Shopping - New York City Free and Dirt Cheap - page 150

usa.com ) . Note: The bus can accommodate your new possessions on the ride back, as long as they're not too big to
carry.

Century 21 Nearly destroyed on 9/11, Century 21 has risen from the ashes to reclaim its place as the top clothes-
shopping destination in the city. Fancy labels are fully represented here, sans the fancy prices. Expect designer
goods at less than half the cost they carry in other department stores. There are great deals on sunglasses, linens,
and housewares, too. Euro-fueled shopping euphoria has made this place mobbed even beyond peak lunch and
weekend times, but recently extended hours (9pm or later) have helped. Don't be too intimidated by the long
lines for the women's dressing room; the queue moves quickly. 22 Cortlandt St., btw. Broadway and Church St. 212/227-9092.
www.c21stores.com . Subway: E to World Trade Center; A/C/J/Z/2/3/4/5 to Fulton St./Broadway Nassau; R to Cortlandt St.; 1 to Rector St. Other locations: Upper
WestSide, 1972 Broadway, at 66th St. 212/518-2121. Subway: 1 to 66th St. BayRidge,Brooklyn, 472 86th St., btw. Fourth and Fifth aves. 7 18/748-3266.

Subway: R to 86th St. Rego Park,Queens, 61-01 Junction Blvd., at 62nd Dr. 718/699-2121. Subway: M/R to 63rd Dr./Rego Park.
Jack's 99-Cent Stores If you think a dollar doesn't get you far in the big city, you don't know Jack. With
central locations and a loyal/rabid clientele, these stores bustle at all hours with bargain-hunters stocking up
on housewares, gifts, appliances, and chocolate bars. They even have groceries, at unbeatable prices. Daily spe-
cials, unadvertised to appease suppliers, reward frequent visits. 16 E. 40th St., btw. Madison and Fifth aves. 212/696-5767.
www.jacks99world.com . Subway: B/D/F/M to 42nd St.; 7 to Fifth Ave. Other locations: Midtown, 45 W. 45th St., btw. Fifth and Sixth aves. 212/354-6888.
Subway: B/D/F/M to 47th-50th sts./Rockefeller Center; 7 to Fifth Ave. HeraldSquare, 110 W. 32nd St., btw. Sixth and Seventh aves. 212/268-9962. Subway:
B/D/F/M/N/Q/R to 34th St./Herald Sq.; 1/2/3 to 34th St./Penn Station.

Shopping Brooklyn Sidewalks

Take a tour of Brownstone Brooklyn and along with the tree-lined streets and historic architecture, you can also enjoy a
favorite local tradition: stoop giveaways and weekend sales. The egalitarian spirit of Brooklyn is nowhere more alive than
along the borough's sidewalks and iron railings, where cramped living spaces get unburdened. Books are the most com-
mon find. Brooklyn reads, and when it's done, it enjoys nothing more than setting that book out on the stoop for the next
person. If it has a still-cold glass of iced tea next to it, maybe assume they just stepped inside, but otherwise, the tome is
yours.
Furniture is another easy acquisition, especially the night before trash pickups. It's a mystery to me why anyone shops at
the Red Hook IKEA when you can regularly find almost-new Björkuddens and easily repaired Liatorps. (With the bedbug
issues plaguing New York, it might be best to pass over upholstered pieces, though.) If you're willing to part with a buck
or two, you can also find fine pickings at weekend stoop sales. Treat it as an experiment in sociology and economics,
trying to fathom why a Cobble Hill corporate lawyer whose hourly rate is $450 would choose to spend an entire beautiful
Saturday outside on the stoop for a total take of $86 from unopened wedding gifts and last year's scuba equipment. Ac-
tually, who cares, as long as you can make off with the Tiffany keychain still in the box for $3, or the kids' massive LEGO
hoard for just a couple of bucks more. Most of what doesn't sell will end up curbside or draped over the railing, joining the
virtuous cycle of Brooklyn's recycling tradition. If a more curated approach is your style, stop by my shop, Fork&Pencil
(p. 205), for all your railroad piston mold, 19th-century Japanese erotica, and royal Coldstream Guards coat needs.
—Alex Grabcheski

Kmart The words Kmart and inspiring are rarely found in the same sentence, but for me every trip to Astor
Place's K is a thrilling reminder of NYC's cultural diversity. Students, yuppies, outer-borough homemakers, and
Japanese hipsters all rub shoulders as they prowl the long aisles for cheap clothing, housewares, furniture, and
even food. The hardware and paint departments have great deals, and there's an excellent plant section. Direct
access to the subway makes it easy to drag your haul home. 770 Broadway, btw. 8th and 9th sts. 212/673-1540. www.kmart.com .
Subway: 6 to Astor Place; N/R to 8th St. Other location: 250 W. 34th St., btw. Sixth and Seventh aves. 212/760-1188. Subway: B/D/F/M/N/Q/R to 34th St./
Herald Sq; 1/2/3 to 34th St./Penn Station.