Guadalajara’s antique market

Antique markets afford a window into the lives of each treasure’s original owner, and Guadalajara’s antique flea market is loaded with artifacts that look like they once graced the drawing rooms of the gentrified west side neighborhoods built around the turn of the 20th century.

Guadalajara’s antique market

 

 

 

 

 

Held on Sundays from 9AM-5PM at the intersection of the Avenida Mexico and Chapultepec Norte in front of the Bodega Aurrera, this outdoor market unwinds over several blocks and the scope of the collection is mind-boggling.

Guadalajara’s antique market

 

 

 

 

The stalls are chock full of collectibles from statuary to silver and crystal, furniture, and books and records.

Guadalajara’s antique market

There are also plenty of personal items and memorabilia that often leave the shopper with the sense that the aura of their original owners is somehow still present among them.

If you’re expecting a flea market that requires you to sort through a ton of junk to find a few gems, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by this place.

Guadalajara’s antique market

Much of the merchandise appears to be in museum piece condition, and it’s clear that the vendors know their artifacts intimately and take great pride in their displays.

Guadalajara’s antique market

Here you’re stopped by an item caught out of the corner of an eye and find yourself still browsing the same stall half an hour later, unraveling threads into the past.

Guadalajara’s antique market

This market, though, is not just a window into Guadalajara’s past, but also a snapshot of its present.

Guadalajara’s antique market

The vendors are of all ages, and it’s clear that these folks have come to know each other well over years of Sundays spent here together.

Guadalajara’s antique market

 

 

 

 

The shoppers are also diverse, but the crowd includes a healthy mix of young urban professionals that the visitor is unlikely to encounter at the city’s more classic tourist sites.

Guadalajara’s antique market

You don’t have to be a collector to appreciate this place, and you don’t have to buy a thing to have an enjoyable day here.

Avenida Chaputepec

Afterwards take a walk down Chapultepec and join the Sunday promenade always in progress on a traffic-free Avenida Vallarta.

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