Shopping in Kenya
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Spinners Web
Works with workshops and self-help groups around the country. It's a bit like a handicrafts version of Ikea, with goods displayed the way they might look in Western living rooms, but there's some classy stuff on offer including carpets, wall hangings, ceramics, wooden bowls, baskets and clothing.
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City Market
Has dozens of stalls open daily, selling woodcarvings, drums, spears, shields, soapstone, Maasai jewellery and clothing.
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Books First
Well-stocked bookshop outlet with separate café, in the Nakumatt supermarket.
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Bahati Book Centre
Bookshop.
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Bombolulu Workshops & Cultural Centre
This nonprofit organisation produces crafts of a very high standard and gives vocational training to hundreds of physically disabled people. You can visit the workshops and showroom for free to buy jewellery, clothes, carvings and other crafts, or enter the cultural centre to tour mock-ups of traditional homesteads in the grounds, where various activities take place. Bombolulu matatus run here from Msanifu Kombo St, and Bamburi services in either direction also pass the centre.
The turn-off for the centre is on the left about 3km north of Nyali bridge.
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Main Market
Mombasa's dilapidated 'covered' market building, formerly the Mackinnon Market, is packed with stalls selling fresh fruit and vegetables. Roaming produce carts also congregate in the streets around it, and dozens of miraa (leafy twigs and shoots chewed as a stimulant) sellers join the fray when the regular deliveries come in.
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Malindi Handicrafts Cooperative
A good place to buy handicrafts is this community project on the outskirts of Malindi. It employs numerous local artisans, and the woodcarvings are of a high quality. To get there, turn off the main road to Mombasa near the BP petrol station; the centre is 2km along a dirt road, opposite the community clinic.
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Akamba Handicraft Industry Cooperative Society
This cooperative employs an incredible 10,000 people from the local area. It's also a nonprofit organisation and produces very fine animal woodcarving. Kwa Hola/Magongo matatus run right past the gates from the Kobil petrol station on Jomo Kenyatta Ave. Many coach tours from Mombasa also stop here.
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F
Nakumatt - Lifestyle
The principal supermarket chain in Nairobi and Kenya as a whole, Nakumatt invariably has a huge selection of Kenyan and Western foods and other products. The brand-new Lifestyle store spreads over several floors, with departments stocking all kinds of useful household and outdoor goods.
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Maasai Market
Busy, popular Maasai markets are held every Tuesday on the waste ground near Slip Rd in town. Souvenirs on offer include beaded jewellery, gourds, baskets and other Maasai crafts, but you'll have to bargain hard. The market is open from early morning to late afternoon at both venues.
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H
Gallery Watatu
If you want fine Kenyan art, this is a good place to check out what's happening prior to investing your hard-earned. There's a permanent display here and many of the items are for sale, but be prepared to part with at least around KSh20,000 just for something small.
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Kibuye Market
The Kibuye Market is a huge outdoor affair that draws people from all around the district each Sunday. Everything from second-hand clothes to furniture and food can be found spread out along the road, a couple of kilometres north of the main market.
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Souvenir Shops
There are numerous posh souvenir shops and a curio market along Uhuru Rd and Mama Ngina Rd near the old town. Avoid the shell vendors around Uhuru Park - the shells on sale here are mostly plundered from the national park.
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Nakumatt Supermarket
Close to the Likoni ferry, with an astounding selection of provisions, drinks, consumer goods and hardware items - just in case you need a TV, bicycle or lawnmower to go with your groceries.
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Banana Box
Among the rather less altruistic commercialism of the Sarit Centre, Banana Box works in conjunction with community projects and refugee groups and offers modern uses for traditional objects.
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L
Triangle Curios Market
Near the Sarit Centre in Westlands, this is a cheaper collection of stalls at a road junction. There are lots of genuine tribal objects such as Turkana wrist knives and wooden headrests.
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Elmenteita Weavers
Visit Elmenteita Weavers and you'll see weavers producing hand-woven rugs, carpets, kangas (printed cotton wraparounds), baskets and the like. Prices reflect the high quality.
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Craft Stalls
The various Craft Stalls near Kisumu Hotel are some of the best places in Kenya for soapstone carvings. Quality varies but there are some gems to be found.
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Nakumatt - Downtown
The principal supermarket chain in Nairobi and Kenya as a whole, Nakumatt invariably has a huge selection of Kenyan and Western foods and other products.
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Nakumatt - Village
The principal supermarket chain in Nairobi and Kenya as a whole, Nakumatt invariably has a huge selection of Kenyan and Western foods and other products.
reviewed
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Undugu Craft Shop
Another good charitable venture, this nonprofit organisation supports community projects in Nairobi and has very good-quality crafts.
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Expo Camera Centre - Westlands
Hires out SLR cameras and lenses. Stocks of film are pretty poor outside Nairobi so stock up here before you go on safari.
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Q
Elite Camera House
Reductions for bulk purchases. Stocks of film are pretty poor outside Nairobi so stock up here before you go on safari.
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Umed Mode
Cheaper than some but still reliable, if you catch the right special offer you can get a safari suit really cheap.
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Baraka Gallery
For upmarket souvenirs from all over Africa, Baraka Gallery has a fine selection, but stratospheric prices.
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