Yeah, I eye rolled at that quote. My dad worked in lower Manhattan when I was growing up. There were at least three different job-lot, odd-lot chains that he’d get us weird or overstock items from at lunchtime.
The reason why that stuff so abundant in China is because that’s where it’s made. In 1970s/80s, when my dad was picking up deals at lunch, New York was a declining industrial powerhouse. Toys and clothes and 10000 other things were made in NYC. My little league uniform was made 20 blocks away in Astoria. (My mom kept it, and my son is wearing the pants 30 years later!) Ball caps were made in Buffalo, etc.
Now, we export cash, and that’s what you find collecting in US cities.
The reason why that stuff so abundant in China is because that’s where it’s made. In 1970s/80s, when my dad was picking up deals at lunch, New York was a declining industrial powerhouse. Toys and clothes and 10000 other things were made in NYC. My little league uniform was made 20 blocks away in Astoria. (My mom kept it, and my son is wearing the pants 30 years later!) Ball caps were made in Buffalo, etc.
Now, we export cash, and that’s what you find collecting in US cities.