electronics, appliances, and household goods at substantially lower prices than the rest of the country.
For foreign visitors it is more an oddity than a destination — most goods are the same brands available cheaper at home. But walking around the warehouse complex on a busy holiday weekend gives a view of contemporary Costa Rican consumer culture you won't get on the standard tourist circuit.