MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan -- Station residents gathered at the Northside MacDome to shop at the Fall Bazaar held Friday through Sunday.
The bazaar is an annual event put together by Marine Corps Community Services to sell furniture, jewelry, rugs Asian houseware items and clothes, among other things.
“The main purpose behind an event like this bazaar is to raise money so we can invest back into the community,” said John K. Ayers MCCS services officer and native of Culver City, Calif. “We had 43 vendors and we had a total sale of $355,000.”
Ayers explained a percentage of those profits will go toward funding things such as MCCS events, services and possibly new projects aboard the air station.
Ayers said furniture items were the big sellers as well as the athletic jerseys, followed by jewelry and rugs.
“It attracted a lot of returning shoppers who had shopped at the previous bazaars, but we also had an influx of new personnel so it attracted some new people,” said Ayers.
For the vendors the bazaar was a good opportunity to sell items which exemplify the craftsmanship and designs of their country.
“It is always interesting to see who buys the pieces because they were previously something that was passed down from generation to generation,” said Linda Lee, Li Bai Art and Antiques vendor and Singapore native.
“It is a really wonderful opportunity for us to bring our furniture for the military community,” added Lee. “The prices and selection here is the envy of buyers in the states.”
Romy R. Hester, a native of Corpus Christi, Texas, who has shopped at previous bazaars here returned to purchase items she saw during the spring bazaar because she was impressed by the superior rug selection.
“I bought three rugs last time from the same (vendor) because they’re great quality,” said Hester. “You can spill something on the rugs but if you add water to clean it, it will never stay.”
Ayers explained next years bazaar will feature most of the same vendors and will continue to mix the big furniture items with small trinkets.