01 高一 Flea Markets

Flea Markets By Cath McLellan The rise of flea markets As the economic crisis continues, people find themselves with less disposable income. It isn’t a surprise that flea markets are becoming more popular in cities all over the world, as bargain hunters go on the lookout for an original item with a unique history (or a small price tag). Everything and anything for sale Flea markets can be indoors or outdoors, and anyone can rent a space to sell second-hand items, from clothes and shoes to furniture, technology, toys, lamps and anything else that you can imagine. Although the origin of the word “flea market” is not exactly clear, it is thought to come from the French term “marché aux puces”, which means “market of the fleas”, as these kinds of markets were popular in Paris in the 1860s, and sold mostly old, scruffy furniture which probably had fleas living in it. An international trend These days, there are hundreds of famous flea markets all around the world, and some of these have become popular tourist attractions. Perhaps not surprisingly, Marché aux Puces Sant-Ouen de Clignancourt in Paris is one of the most popular in the world, attracting over 5 million visitors per year, and it is the fourth most popular tourist attraction in Paris. Even in cities where these types of markets didn’t exist in the past, flea markets are now appearing. Barcelona’s flea market was set up by Mark Dix and Natalia Perez. They said that they started the market because people love to shop, but we all have so much stuff we don’t need — so it’s a good opportunity for people to get rid of good-quality stuff they don’t want and for people to keep shopping. The Barcelona market has grown from its first event in 2007 with ten tables to a monthly market with over 23,000 followers on Facebook. The past life of things It isn’t just about finding cheap things to buy though. There is something fascinating about finding an item that has a past life, and imagining its previous owner and the history behind an item. For many people, this is the excitement of shopping at flea markets.