SHOPPING FOR A BARGAIN DEAL HUNTERS TRAVEL, HAGGLE FOR HIGH QUALITY, LOW PRICES.

Byline: BARBARA CORREA Staff Writer

There are smart shoppers. There are savvy shoppers.

And then there are the people who shop at Santee Alley.

This jam-packed corridor, a classic open-air bazaar at the epicenter of L.A.'s downtown fashion district, draws adventurous bargain hunters from Calabasas to Victorville and beyond.

Louise Sirls and her sister flew in from Kansas City, Mo., after learning about the Alley from another sister in Los Angeles. While the shopping district is best known for selling $20 knockoffs of famous-maker handbags and shoes, it's attracting more shoppers looking for basics, like women's sundresses for $2.99.

``We bought kids clothes, suitcases, hats,'' said Sirls. The sisters also bought formal wear, ``the kind of styles they're not going to see back home.''

Sirls has not yet tabulated her total spending on the one-week trip. But she estimates she saved hundreds of dollars by paying cash at the Alley instead of buying at a mall.

Misty Smith, a young mother from Victorville, comes once a month to buy brand-name knockoffs -- getting clothes, shoes and purses at up to 80 percent off the price for the real thing. ``A real Coach purse is $400,'' she said. ``Here it's $50.''

Department stores have been losing market share for years to the Target, Marshalls and T.J. Maxx stores of the world, not to mention the Internet. But open-air markets, where the art of bargaining on price keeps things lively, are also snagging more mall shoppers than they used to.

``We work with a company that does tours down here, and the feedback I'm hearing is that we're getting a lot more suburbanites,'' said Katherine Schmidt, director of marketing for the district, which covers about 90 blocks.

``You find the same things here that you find in Beverly Hills -- for half the price,'' said West Los Angeles resident Tony Pratts, who scored four linen suits for $130 on a recent trip.

``I spent $70 on one and $20 on the other three,'' he said. ``It's the same quality as you get in the mall in Santa Monica.''

Pat Tynes made the trek from San Diego. ``The sunglasses here are $5,'' she said during a recent foray into the Alley. ``At Target, they're $15.''

Consumers are finally starting to put the brakes on flagrant spending habits credited with keeping the economy afloat, which bodes well for the most price-sensitive shopping venues.

Personal spending growth fell to 2.5 percent during the second quarter, down from 4.8 percent for the first quarter, the Commerce Department reported last month.

``With increases in gas prices, consumers are starting to really think hard about how they spend their money,'' said Aubie Goldenberg, a retail industry analyst at Ernst & Young. ``Consumers are going to trend to fewer shopping trips, and there will be more of an emphasis on buying food first, before other things.''

At the Roadium, a huge flea market and swap meet in Torrance, those in the crowd -- 70 percent speaking Spanish -- buy produce trucked in overnight directly from growers in Central California and consumer goods from vendors importing directly from China.

John Schoen, general manager of the market, said shoppers get a 40 percent to 70 percent discount on everything they buy. ``If you're into Gatorade, you can buy six bottles for 40 cents on the dollar,'' he said.

The market is trying to market itself as an open-air, less organized version of Costco -- a one-stop shop with very low prices. Unlike most outdoor markets, the venue is open seven days a week. ``You can save gas and get everything you need here,'' said Schoen.

Of course, bargain shopping is all relative. While getting deals on food is a priority for people who flock to the Roadium, fashionistas who frequent outlet complexes take their discount hunting just as seriously.

``Everybody likes to get a deal, and I don't think that excitement of finding a bargain is lost on even the wealthiest people,'' said Michele Rothstein, senior vice president of marketing for Chelsea Premium Outlets, which owns outlet centers in Camarillo and Desert Hills.

She said she's surprised by how many celebrities pop in to the outlets, in addition to the crowds of shoppers who would like to dress like celebrities.

``People say, `I'd like my kids to wear Polo and Ralph Lauren, and I need the outlets to do that.'''

Camarillo boasts 120 stores including Ann Taylor, Barneys New York, Diesel, Restoration Hardware and a recently opened Sony outlet. The Desert Hills also has more upscale outlet stores like Prada and Dior. Shoppers should expect to get 25 to 65 percent off, she said.

The outlets lure a much more serious shopper than the malls attract. Because of their large clusters of name stores, the centers tend to attract consumers from a larger geographic area who travel to the outlets specifically to get lower prices on quality goods.

Visitors plan detailed itineraries to maximize the efficiency of their trek to the outlets.

Higher gas prices and a push toward economizing have motivated people to be even more organized in planning their power shopping trips. ``This is a time when people are watching their dollars,'' said Rothstein. ``They've printed our coupons. They're planning the day and strategizing on where to park,'' she said. After they get their deals, they can be heard, in line for the women's restrooms, bragging about their clothing conquests, she said. ``Bargain shoppers are very proud of being bargain shoppers.''

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4 photos

Photo:

(1 -- 2 -- color) Debbie Wallace, left and her sister, Louise Sirls, top photo, both of Kansas City, Mo., eye a child's dress in a shop on Santee Alley; Pat Tynes of San Diego looks for bargains on sunglasses in a shop near Santee Alley.

(3) Tony Pratts of West Los Angeles walks down Santee Alley with suits he purchased in the area.

(4) Dozens of high-heeled shoes are displayed in a shop along Santee Alley.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer