Music Center Cashes In on Its Mercado’s Bargains and Off-Beat Buys

Joel Wachs has only his generosity to blame.

When the Los Angeles city councilman benevolently agreed to lunch with anyone who would contribute $175 to the Music Center’s fund-raising Mercado ‘86, he made himself an easy target Saturday for the likes of Venetia Thompson.

While browsing through the Mercado marketplace encircling the festive Music Center Plaza during an open-air charity bazaar that continues today from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thompson paused to ponder a $125 violin recital offered by a member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and a 45-minute helicopter ride through city skies, half-priced at $500.

But as her blue eyes settled on Wachs’ unqualified offer--a luncheon for five “with” the councilman at the Katsu Restaurant--a devilish smile began creeping across Thompson’s face.

Trying to Meet Wachs

For more than a year, Thompson said, she has been trying to meet with Wachs to discuss a proposal to let dogs run unleashed in certain city park areas. But time and again, the Studio City woman said, the councilman has deftly administered what she regards as the bum’s rush.

“He put himself in a dangerous position,” Thompson said, snapping up Wachs’ card and setting off for a nearby cash register. “I’m going to get him at his own game. I wonder if they take Visa.”

Thompson was among thousands of mostly satisfied customers who turned out for the two-day marketplace sale, which organizers hope will raise at least $750,000 for the theater, opera and orchestral groups supported by the center’s Performing Arts Council.

“If I don’t raise $1 million, I’m going to be personally disappointed,” said Sandra Ausman, 1986 this year’s co-chair for the biennial event. Attendance on Saturday was already “up to my expectations and then some,” she said. “We definitely have more people” than the last Mercado, when 75,000 showed up for the sake of art and some interesting bargains made possible by a flood of corporate donations.

Items for Sale

Books, furniture, clothing, children’s toys and countless curios were up for sale, as shoppers circled a giant stage packed with musicians and movie stars. The aroma of pretzels and cola hung in the air, and large banners striped in orange, purple and red added color to the festivities. And inside the Mark Taper Forum, California writers gathered to lecture about how they approach their work. Some prices were dirt cheap. One clothing store chain donated 35,000 belts that went for only a few dollars each. One furniture company kicked in 50 headboards, again sold well below retail. A $27,000 Lincoln Mark VII was being raffled off at $5 a ticket.

Other items were clearly beyond the reach of most who attended. For example, a $27,850 Honduran mahogany desk set was priced for quick sale at $8,995.

Most Expensive Item Sold

The most expensive item ever sold during the Mercado’s four-year history was a fish--a 600-pound, 15-foot-long wooden sculpture crafted by Tomas Okinski and designed by Los Angeles architect Frank Gehry. An art lover from Cleveland who collects Gehry designs bought it for $35,000 on Friday.

“It has a lot of emotional appeal for me,” said Alex Thompson, a 42-year-oldManhattan Beach engineer, as he who was admiring the work. “It’s just the texture, the form, the imagination of it.”

“I was kind of surprised about the designer clothes,” complained Santa Monica resident Sukran Johnson, 42, as she and friend Yasemin Bususta searched through a rack of shirts. “They are really high.”

Across the plaza, 42-year-old Santa Monica resident Sukran Johnson said, “I bought myself a lady’s handbag and a lipstick.” But as she searched through a rack of boys’ shirts with friend Yasemin Bususta, 26, Johnson complained, “I was kind of surprised about the designer clothes. They are really high.”

Johnson said it didn’t matter to her that the money went to a good cause. “I think the Music Center has enough money. . . .”

After waiting in line two hours to buy books, Diamond Bar resident Roger Sharma finally passed through a checkout line, paid $151, and loaded two Vons grocery carts with seven boxes of books. Sharma, 50, an attorney who operates a Ramada Inn in Hollywood, said he planned to read some of the books and display the rest in his hotel.