If you have been to the market, with your heart set on buying a classic, beautiful Charleston sweetgrass basket, and were shocked and dismayed at the prices (they got me, too!), turn away and head to the Clowns Bazaar. This is a wonderful shop right on Broad Street run by a wonderful, chatty woman.
At the Clown's Bazaar, you will find some of the most unusual and beautiful handmade objects and art this side of Africa. And a lot of the items come straight from there. This shop is special not only because of the items, but what they mean to the people that make them.
This shop is non-profit (and tax free!) and supports people in third-world countries who make their living with their crafts. The hand-woven baskets support a community of women in Ghana. The Tibetan prayer flags are handmade by monks in Nepal. Every object has a story. And every dollar goes back to the people to help their communities. The items here are unusual, beautiful, and expertly made by people who care about their work.