Pearl River Mart

I've been going to Pearl River Mart for ages, probably since the early 1990's when it was on the second and third floors above the stalls on Canal Street. They've since moved to a three or four level space on Broadway, just a few blocks north of Canal Street, between Grand and Broom Streets. While they have not lost much of their charm, they have gained a huge following because they're lots more accessible.

The main floor is filled with clothes, papergoods, foods, and lighting. The lower level is home to their kitchen supplies and appliances. The top floor is home goods, including furniture, furnishings, and fabrics. The other level is a small tea room and sits between the main and top levels.

I have a few things that I always buy at Pearl River - silk brocade covered notebooks and strangely enough, toothbrushes with gorgeous faux tortoise shell handles. If I can find their decorated rice papers in a pattern I like, I get that, too. I usually chuck a packet or two of joss paper in my basket, just to have it around for little projects.

One of the things I am always entertained by, and I am very easily entertained, is the selection of Chinese kitchen implements in funny and clever shapes. If you're going to take off bottle caps, why not do it with a pink parrot?

Here are some more of my images from Pearl River...

Vases, bowls and lunch buckets in turquoise, lime green and orange. There's an entire wall filled with bolts of gorgeous silk brocades in every colour in the rainbow. There were lights of every shape and material imaginable hanging from the high ceilings. Lanterns in bright enamels and recycled tin cans lined the shelves.
I saw this man trying on one of the hats/helmets/heads and couldn't resist snapping a picture of him! Pearl River isn't quite China, but it's a close as you'll get in Soho!