Best New York Shopping

There are only really three different things one can do while on Canal Street; shop, eat, and avoid the crowds by ducking and weaving. There is so much shopping here that it will make the average shoppers head spin and the seasoned shopper pull up her sleeves and get to work. Running all along Canal Street from about West Broadway to Lafayette Street, there are thousands of small vendors selling bags, watches, hats, pashminas (I don't really know what they are but they're everywhere) and other random things. There are also, on every street corner, at least one illegal vendor selling sunglasses, bags, or even movies out of a plastic bag or suitcase. If you are looking for a bag, these guys are the best because they will lower their asking price as long as you put up a fight.

Quick Tips:

While walking along Canal and seeing all of those shops right out on the street with the perfect bag hanging, don't buy it right away. There are other shops inside those buildings, and becasue fewer people venture in, they are more willing to go lower on prices for the same item. Also, be careful with your wallet or purse! Large crowds and disoriented people make great pick pocket targets.

Best Way To Get Around:

Take any local subway (1, 6, A, C, E, J, M, R, W, Z trains) to Canal Street station and just walk from there. If there are no crowds or you see a tunnel, you have gone the wrong way. Taking a taxi down here would just cost you more money because of all of the traffic. If you want, grab any bus running down one of the avenues and you are guaranteed to stop at Canal. Its hard to miss.

Anyone who visits New York must make a stop on Canal Street in Chinatown. It is a moral imperative (for anyone who has seen Real Genius, that’s hilarious, otherwise sorry). My girlfriend and I went not too long ago to try to find her a new bag and it was nuts. If you are looking for something like a name brand bag, watch, jewelry, or things along those lines, this is the place to get them for prices so cheap you won’t know what to do with yourself.

Years ago, Canal Street was filled with crappy knock-off bags and the like that fell apart within hours, but now the quality has changed and prices stayed about the same. On average, Chanel bags were $15-$20, Tiffany jewelry was $25-$30, Puma and Rolex watches were $30, and bootleg movies were $5. This is not a bad deal but don’t forget that most Canal Street is filled with vendors who will negotiate a price as long as you are interested. Never settle for the suggested price! Everything can be talked down, remember that.

One thing that you should wary about in this neighborhood is pickpockets. Along the way, cops are out in full force, the streets are packed with people walking shoulder to shoulder and stopping abruptly to view the hole in the wall shops. So if you can, twist your wallet while it's in your pocket, this way you will know when someone goes for it. Otherwise, have a ball and bring a good piece of cash with you, you will spend a lot of it.

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!