Exotic home items at car boot sales

By Pocyline Karani

Born in the streets of Britain cities, car boot sales have gradually gained popularity in Kenya.

They are best described as occasional markets where individuals congregate and sell personal household and garden goods they no longer need from the boots of their cars.

On display are usually cutlery, shoes, toys, electronic equipment, sports equipment, old books, jewellery and a host of other items.

The Village Market recently hosted its monthly car boot sale.

"The days of great finds are here," Affonso Gianluigi, an Italian expatriate on the verge of exiting Kenya, informs me. "You will find anything from antiques to contemporary items, household goods and fashion items. The list is endless."

His car boot is filled with interesting items and I move in closer for a better view. Standing at the farthest end of his boot is a neatly packed voice recorder. "I bought this in the US. It can be yours for only Sh4,000," he says.

Gianluigi has lived in the country for seven years and though he would like to move to Milan with most of his household goods, he cannot afford the steep costs of shipping them.

Interestingly, this is not the first of the Village Market car boot sale. Every third Wednesday of the month, its parking lot transforms into a gold mine of sorts, offering numerous exotic and rare household items, all at an unbelievable prices.

Opportunity to dispose

Annabel Spencer, a US citizen, was also at the car boot sale. An employee of the United Nations, Spencer is relocating to a different part of Africa and cannot take everything with her.

"This sale is great for me because I will dispose of what I cannot go away with at a price," she says. "I love car boot sales because they offer great finds. When I first moved to Kenya, I came here often to buy items for my house. Now I’m selling them."

The Village Market management launched the first car boot sales in 2005 hoping to attract clients who want to sell and/or buy domestic items, which would otherwise be thrown away. In the beginning, only 50 people participated at the event. Today, the numbers of both buyers and sellers have burgeoned. Items on offer include fancy imports and rare items of high quality.

A sewing machine that was sold for a song during the sale. Photos: Martin Mukangu/Standard

What is particularly great about the Village Market car boot sales is the client base, which include residential, corporate and diplomatic customers, most of whom are expatriates who come into the country for a short period then leave, forcing them to dispose off their household goods at such events.

The sales are important events to the organisers who include sports clubs, schools or residents of a particular district of the town. Proceeds from the sale of stands and tables are often a means of raising revenue for the groups.

Arrive early enough

Car boot sales are a phenomenon in the developed world. They began in Britain in the late 1970s and by mid 1980s, the concept had evolved into a popular culture.

At the Village Market, the monthly car boot sales offer both residents and foreigners an opportunity to furnish their homes slowly and at an affordable pace that suits their pockets. For instance, you can buy furniture this month and wait to get art and jewellery next month.

"If you look hard enough and arrive early enough, you will find a magical bargain at every car boot sale," says a shopper.