Description: While leaving the SoHo area of downtown and heading back into the mayhem that is Chinatown on Canal Street, I ran across this little impromptu marketplace that had a little bit of everything.
Now, I am not really a big shopper, but my girlfriend loves it. And after we left a local sex shop, finding this was a perfect addition to her day.
Now this place looks, at least from the outside, like a sketchy place to do some shopping, but once you walk into the claustrophobic setting, you see the amazing deals and excitement sets in. Unless, however, you are claustrophobic, then this place might not be for you. There are little makeshift stores selling everything from shirts and hats to plaques and pictures and everything in between. And what's great is that they don't discriminate on seasons. They carry winter hats in the summertime and bathing suits in the winter. Why wait until the season is upon you to spend more money when you can get that warm winter hat now for a cheap price and be prepared when the temperature changes.
Now, just like Canal Street itself, these vendors are just looking to unload their merchandise as fast as possible so all prices are negotiable as long as you stay firm. I actually heard a guy getting ripped off because the vendor said he didn't have change so that painting was going to be the full $20. If the guy had said that he would go and get change then return, I would imagine that the vendor would have found some change somewhere instead of risking losing the sale. But this how this area operates, so get your wits about you. Enjoy!
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