Rome, where one man's trash is another's tesoro

Most Italians are not fans of shopping at second hand stores. Raised in a country where shopping at second hand or consignment stores is practically a national pastime, I have asked many Italians here in Rome why they think second hand stores are fairly unpopular here. The most common response given was that Italians are too proud, and they would be embarrassed if others knew they purchased used items.

Those who do frequent second hand stores can do so without worrying too much about being spotted. Aside from the posh “vintage” boutiques in central Rome, most if not all of the used stores in Rome are found hidden in secret basements of buildings, where the only people who one might run into are other bargain shoppers who are most likely to keep it a secret!

The first time we rented an apartment here in Rome, it was unfurnished. When an apartment is unfurnished in Italy,  this means it has nothing, no kitchen, no shower stall, niente. Without a budget of tens of thousands of euro for interior decorating Italian style, choices in Italy are limited. There is Ikea, or there is second hand. This is when I first came across “Il Mercatino”. This second hand chain of stores carries antiques, records, toys, books, appliances, and even clothes. We managed to furnish a few rooms of our apartment with furniture from this shop and since then I go back from time to time, sometimes looking for random things, and sometimes just for the fun of digging around to see what kinds of objects have been evicted from Italian homes this week.Such as:

For every thing, there is a box.

Vintage and desgner Italian clothes

No Italian household can truly be complete without the red lounger for those nights of erotic Ancient Rome role playing with Antony and Cleopatra

Pick a phone, any phone.

All shopped out? Recharge with an (hopefully NOT second hand) espresso at the bar!

My main mission today was to look for a slicing machine to cut up a whole prosciutto that has been sitting in my refrigerator for a month now. You might be thinking, why did I buy a prosciutto if I do not have a slicer? I didn't. Let's say it was a gift. Or it fell of a truck. Or a little of both. Anyway, not only did I find a brand new one for 34 Euro, but because it had been in the store for just over 60 days, they had to discount it by 50%! 17 euro for an electric slicer for my prosciutto di Parma! Victory!

I have nothing but praise for this place. It's like going to Porta Portese market, minus the gypsies, garlic peddlers, and cheap chinese junk. More information about second hand stores in Rome can be found here.