Shopping in Africa
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A
Wezandla Gallery & Craft Centre
This brightly coloured arts and crafts centre has a huge array of artefacts made by local groups and a small coffee shop. Staff can also help with tourist information.
reviewed
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Maponya Mall
Between 2005 and 2008 Soweto became home to four major new malls, Protea Bardens, Barmall, Jabulani and the most talked about, the huge Maponya Mall. Opened in late 2007, it’s the size of eight football pitches, with some 200 stores, cafes and restaurants, and an eight-screen cinema. While some see this as a sign that the township is on the up, others we spoke to were unimpressed, feeling that many of the jobs in the new malls were going to people outside of Soweto and not to those in the local community. A local shop owner told us that such malls were already putting home-based and street-front shops out of business. These shops were not for the wider community but ‘only…
reviewed
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B
Spar supermarket
For self-caterers, Spar supermarket offers a decent selection of food.
reviewed
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C
Quiksilver Boardrider’s Club
This shop also has a good selection of boards and baggies and a quaint Surfing Museum upstairs.
reviewed
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D
Country Feeling Surf Shop
Clothing emporia in the town centre include Country Feeling Surf Shop, which stocks Firewire boards.
reviewed
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E
Billabong Surf Shop
Hires out boardsand wetsuits, and stocks a big range of new and used boards.
reviewed
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F
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G
Piazza da Luz
reviewed
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H
Oom Samie se Winkel
This place was on the Stellenbosch map before Stellenbosch was on the map. It’s an unashamedly touristy general dealer but still worth visiting for its curious range of goods – from high kitsch to genuine antiques and everything in between.
reviewed
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I
Neighbourgoods/Designgoods/Kindergoods Market
Take plenty of cash as this weekly market embracing organic and artisanal food and drink and designer goods for adults and kids is sure to clean out your wallet.
reviewed
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Hyde Park Mall
reviewed
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Fourways Mall
reviewed
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Caplaki
The old street market of crafts along Ave de l'Armée next to the Milles Collines has been moved to a new home funded by the French called Caplaki. Sellers are now organised in fixed stalls and popular items include a range of carvings and masks from across the border in DR Congo. Prices start high, as they are, of course, 'antiques' but as most are modern replicas, bargain down to something sensible.
reviewed
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J
Namibia Crafts Centre
This place is an outlet for heaps of wonderful Namibian inspiration - leatherwork, basketry, pottery, jewellery, needlework, hand-painted textiles and other material arts - and the artist and origin of each piece is documented. The attached snack bar is well known for its coffee and healthy snacks.
reviewed
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K
Main Market
Kisumu's Main Market is one of Kenya's most animated, and certainly one of its largest, now spilling out onto the surrounding roads. If you're curious or just looking for essentials like suits or wigs, it's worth a stroll around.
reviewed
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L
The Bookshop
English-run shop selling new and used books, CDs and videos in English, Spanish and various other languages.
reviewed
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M
City Bookshop
Bookshop.
reviewed
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N
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O
Institut Français
The Institut Français is one of Senegal's major outlets of the Maam Samba label, which is known for its simply cut clothes made from rich, stunningly coloured cottons. All ingredients are natural, and the fabrics are woven, dyed and sewn locally by the women of Ndem village, and sold fairtrade.
reviewed