SHOPPING DESTINATION: Five Amazing Romanian Stores

SHOPPING DESTINATION: Five Amazing Romanian Stores
By Jorge Jefferds December 8, 2015

We should never forget that Christmas is a tradition that started in Europe. Therefore, don't forget to do your shopping in beautiful romantic countries like Romania. In Bucharest, with the millions of LED lights decorating the Romanian capital during winter holidays, you might not feel homesick that you are not with your entire family. On the contrary, emotions will come up to your face because of the impressiveness of this spiritual event, and the many shopping options that arise in every corner. There is nothing against the Chinese culture, but still beware: Almost all of the many souvenir shops that have opened of late in Bucharest (especially those in and around the Old Town) sell little more than Chinese crap with 'Romania' plastered over it. For genuine Romanian arts and crafts, head for the shops at either the Peasant or Village Museums.

Bucharest's Christmas Romexpo 2014

Carturesti Carusel
Bucharest's most impressive bookshop is this wonderful building on Strada Lipscani. Dating from the latter part of the 19th century the building was home to a department store during the communist era, before standing neglected for almost a quarter of century until reopening earlier this year after a long renovation. And what a renovation: the building has been brought back to life by Carturesti's team of architects and is that impressive that even if you are not in the market for any books, you must pop in to have a look. It is also perhaps the only shop in Bucharest where the staff do not tell you off for taking photos: indeed, it's positively encouraged. Besides the tens of thousands of books and gifts on sale there is gallery and exhibition space, and a rather good bistro on the top floor.

Carturesti Carusel Bookstore

Dorobanti Art Gallery
The gallery sells works of art (paintings, statues, carpets, furniture, decorative objects, jewelry) on consignment. The management is ensured by Maria Dumitrescu, philologist Eugenia Petreanu, and economist Maria Matache, all of them experts authorized by the Ministry of Culture.
Clients can be counted among cultural personalities, politicians, business people, or simple lovers of beauty. Some of those who visit the Gallery become collectors, and owners of prestigious collections, or some wonderful paintings decorated in classic housing. The merit belongs first to anyone who can combine business (investment) with pleasure (the beauty of art).

Dorobanti Art Gallery

Band of Creators
Clothes and accessories from more than 40 Romanian designers, both established and up and coming names. Besides buying from the store in the city center you can also order everything online using the excellent website: they ship via courier worldwide. Furthermore, they always welcome international designers. The selection includes limited edition or even unique pieces, office or smart casual clothing, but also evening wear and outstanding accessories. Product categories are dresses, tops, blouses, trousers, dresses, skirts, jackets, overcoats, jumpsuits, hair accessories, bags.

Band of Creators

Antique and Flea Market
Each Sunday you can find a variety of antiques dealers of varying quality (there is plenty of good stuff on sale, but equally as much rubbish) at the main entrance to Parcul Carol. Look out for old Romanian banknotes, stamps, medals and badges. The event is open to the public only on Sundays, from 10am to 4pm, and located on Piata Libertatii (Freedom Square).

Traditional Bucharest Flea Market

Piata Obor
One last stop, the most important ultimate one, is at Piata Obor. Market since at least the 18th century, when it was known as the Piata Targului de Afara, a place for traders from outside of Bucharest to do business; the name Obor came into use during the early part of the 19th century. During this period Obor was infamous as the location of Bucharest’s gallows: public executions would take place on market days to ensure a good crowd. The practice was halted in 1823, but the gallows itself remained in place until 1870. In 1877, market traders raised a stone cross on the site of the gallows to commemorate those killed here. The cross, despite being declared a protected monument in 2004, was nevertheless moved in 2009 during the renovation of the market. It today stands in front of the Sector 2 Town Hall, a hundred metres or so to the right of the market itself.

Piata Obor

It has been re-dedicated as a monument to Romanian independence, and its original purpose played down. Indeed, when the Sector 2 council published a history of the Obor area in its newspaper Foisorul de Foc in 2012, no mention of the gallows was made.Obor’s main market hall – an elegant, linear and modernist building known as Halele Obor – was built in the 1940s. Its architects, Horia Creanga and Haralamb Georgescu, also designed the Patria Cinema block on Bulevardul Magheru, as well as the splendid art deco Aro Palace hotel in Brasov. Much as it has been since it opened, the interior of Halele Obor is today mainly given over to fresh produce, primarily meat. Prices are decent if not cheap, and quality is high. Unusual things you don’t usually see in your average butcher’s or supermarket can be found here (lamb’s liver on sale, for example).

A vendor trading his best vegetables at Piata Obor

There are also a number of stalls selling all sorts of crap from Lenin caps and fur hats to cheap children’s toys. There are also – mainly upstairs – a few wonderful reminders of the past, not least the shoemender’s shop.When it comes to eating at Obor, the only food permitted are mici: you will find them at the far left-hand entrance/exit to the main market hall (just follow the smell). Though more than a few locals will tell you to mind the mici at Obor, still served on a bit of card with mustard and bread (which costs extra), they remain amongst Bucharest’s best. You should never encounter any problems with them. Mici and the old market hall aside, today’s Obor is a hugely different place. For starters, it looks different: in 2009 the old open-sided fruit and vegetable market was abandoned and the impromptu stalls removed: replaced by a new, shiny, purpose-built mall.

In Christmas, the crowd could be terrible, but the visit to the place is worthy

The fruit and vegetable sellers are now inside this new building, on the ground floor, although a few who can’t afford the price of a pitch hang around outside selling their produce. You will also still come across at least a handful of rogues. Obor is not as chaotic as it once was, but scrape the surface just a tiny bit and you can still find the old roguish place. So while Romanians are happy to admit that Obor was almost certainly a lot more fun in the old days, before it got a facelift, and before the new hala was built, it nevertheless remains one of those quintessential Bucharest experiences which really ought to be part of any visit to the city. If your idea of Romania is old women selling onions on street corners, Obor is where to come.