Editor Pick
Chinatown -- Bootleg Shopping Mecca
- November 30, 2004
- Rated 4 of 5 by
IgoUgo Staff from New York, New York
Chinatown. When you hear that name, you probably just think of Chinese food, buildings with intricate detail, some sort of major arch establishing the entrance to it, and a lot of signs written in Chinese that you have no clue how to read. Of course, the culture of Chinatown is amazing, but the shopping there is even more amazing.
Look beyond those obvious establishments, and you'll find a mecca for discount shopping. Here, there is something for everyone on your Christmas list. Canal Street, lined with tiny stores, street vendors, and the occasional "mini-mall", is the center of this holy land of discount shopping.
The popular shopping attraction, during Christmastime and year-round, is the purse/handbag market. The police have cracked down on the Canal Street vendors recently, so finding the bags with Gucci, Prada, Louis Vuitton, and Kate Spade logos are not as easy to find as before. But hang around the intersection with Broadway and ask the vendor if they have those bags. Their usual answer is "no," but promise them you'll buy one, and they'll open up a secret compartment with the bags you want. Act fast, because they'll close the compartment if they suspect a cop is nearby.
If purses are not your thing, look for $5 DVDs of movies still in theaters, $10 Oakley sunglasses, $15 Rolex watches, car and home stereos, $5 computer programming books (complete with missing pages and misprints), and fragrances. Of course, some of this stuff is obviously fake, some are really good "knock-offs" of the real thing, and some might even be stolen (or "hot"). But whoever receives your gift does not need to know that, especially because you don't even know where it came from.
If you're in a pinch for a holiday gift, head down to Chinatown and grab something that is usually very expensive for a discount price. The watch you buy may break in a week, and the bootleg DVD may have Chinese subtitles, but nothing says love like a fake Prada handbag.
From journal Christmas in New York City with IgoUgo
Chinatown Excursion
- March 16, 2003
- Rated 1 of 5 by
Davinagr from Los Angeles, California
After a $13 cab ride from midtown to Chinatown on a Saturday, I would not recommend this mode of transportation to hunt bargains in this eclectic neighborhood. A bus or subway ride runs about $1.50 each way. Looking for bargains on beaded bags, fake designer purses, and more. I was so disappointed at what I found. A simple 'lil change purse was $6, and for those who were willing to bargain, they only came down a few dollars after starting the price on a lovely new season Kate Spade at $35. If you're not into crowds, avoid this tourist trap. Also make sure you have strong ankles to handle the broken up sidewalks that run for blocks on wicked angles.
From journal New York City on a Budget