COLD Monday in NYC... will people still be selling in Chinatown?
 

It's a holiday, MLK Day.
I arrive and have an hour or so to run down there and get a couple of things for my daughter.
No preaching, please.
I am going to Empire Luggage, an authorized Kipling dealer and I need some cheap scarves.
My question is this...
Will most of the vendors set up on a freezing day?
I have never seen them NOT set up, but I dont think I have been on a Monday afternoon when it is freezing outside.
I am hoping the MLK holiday will help business.
Anyone know?

You mean the vendors who sell fake merchandise? They never take a day off.

I'll bite my tongue on how I feel about counterfeit merchandise.

Thanks... and thanks for biting your tongue.
This post has nothing to do with fake merchandise.
I am looking for a wide variety of scarves, like pashminas. I know I may see some outside of Chinatown, but it seems that they always have tons of colors available... and I thought about going to Empire Luggage anyway, which is on the corner of Canal and Broadway.
Empire Luggage is a reputable dealer. No knock-offs.

I have never done that Txtravelpro.. I will have to check it out in August when we go...

PS... you know there are lots of things down there that are not 'fake'. Cheap, probably, but no more knock-offs than H&M.
Phone accessories, inexpensive costume jewelry, purses, scarves, souvenirs, etc... not to mention some decent food.
When you have young girls, Chinatown is a great place to get cheap stuff to take home.

Done what, Dawn?
I think you will have no problems in August, regardless of the day.

sorry.. I have a lot on my mind. I have never gone to China Town in NYC to shop the vendors. I enjoyed that in Florence and Rome -

You know that it is really cold in NYC when the Central Park flashers are giving out 8X10 glossies.

They will be open. Just like drug dealers and prostitutes, criminals selling stolen goods and counterfeits can't afford to take a snow day.

There are always guys selling scarves (pashmina like) on the cross streets from the 40's into the 50's. Before Christmas it seemed like there was one on every block.

"Real pashminas" can be had for $5 in the Financial District as well next to the Moe Vado and Rollmyex watches.

The real stores in Chinatown also are open and it when it is cold it is an excellent time to buy fish.

First generation immigrants, contrary to Lou Dobbs, even the crooks, work long hours under arduous conditions.

The New Yorker has an interesting article about counterfeiting and what apparel manufacturers are doing about it. It can be read at the link below.

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2...ct_macfarquhar

Anyway, TxTravelPro, yeah, those guys will be open for business.

Grr, sorry -- that's only the abstract. Anyway, the article is worth tracking down if you're at the library.

Since when is selling scarves a crime?
Also, I never said 'real pashminas'.
I actually hate the word pashmina. but it is the best description for the style of scarf my daughter wants.
Why the heck would someone buy a bunch of expensive scarves for a kid? She wants it for now but it will be at the bottom of the closet by March.
Why does any mention of ChinaTown cause people to be so rude?
I happen to think knock-offs look cheap. It is obvious to anyone that sees me that I would not spend 3000.00 on a purse. Besides, they are hideous.

txtravelpro... I know this is pretty heated . I just thought it would be like in Florence ...outside vendors no?

"Why does any mention of ChinaTown cause people to be so rude?"

Because 95% of the vendors there are selling merchandise that is illegal or stolen or both. Thus, people shopping there are encouraging crime. Even if the scarf isn't counterfeit or stolen, other items are and tourists like you creating a market for those good is what continues the cycle of crime, sweatshops, and exploitation.

I'm sorry if you find my concerns about crime and exploitation "rude" and I'd hate it if your contribution to a criminal effort was interrupted by rudeness.

Why is that most of the people on the subway wear all this stuff?
I would bet that they core customer base of Chinatown merchants is not travelers at all.
I am not a tourist, I am a business traveler.
So, you don't think that the person selling scarves outside the Chinatown area is working for a Chinatown merchant?
What about all the restaurants thay employ illegal workers? Many, many do.
Possibly you check all businesses, including restaurants, beauty or nail salons, home improvement contractors and most other services for illegal activity?

If everyone is so concerned about it why doesn't your city shut it down?

You have got to be kidding Mike. Where did you get the statistic that 95% of vendors in Chinatown are selling stolen or illegal goods? If tourists are encouraging illegal trade and TravelPro buys legit goods, isn't she encouraging legal hard working vendors? If the subject is goods produced in sweatshops people who buy at Wal-Mart are encouraging crime and exploitation.

I think it's a ridiculous statistic too. The scarve sellers are working hard to make a living just like the people who sell umbrellas on the sidewalk when it rains, or peddle knishes and hot pretzels all over the city. You can have all the righteous indignation you want over the lack of a proper permit, but spare us the lecture about criminal exploitation.

"The scarve sellers are working hard to make a living just like the people who sell umbrellas on the sidewalk when it rains, or peddle knishes and hot pretzels all over the city."

and the hookers on Avenue B or the drug dealers in the parks. They are all working for a living, some is just more legal than others.

Buying from people who also sell illegal products encourages crime. It's not like shopping at Wal-Mart because Wal-Mart's business isn't based on selling illegal or counterfeit goods.

"Pashmina"-type scarves, ok. Fake LVs, Gucci etc. NOT ok.

LOL

I used to love going to Chinatown and buying my Art supplies, then going to Mott street and browsing the markets that sell the blue and white porcelains..then to lunch at Wo Hop.

<i>Thank you for reviving a nice memory :)</i>

<i>Wal-Mart's business isn't based on selling illegal or counterfeit goods.</i>

You were the one who used the phrase &quot;crime, sweatshops and exploitation&quot;. Now, I'm not speaking about Wal-Mart specifically, because I have no personal knowledge of their business practices, but personally, I'd rather buy a knock-off Kate Spade purse on the street (where the only &quot;crime&quot; is that the legislatire has decided Kate Spade can protect her &quot;name&quot; and thus her ability to charge high prices for her merchandise) than shop at a store or buy brands that are known to be exploitative or use sweatshop labor.

&quot;I'd rather buy a knock-off Kate Spade purse on the street (where the only &quot;crime&quot; is that the legislatire has decided Kate Spade can protect her &quot;name&quot; and thus her ability to charge high prices for her merchandise) than shop at a store or buy brands that are known to be exploitative or use sweatshop labor.&quot;

Given that it likely that the fake Kate Spade bag was produced by sweatshop labor and exploitation, you are being blindly inconsistent as well as stealing from Kate Spade and all the people who work from her.

dmlove, I don't mean to seem snarky but you should educate yourself on the counterfeit goods industry. I think what you'll discover is that buying a &quot;fake&quot; is much worse than even buying from a company known to employ sweatshop labor. It's not really about how much money Kate Spade can make.

Actually, I know all about it. And yes, I'd prefer to buy from manufacturers and vendors who don't exploit labor. But even assuming you're correct that buying a fake may be worse from that perspective, that is not why trademark laws exist. If trademark laws were intended to prevent exploitation of labor, I'd be more inclined to only buy trademarked goods.