Antigua Craft Market

[Jamgirl]

Is anyone interested in getting nice Antigua craft and gifts? The Craft market needs people to shop there to buy their goods as they seem tobe left out plus is within walking distance from the ship. on Market Street next to the Market and Bus station.

 

There are things like T-shirts, leather slippers, flags, hats, bags, gifts and many stuff to get.

 

They really need sales there are some great stuff there to get, even though at Heritage Quay there are Antigua t-shirts but the Craft market needs you!:)

 

There are pictures www.classified-ads-antigua.com :cool:

 

Have a wonderful trip to Antigua

[skiiergirl]

Jamgirl....I bought stuff at the Antigua craft market for years when it was basically on the side of the road. Now that it is in the nice "covered market" I don't buy as much for several reasons. (If we are talking about the same "market".)

 

1. Prices have gone up so much and the vendors won't negotiate down. Prices are higher for the same merchandise there as I can get on the other islands. It just "says Antigua" rather than "St. T", "St. M", etc. Besides, some of the merchandise at "the market" is more expensive than in the stores next door or down the street.

 

2. While some of the vendors are nice the majority are what most people would call "pushy" or "rude".

 

3. The market is so crowded that you can barely get through to see the merchandise.

 

Please don't get me wrong. I love Antigua. It is my favorite island. I understand the vendors need to make $ to make a living. The island culture is just different there than some of the other islands and I think that "turns off" some of the cruise visitors.

 

The taxi drivers are "way too pushy" for most people. The hairbraiders are "pushy" & dishonest. The one time I did agree to have my hair done the lady told me it would be $12 and then tried to charge me $86 when she was done. I just get off the ship wearing a big sign that says "NO!".

 

Again, Antigua is my favorite island and I highly recommend it to all of my friends. I understand the vendors depend on the tourist dollar and I spend a bit there for that reason but I think the vendors also need to work on the "hospitatlity" a little too.

[Jamgirl]

Thanks for your reply Skiiergirl I agree with you fully but the craft market I am reffering to isn't the same one you are talking about. The one you are talking about is at Heritage Quay the Vendors Mall.

 

The vendors there are rude and the prices expensive ( I have no idea why they behave like that)

 

The Craft Market I am reffering to is on Market Street next to the Bus Station

 

These people are great the prices are right and the goods they have is different in fact most of these people make their own craft and they don't get much traffic like Heritage Quay.

 

The people are courteous and freindly and will be willing to negotiate the price.

 

Any complaints just tell me.:D

[skiiergirl]

jamgirl....Thanks for the info. Sounds good to me. I don't know where the bus station is. How far is it from the HQ area? Is it walking distance? Which direction from pier/HQ? I'd like to check it out when we are there in Nov.

[Jamgirl]

The Craft Market it about 5 minutes walk from Hertiage Quay. The easiest way is when you walk through Heritage Quay straight ahead pass Antigua Commercial Bank on St. Mary's Street., Walking up St. Mary's Street the next street is Market Street turn right on Market Street and walk staight down the road.

 

Rising Star shoe store is at the first corer with St. Mary's & Market Streets, the next street is Redcliffe, Nevis, Tanner and then Market Square. The Bus Station on the right and the Public Market on the left the Craft Market is next to the Public Market.

 

If you need any more information e-mail me at ads@qualityci.com or sell@classified-ads-antigua.com

 

Hope this helps!:cool:

[johardy]

Thank you for the information the craft market sounds great I will certainly pay it a visit when I am on your island in December

[Jamgirl]

You are welcome! There are really great hand made things at the craft market like sandals, straw baskets, t shirts, hats, beach in a bottle and many many more things like natural soaps and more!!

 

Check it out www.classified-ads-antigua.com

[Hummer]

Jamgirl,

 

This is exactly the kind of thing I love to find - thanks for the info. I will be there the week of Jan 8th and I will tell them Jamgirl sent me!

 

Nancy

[lilrod]

Thank you JamGirl for your information about shopping in Antigua.

 

I will be going on December 2004.

 

Lilrod

[artsy]

I'd love to hear more from cruisers who have visited this craft market. I'll be in Antiqua in April.

 

Artsy

[cali4niacruisin]

I will be there in March, I would love to hear what there is to buy and how the deals compare to elsewhere....please post after your visit! Thanks

[carrievision]

Thanks for this information!!! Is this the same market as is referred to on this website: http://www.antiguanice.com/places/heritage_market/heritage_market.htm ?

 

My husband is in search of antiguan black pineapple, and I read somewhere that this is where you can get one. If there's a craft market right near there, it would greatly please both of us!!!

 

Thanks!

[carrievision]

Well, I never got a response about this, but figured I'd follow up on it!

 

We did find a black pineapple at the Heritage Market! It was about a 10 minute walk from the pier - not bad at all! We paid $4 I think for the pineapple, and the saleslady cut it up for us and everything! Yum!

 

The craft market was also nice. We were there early in the morning so maybe not everything was open that could be... The vendors had some cool things - we got a small steel drum for $5 and 2 tshirts for $10 each. The prices were so reasonable that we didn't try to negotiate, though we maybe could have.

[Lisa0719]

the bus station that is mentioned. would we be able to walk to market then catch a local bus to a beach --- Darkwood perhaps?

[judyf]

Thanks for the follow up. Sounds interesting.

 

What's a black pineapple? Haven't heard of it before but I think I would love to try one.

 

Thanks

[carrievision]

Sorry for the delayed response.. :) A black pineapple is a variety grown in antigua. It's much smaller than a regular pineapple, and skinny. Otherwise, it basically looks like a regular pineapple in color. I'm not sure why they call it "black."

 

There's a picture and some more info on this page: http://www.antiguamuseums.org/cultural.htm

[cruisecrzy]

Can anyone please tell me more about items to buy while at Antigua? We have a display shelf that we use for things we buy at each port to display. We like to get items that are unique to the particular island.

[yags]

Thank you JAMGIRL I am still learning to negotiate this message board and came across the answer to a question I had just asked. We will be going there in March 2017 on the Crown Princess and love these bastions of Trinkets.

We will be sure to make it there.