Today was my day to finally go with Chris and her friends to the UMAGA market. Chris doesn’t remember what UMAGA stands for and now the place seems to be called the Minnesota Market. But it’s a wholesale market that once a year has a weekend sample sale.
It’s laid out in a large building with 4 different wings. In each wing are a series of partitioned areas where people have set up show displaying their wares. This is where retail buyers go to find what they want to sell in their stores. Wholesale prices on goods from fashion and low end jewelry to children’s clothing and toys, books, housewares, and gifts.
There are lots of shops and it’s an all day affair. And EVERYONE comes with roller suitcases to fill with what they are buying. And this is a sample sale so you can buy individual things. The prices are wholesale or discounted from wholesale since people are trying to get rid of extras and close out things in their own inventory.
I got some things that take care of Christmas shopping for me in a lot of areas.
From what Chris says, it sounds like it’s been shrinking over the years. Probably fewer retail buyers shopping in person. More people wholesaling online. And fewer retailers able to compete with Amazon. A sad state of affairs.
On the other hand, Chris was able to walk the whole thin with only tired feet at the end and a sore toe from it rubbing on her shoe. Her newly upgraded legs worked fine which was very exciting.