| Throughout history, for all civilizations, a central | | | | melons and loupes? Some local markets may |
| focus of human activity has been visiting the local | | | | feature vendors of poultry offering exotics like |
| bazaar. The Grand Bazaar (Kapalı | | | | pheasants, ducks, geese, turkeys or quail. Each |
| ÇarÅYı) in Istanbul, | | | | area has uniqueness in venison which can be deer, |
| Turkey; was built in the 15th century, and remains | | | | buffalo, or in the Southern U.S., snapping turtle. |
| the oldest covered market in the world. It covers | | | | Often bazaar type areas feature craftspeople in |
| an area greater than 54 square meters, and | | | | such things as glass blowing, artists creating on |
| continues to rank as one of the world's biggest | | | | canvas or other mediums, sculptors, and jewelers |
| covered markets. One of the appeals of bazaars | | | | or metalsmithing. The visitor may not buy but can |
| has been it is not only a market place but also a | | | | see the difficulty in creating art or crafts, often |
| social gathering location for friends to meet and | | | | talking with the craftspeople as the process |
| discuss the latest topics, be it solving the world's | | | | progresses to the final product. Throughout |
| problems on hunger, or talking about the newest | | | | history one of the common crafters were basket |
| arrival to the family. | | | | weavers who would take plant material, dry it, |
| Today there is concern that the actual physical | | | | and then from the reeds create. |
| locations of bazaars will fade as we move more | | | | Functional items for use but also done |
| to internet based purchasing. Let's stop and think | | | | decoratively. It is that one of a kind, non mass |
| this through. Is the purpose of a bazaar to be a | | | | produced craft, that so many long for. There is a |
| collection of vendors and buyers or is there a | | | | connect between the customer, the item and the |
| more fundamental meaning to the reason bazaars | | | | crafter that one can not find where goods were |
| have lasted many centuries and will the concept | | | | stamped, or molded, in machines producing exact |
| continue to be? My answer is yes and here's why. | | | | look a likes 100,000 items a day. People want to |
| Think of the times you are on vacation, or visiting | | | | observe the process but in a warm, rich pleasant |
| friends in far away places. What is unique and | | | | environment. In most bazaars there usually |
| memorable for you? If you have a guest then | | | | develops some form of public entertainment so if |
| what do you think of doing for entertainment? Do | | | | the participant is not there to buy then the free |
| you want to show your guest the uniqueness of | | | | entertainment provides a reason for coming and a |
| your town or city and how do you do that? It's | | | | social outlet. |
| extremely rare to take a friend to the local big | | | | It's that "different" aspect that is found in local |
| box store, or mass merchandiser, or even to sit | | | | communities that makes for the rich experiences |
| in front of the computer "shopping for the latest | | | | of traveling and socialization. The ubiquity of |
| or best prices". Most people want to take their | | | | upbeat conversations, friendly greetings and loud |
| guests to some place uniquely different, yet | | | | bargaining add to the overall fun of the |
| memorable, and not found elsewhere. Historically | | | | experience. |
| what has attracted people, and continues to do | | | | Bazaars do not attract shoppers only, but |
| so, is bazaar type settings. | | | | historically is an area of socialization around |
| It's fun visiting a unique shopping location where | | | | booths, vendors, foods, entertainment, education |
| clouds of spice aromas envelope the area and | | | | and a social gathering space. The future of |
| entice you with spicy smells of nutmeg, cloves, | | | | successful shopping destinations will depend upon |
| fresh cookies baking, or roasting chestnuts on a | | | | remembering the concepts of what a customer is |
| cold, wintry day. How about seeing a display of | | | | looking for, not what is offered. The survivors will |
| locally grown bright, colorful fresh irresistible fruits | | | | be those new retail enterprises that take |
| such as ruby-seeded pomegranates,peaches, | | | | advantage of old concepts and make shopping |
| prunes, fresh picked peaches, or ripe fragrant | | | | fun again. |