“Before I began the interviewing process, street vendors emitted the
                    impression of being disgruntled, miserable, poor, and
                                                uneducated with perilous life stories.”
Interviews
Conducted by Dora Katanova with Levon, street vendor.
62 year-old Levon, originally from Armenia, immigrated to America 6 years ago, leaving behind his entire family- including his wife and children. He waited patiently to receive the right to remain a legal resident in the U.S., and decided to sell products on the streets of New York City for a living.
 
Levon’s table is located underneath scaffolding on 36th and 6th Avenue. Initially, the location may seem dark and uninviting, but that doesn’t stop the regular flow of his clientele.
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Despite having to wake up at the crack of dawn, travel to the city and set up his table in all types of weather until eight p.m., six days a week, Levon does not let these conditions ruin his outlook on life. He strongly believes that an important mission in life is to deeply love one’s own family and to always make sure they’re happy.
                                “I live to help my family... I work to make my two kids and their children content- I put a lot of love into my job.”
Conducted by Dora Katanova with Zurab, street vendor.
 
Zurab immigrated to America in 1998, and with the help of a few friends, settle in New York City. He attended Columbia Teaching School for six months to learn the English language and began to sell merchandise on the streets in 2000.
 
Single without a wife or children, he must work six days a week to help pay for food and other necessities. Zurab mentions that the most difficult part of street vending in New York City is the overwhelming competition.
“We fight almost everyday for the spot...by
                    rules, who comes first, serves...but I have the same spot for
                                                     many years. I come  seven, eight...because I come
                                                                                so many times,  they know this is my spot.”
Along with the tremendous competition, the police pose as another issue for all street vendors, including Zurab. Just the night before, he was badgered by the NYPD- “They don’t think we are real people...they said ‘close down’...but I need to work, this is my job...but what are you going to do, they’re police.”
Possibly one of the most obstinate facets of pushcart peddling is the long, arduous workday. Both Levon and Zurab are required to wake up five or six in the morning and work until seven or eight at night-twelve hour workdays, six days a week. Their jobs are demanding and strenuous, but at the same time rewarding. Levon mentioned that “it is good money” when you are at the right location and you sell items at a reasonable price.  
My Findings
“Through my interviews, I discovered that street vendors happen to be normal people who work everyday to make some sort of living. Although a story may sound more exciting and appealing, when danger and controversy are the focal points, it still does not mean that those factors are central to the lives of all street vendors.”
 
By: Dora Katanova