Editor Pick
The Main Market in Juarez
- December 22, 2000
- Rated 4 of 5 by
lubmac from Lubbock, Texas
If you like to haggle over prices and look through booths of merchandise from jewels to junk, get yourself to the market in Juarez. You will find a whole variety of selling techniques at the market: the barker out in front of his shop hawking his wares at the top of his voice, the fellow that grabs your arm and intimates only the best prices to new friends like you, the guy that follows on your heels while dropping the price on his goodies by the minute until you'll listen to him, and of course the more stern looking gentleman who hopes his gruff way will scare you out of price slashing tactics and pay more than 50% higher than what the stuff is worth. It's all there - leather vests and jackets, Mexican vanilla, boots, wool ponchos, ceremonial gold-braided sombreros, knock off Rolex watches ($30), luggage, jewelry, fruit and baked goods (like fresh flour and corn tortillas - YUMMY), liquor, belts and gun holsters, and ceramics. It's an on-going bazaar and if you look hard enough, you'll find something to buy. Need a chess set? They have them in wood, ivory, marble, and granite. Everyone takes US dollars, and actually get a little agitated when you offer pesos. A smart shopper will get to the market first thing because many believe that if they can sell to their first customer, they will have good luck selling the rest of the day. Don't be afraid to walk away from a deal, it may cause the price to drop one more notch. I will say this in warning: some of the goods are not always top quality so check them well before buying. And if you have your heart set on a pair of cowboy boots, go to the outlet stores for Tony Lama and others on the American side. You'll find they last longer and the price is still a bargain.
From journal Down in the West Texas Town of El Paso