Photos and Words by David Tannenhauser
I’ve frequented the Grand Bazaar on the corner of Columbus Avenue and West 77th Street most Sundays for the past few years.
Usually, I’ll just wander the rows of booths with my headphones on as I peruse the various vintage tchotchkes, foodstuffs, and handmade crafts.
I let the place wash over me.
I might pause to inspect the occasional odd item, but mostly I cruise through at a leisurely pace and enjoy the people watching and photo opportunities.
I’ve often wondered what the draw is. I mean every Sunday hordes of people arrive to pour over seemingly unremarkable knock-off jewelry, watches, loose beads, handbags, vintage photos, leather goods and so on.
And, barring extreme weather, the place is always packed.
Clearly, this not a place of needs, but of wants.
The way the folks treat the miscellanea on display, the reverence and awe, the way that those pieces, like those of a puzzle, have the ability to fit right into a space in our hearts. To fill a momentary void. To provide a treat. To provide a touch of comfort or a small sensation of achievement.
Some might call it conspicuous consumption.
But everyone always seems to have a good time.
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The booth in that 4th photo is my favorite. How do they haul all that in and out every time and why don’t those folding table collapse under the weight.
That market mostly has commercial items that can be had elsewhere for less money, the same is true of much of the used stuff on sale.
It was different/better 25 years ago.
I beg to differ. I bought a marvelous mink coat there several years ago that I’ve worn continuously since before the pandemic. I wear daily my Robert Cavalli eyeglass frames that I found, in mint condition, and scored for $10, had the prescription lenses removed and replaced with sunglass lenses. You have to hunt, but the hunt is the point — it’s the part that is the most fun. There are plenty of artists there as well, if you are interested to look and ask. There are also chefs and artisanal food products. Clearly, you’re not attending, but simply judging without investigating.
So were most things.
You’re right Jay. It was a glorious flea market back then with serious antique vendors inside. Sadly, nothing is the same now. I bought some beautiful jewelry and silver vases. We have to leave the country to find real flea markets of quality.
This is such a nice article. My favorite thing about the Bazaar is the pet portrait booth!
Of COURSE everyone seems to have a good time. Just watch the Feedback Booth on “Antiques Roadshow” and you’ll get it. Flea markets exist all over the world in their own, lovable universe, accepting everybody — where everybody is looking and often everybody finds. The ultimate democracy, the ultimate satisfaction. We call it retail therapy.
I am very curious. Who, annyway, invented the term “flea market”? It seems a universal term. Thanks!
The term is developed from the Dutch Fly (Vlie) Market, which was down near what is now the South Street Seaport in the 17th/18th centuries.
I guess from French, Marché de Puces, since the time when the used clothes actually had fleas.
This place is my daughters downfall lol, she cant ever manage not to buy some jewelry item unless she’s already completely spent her allowance in which case something or another from here ends up being what she’s now supposedly ‘saving’ for 😉 It’s fun to poke around for sure though, even for us!
I do wish the food wasn’t so overpriced though. A trend I’ve noticed here and all over most the country is the food truck fallacy: food is better from places that don’t have a foundation. Its definitely not true from the couple places I’ve tried at the bazaar, at least not for the prices charged for the apparent luxury of eating from a napkin as a plate while standing outside (open to suggestions though!)
We are looking for cleaner, safer streets, less crime, fewer vacant storefronts.
What needs to be addressed are the vendors who set up shop every Sunday on sidewalks on nearby streets. They do not pay rent to the Grand Bazaar but they benefit and profit. I do not like it.
Weird take to disparage independent sellers trying to make a buck in America especially in times like these. They have the best stuff and at better prices and have been there for years. Street vendors are part of the fabric of our nyc society. Always have been.
Very true…. Nothing special to buy but it’s fun to stop by…., and nice pics!
I mean there is a lot of stuff that can be had for a lot cheaper elsewhere. But I guess it is the convenience and I guess that expensive really bad portraits appeal to a lot of people.
It’s the thrill of the hunt.
It’s the hunt that make flea markets fun, and the chance to come upon that ineffable “find,” the one-of-a-kind treasure amid mountains of dross. That said, the Grand Bazaar iteration of the original flea market does seem to be heavy on the dross — dull junk as opposed to promising junk.
“Pore over,” not “pour over.” The small things matter.