He is located at a cross alley of sorts. The main pedestrian avenues of the bazaar run north to south. Due to the shape of the cargo containers which compose the skeleton of the bazaar this elongated rectangular shape is the most efficient use of space. Similar to how in many US urban areas the blocks are composed of houses which face their streets of access and abut another home at a shared reared inner space. So too do the containers abut butt to butt. Intermittently, there will be either a cross avenue or alley so that one can get from one main drag to another. Elzan occupied one such spot. He occupies no container but pays a regular rent for his space which he occupies everyday from sun up to sundown (at least during the short cold winter days).
Rent is $100 a month and earnings are "too few." The hats come from all over but principally hail from Turkey, Iran and China.
Elzan occupies a very middle post on the bazaar social totempole. In terms of retailers, he has a spot but not a "container." His goods are displayed on a wall. Many who do not own containers provide vital but economically marginal goods and services. There are the tea sellers with their stollers of tea as well as sellers who operate off of a matt. They are highly mobile and able to occupy any space made available by any container being closed for whatever reason. Each table or spread costs a daily rent of 20 som, or about $US .50. Despite the potential to work anywhere in the huge and sprawling bazaar, most sellers with a matt which I have talked to set up in the same space (if located in a less busy area) or in the same basic area if it is a more crowded area. Similarly, the tea sellers tend to work a limited area as well, preferring to limit themselves to one or two "blocks" of the bazaar rather than wandering all around it.
So even the mobile and flexlible sellers at the bazaar seek to ground their trade in a limited geography. In this way they are able to form consistent customers (many of the tea sellers' principle clients are merchants who would like a warm drink but would like to stay at their stall and/or container).
Sellers that operate off of wheel-barrel type stands, mats and small tables also tend to set up in the same area everyday. Gaining knowledge of the flow of a day, the regular pulses of the bazaar and the a basic level of comfort with one's physical and social environment are an important factors for many sellers. Even though their operations are small enough that long-term relationships with clients are unlikely to emerge as a significant financial incentive for occupying the same space every day, other less tangible incentives emerge. Perhaps risk aversion, trying a new spot everyday could be result in low sales. Moving to a new area of the bazaar would take a tole on one's social harmony as well as finding a place that would not ruffle the feathers of pre-established sellers could be stressful.
I am trying to spend at least two hours a day at the bazaar now and have set a number of people to talk with everyday to help get me out of my complacent bubble (formed by attending to necessary but non-bazaar related errands). So far, it's coming a long. Happy Solstice. The sun will now get higher and the days longer! Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!
If one were
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