Where All That Stuff Ends Up – Part II

Piles of stuff to sort through from US department stores

Back home, I love finding something great under a sign that reads “Take an extra 50% off the already reduced price” AND I can use the 15% off bonus coupon. All those pieces that don’t sell at the rock bottom price in the mall end up at the outlets or TJ Maxx and its cousins. But what happens when they don’t sell after that?

Thanks to enterprising local businesspeople, there are whole shops dedicated to purchasing containers’ full of the things that didn’t sell in the U.S. and Europe. Furniture, bed linens, home decor, backpacks, suitcases, costume jewelry, with labels from Macy’s, JC Penney, Kohl’s and even Bloomingdale’s are among the “finds” around Banjul. Store owners aren’t making particular orders for specific items or brands. Like the used clothing business, they buy in “bundles” by weight, trusting that customers will be found for any of the things they can bring into the country – and they seem to be. If you see something you like, snatch it up…quick.