Foreign Bazaar

Philadelphia, United States

3.8

Open now

18 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 215-567-3025
Website:
www.foreignbazaar.com
Address:
1921 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA, 19103
Rittenhouse Square, Penn Center
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
570 ft19th Street
610 ftWalnut St & 20th St
640 ftWalnut St & 19th St
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Bussiness info

Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Parking
Street
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
By Appointment Only
No

Today

Today 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Open now
Local time (Philadelphia) 10:38 Wednesday, 25 June 2025

Business hours

Monday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Tuesday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Wednesday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Thursday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Friday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Saturday 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Sunday –

Description

Specialties

We specialize primarily in beads (gold filled, sterling silver, gemstone, semi-​precious stone, metal, glass, etc), findings and beading supplies, (clasps, crimp beads, jewelry wire and cord, pliers, ear-​wire, etc), but we also carry imported handmade cloth (bedspreads, wall hangings), meditation supplies (singing bowls, malas, tingshas), Hindu and Buddhist statues (Ganesha, Shiva, Buddha, etc) traditional Indian clothing (such as sarees, kurtas, achkans, khussa/​jutti, and panjas), bangles, Indian wedding supplies (formal wear, turbans, jewelry, etc) handmade necklaces, anklets and bracelets, crystal points and gemstones, a variety of herbal and resin incenses (such as nag champa, jasmine, sandalwood, dragon’s blood, myrrh, etc) and incense burners, fragrance oils, herbal soaps and handicrafts from around the world.

History

Established in 1972.

Foreign Bazaar, one of the largest bead stores in Philadelphia, is known for its extensive collection of exotic Indian clothing for men, women and kids.

Meet the Manager

Shyam V.

Manager

Helps Customer Monique Chatman find just the right beads.

Foreign Bazaar also recommends

Foreign Bazaar

18

reviews

Jewelry

,

Women’s Clothing

,

Accessories

Shyam V. says,

«It’s an absorbing pastime and a great reason to shop. Who knows where beading may lead you»

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18 reviews of Foreign Bazaar

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Phoenix, AZ
Great colletion of imported merchandize. The clothing selection is nice with more sizes and stock in their upstairs storeroom if you need a different size. Great prices too! I purchasee a nice top and two pants fro $ 65.
Place rating: 5
Philadelphia, PA
I had an Indian event to go to and needed jewelery to wear with my anarkali. The two gentlemen were patient as I waded through their selection of jewelry and honest about price points. Great stuff. Good customer service.
Place rating: 5
Philadelphia, PA
I was recently invited to and Indian wedding at a Hindu temple and was in a panic to get a sari for the event. I only had about a week to do so. There aren’t many stores in Philadelphia that carry saris. I stumbled upon Foreign Bazaar and decided to check it out. Chanta, the woman who works there was so helpful! We first looked at ready-​made blouses and found a gold beaded blouse that I knew would match many different saris and I could wear again. Chanta adjusted the blouse so that it fit perfectly. Next I picked out a sari. They have a huge selection of beautiful saris, it took me a while to decide! Once I found «the one» Chanta draped me in it so I could get an idea of how it would look on. When I payed for everything they honored the Unilocal check-​discount. I wouldn’t say it was cheap but the service was great and worth the $ 100 or so that I spent. Chanta even dressed me the day of the event! I definitely recommend Foreign Bazaar for all things Indian as well as beads.
Place rating: 1
Philadelphia, PA
RUDE. They have a great selection of beads here. HOWEVER last 3 times I was in store the older man was extremely rude. He expected me to know the cost of his beads (I looked everywhere for a price) and continued to belittle me as he was taking forever to ring me up.
I bought a ring for my roommate and asked if i could exchange the size if needed (no refunds or exchanges there-​which usually means cheap ass goods) the day after i bought it, it completely broke into 3 pieces, so i went back in store to try to get the correct size AND a new ring. He blamed me for dropping it and breaking it. For a $ 4 ring he put up a fight and barely let me pick a new one. (See what i mean cheap goods)
I explained it was a gift that had broken even before i gifted it and that i am a regular at his store! I usually spend $ 25-​$ 30 each time as well! NOT ANYMORE.
I’ve worked in retail for 7 years, if you want to keep customers, BE NICE. You should know your own prices, and do not be unnecessarily rude. Im not asking for a lot. Just good customer service.
After that man was unnecessarily rude to me multiple times, i gave up. I refuse to go back there, BEADWORKS has cheaper prices, better quality charms and friendly, helpful staff!
Place rating: 1
Philadelphia, PA
After having gone to foreign bazaar a number of times for gifts for friends and relatives, I have come to the conclusion that their products are overpriced and their workmanship is lacking. Two different necklaces strung there broke within a few months of purchase. When I brought the first one back, they charged me to restring the beads and took a week to do it. The second necklace broke a few weeks later and I do not have the time nor do I want to spend the money ($ 30) to have them fix their work again.
Place rating: 3
Lafayette Hill, PA
This is a pretty good find for beading supplies in the city. Prices are OK– I’ve only ever bought beads from here with a Unilocal deal. They have a nice variety of unique beads that have been pretty big sellers with my jewelry orders. I will return, but wouldn’t make it a regular thing. The staff here often follow you as if they are overly concerned about stealing.
Place rating: 5
Philadelphia, PA
Great place with a large variety of merchandise, the incense selection is huge, the chi of the place draws you in and once there the karma makes you not wanting to leave. Great jewelry, clothing, wraps, and rugs. i go there for my smudging needs. When in the area i always stop in and find something or someone interesting there.
Place rating: 4
New York, NY
i bought some pretty gold indian bangles from here. i plan on going back to explore what else they have.
Place rating: 5
Birmingham, AL
I never would’ve walked into this place since the name makes me cringe, but I needed a birthday gift for a friend and happened to noticed some Indian-​looking earrings in the store as I walked by. The place seems to be owned by a South Asian family, and they have a wide range of pretty, colorful jewelry. I just checked out the earrings, and they seem to be in the $ 5-​$ 20 range. Got 2 pairs, which made a great birthday gift!
Place rating: 4
Evesham Township, NJ
This funky little treasure trove is Chestnut Street’s best kept secret. Yesterday, I was roaming around town after work, still on the hunt for a fun new handbag (see my Daffy’s review) and found myself in this awesome little place.
When I walked in, I was greeted by the sweet aroma of incense and the gentle sound of a beautful sitar-​enriched mantra playing on a continuous loop throughout the shop. I’m no beader, but the selection of beads was the first thing I noticed — I think it’s safe to say this place is a temple for those who enjoy making their own jewelry.
All items are handmade — jewelry, Eastern clothing, throw pillows, meditation cushions… and bags! I ended up leaving with a very funky quilty bag that has a wide strap that drapes over me, is very colorful, and beautifully accented with shells and noisy little bells that turned heads when I walked into work today. What’s more, it’s not huge, but it’s roomy enough to hold all the crap I insist on carrying around.
The shop is somewhat pricey, but the quality of the handmade goods is worth it. Foreign Bazaar is not for everyday stuff, but you’ll be right at home if you’re after something that’s one of a kind.
Place rating: 4
Philadelphia, PA
I love this place. The prices are a little steep, but the people who run Foreign Bazaar are incredibly nice and very helpful. Also, does anyone know the name of the mantra they always play in here? It’s beautiful.
Place rating: 2
Philadelphia, PA
I was SO excited to find a bead store, since they seem lacking in Philly.
Good selection, but the prices are absolutely ridiculous. I truly thought I was reading the prices incorrectly. I went to AC Moore right afterward, and the EXACT findings they were charging $ 7 for, were .99.
I looked around for a bit, and although they have a good selection, there’s nothing so super unique that I haven’t seen it at a craft store for MUCH less.
If price isn’t an issue, then you’ll love it here, otherwise… skip it, and go to a craft store where you’ll pay fair prices for the SAME pieces.
I’m giving it 2 stars because I love beads… Zero stars for overcharging!!!
Place rating: 4
Washington, DC
My terrible experience with a Beadworks employee prompted me to look for another bead store in the city and Foreign Bazaar is what I found.
They have an extensive collection of findings and beads — though $ 1.99+ per bead is kind of steep.
I walked out with three strands of beads (average of $ 10 each) and a box of lavender incense ($ 10.99 for 200 sticks). I also joined their reward/​loyalty program: spend $ 50 on merchandise and they give you $ 10 in store credits.
The people who work there are so nice! Something that some people should learn from. I’ll be back!
Place rating: 5
Philadelphia, PA
Got a cool glass ring and a cool wooden bracelet. I like to add pieces to my collection each spring. There’s no shortage of interesting jewelry at Foreign Bazaar. Service is pretty good and prices are surprisingly reasonable. This is one of those places I’m really thankful that there’s an actual store because this stuff gets marked up like crazy online. They have so many different pan-​asian (and polynesian) things to choose from, but they don’t really have leather except for strings.
You can go in here looking like Jonathan Smith and come out looking and smelling like Bilal Sharyif Al-​Tahir Azizudin. Lastly, I was surprised that they have a customer loyalty program. Great idea especially for a place like this.
The only limit here is your creativity.
Place rating: 5
Philadelphia, PA
One of the only places I’ve found in Philly to get S. Asian attire. I’m impressed by the quality of the saris they have, even if you have to search through the plastic bags under the beads — it’s worth it! They value repeat customers and have worked with me for tailoring and to find outfits in the styles/​colors needed. Check them out.
Place rating: 4
Austin, TX
Just spent about 30 minutes in here buying a gift. The really cute girl who helped me was extremely nice and helpful, as were the other two people in the store. And this even though I walked in right before they closed.
There were lots of pretty jewelry pieces, as well as what seemed to be a pretty extensive bead selection. I didn’t go all the way back into the store to explore the beads, though, because I wasn’t looking for jewelry. The scarves were nice, though.
Also, since I spent over $ 50, they gave me a $ 10 gift certificate, part of their loyalty program, from what I understand. This is nice, because I’d like to go back and get more incense. The selection was pretty good, and the prices seemed reasonable to me.
Place rating: 5
Philadelphia, PA
I haven’t been here in a long time due to the fact that I’m not in the Center City area that often during the day.
Someone told me about this place about four years ago. Now, honestly, I love this place. I think it’s beautiful. I love stores like this. Clothes, jewelry, incense, bongs, and other artifacts. :)
I usually bought incense from here though, and that’s because they have a good variety. And I don’t remember the price being steep at all. The gentlemen that have been at the counter were really cool and polite. They made me feel like it was a neighborhood store.
Well, anyways, I hope I make my way down to the store, just to stop and buy incense. Very nice nook and cranny of a store.
Place rating: 2
Seattle, WA
This place wasn’t that interesting to me. Yeah, it had an assortment of stuff from jewelry to henna to clothes to statues but it was so… over priced and a bit sketchy. I was not going to buy a $ 50 «silver» bracelet from a guy who looks that sketchy. Something about the way he was watching me reminded me of those paintings that you SWEAR are always looking at you because of those shifty eyes. He had those shifty eyes. Something about this bazaar was very bizarre to me and I was glad when I walked back out the door.