How Stuff Works: Gramsh Market, Part 2

Now onto the clothes area...

Here in Albania there are stands/stores that sell used clothing, typically donated by charities in the US or Europe, known as Gabis.  In larger towns they are open everyday and in the big cities they even have real stores with the clothes hung up and everything.  But here in Gramsh we like to keep it real.  Right next to the food area, is a big field that every Wednesday and Saturday is taken over by makeshift tables and covered with clothes, shoes and accessories.  Some stands are more organized, with a table for men's clothing, a table for women's clothing and another for children's, but many look like someone just poured a trash bag of clothes onto them.

The view as you approach the gabis.

Checking out the winter coats that are just now starting
to pop up. 

Buying things works a little differently over in the gabis.  First of all, you have to search through the tables of clothes to find what you want.  Go on, don't be shy.  If you hesitate too much someone else will take that lovely grey sweater of yours.  Second, you can bargain over here.  Now this isn't like Thailand where you can assume that they're doubling the price on you, when I say bargain I mean if they want 500 leke or $5 for that pair of jeans you can get them down to 400 leke or $4 if you play your cards right. (And yes that $1 difference is worth the hassle.)  And finally, don't expect them to throw in something for free or give you a deal if you're buying more things.

Shopping for clothes at the market obviously poses a few more issues for Americans than shopping for food.  The most glaring issue being no dressing rooms.  It helps to have a good eye for roughly what size your clothes are, especially since any clothes you find that do have sizes printed on them can't necessarily be trusted, but you do pick up a few tricks with some practice.  Did you know that you can use your forearm to measure pants?  (The waistband should fit comfortably around your arm from your elbow to your fist.)  There is also the issue of buying someone else's used clothes.  They will be dirty.  You will need to wash them a few times.  And they probably won't ever fit you just right.  But at the end of the day, it is a way better deal than buying clothes from a store here and oftentimes gabis actually have higher quality clothes.  For roughly $5 I can find a used pair of Levis at the gabi while a new pair of Albanian jeans is easily $20 and will wear out in a month or two.  For us PCVs, gabis are the only way to go.

Well now you're tour of the Gramsh Market is complete!  I hope you enjoyed it and that I was able to do it justice.  And hey if you're ever in the area on a Wednesday of Saturday, come on by!  I'll take you to experience it first hand.