Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Bazaar gives shoppers worldwide choices


The West Side Bazaar, 25 Grant St., is welcoming everyone to come do their holiday shopping there, where there are a variety of unique items from which to choose. The shop features many vendors from all over the world selling anything from handmade hanging baskets, to authentic cuisine from whatever country they are from. Gysma Kueny, pictured, is a vendor at the West Side Bazaar who is from South Sudan. Kueny is a firm believer in people shopping for their gifts at places like the West Side Bazaar instead of going to a chain store that is in the mall. “Our stuff comes from all over the world,” Kueny said. “You can come find stuff at the West Side Bazaar from different countries.” Kueny believes that this could be a good alternative for people who want authentic items from all over the world, but cannot afford to go to the country to get them. Nadin Yousef, a vendor from Iraq also believes that it would be beneficial for customers to shop at the West Side Bazaar instead of a larger corporation. “When they shop here they support the small business,” Yousef said. “Here they don’t need to go to many places. If you want something from India, it’s here. Africa, it’s here. Iraq, it’s here.” Many of Yousef’s products are handmade, and she offers classes to teach people how to make macramé. Macramé uses a variety of material, and she teaches you how to make plant hangers, jewelry, and wall hangings from the materials given to you. The West Side Bazaar is open 11a.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. By Alyssa Brannigan and Taylor Carruth