going at less than stateside prices, three days a week. The mall (okay, it is more like a flea market) is not in Raleigh, North Carolina and not in New York City, but rather in the US community that is so close to Bermuda, it is literally a stone's throw away. "Little America'' is the US Naval Air Station in St. George's, where three times a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday), Bermudians are invited inside the main gate to sift through items the departing Navy would prefer to leave behind. Many of the goods are second hand, but with a little re-conditioning, they have excellent potential for inexpensive Christmas or house warming gifts. (At my house, it might just be more junk to relegate to the shed.) But if you know what items your favourite charity needs, America Town might be a good bet to find them (so they can relegate them to their shed). One person found a complete set of new tiles, for example, at a very cheap price. They were probably willing to do the work themselves to create a new kitchen floor. Wall tiles also have been sold. You can't beat the price. Other people are walking away with cameras, computers and any number of electronic items. Customs officers have been stationed there to provide instant analysis of value so that the Bermuda Government can get their cut from customs duties, before you leave "Little America''. Mrs.

Pamela Whitehurst of the Defence Re-utilisation and Marketing Office, a part of the Defence Logistics Agency, said some Bermudians make regular visits, three days a week in search of deals. They often find them. "We've always been here on the base. In the past we have had occasional auctions. But with the base closure I just thought that we could move material faster by having this cash and carry sale. "Any of the activities on this base, when its their time to be down-sizing, any items they have in that department come to us. We will be here until next September, when everything is gone. And we put things on sale as they arrive. "When we do get new stuff in, we have regular people Avoid Hamilton prices and visit NAS this Xmas for the doors to open at nine. We get materials in usually on Tuesdays and Thursdays because those are the days we are closed.'' Even big ticket items are available for those who need to replace goods, but wish to avoid Hamilton prices. The Wednesday we spoke to Mrs. Whitehurst she had just sold an abundance of cameras and other photographic equipment, heaters, refrigerators, brand new vinyl and ceramic wall and floor tiles. "We have a pretty good turn-out. Some of the stuff we have includes furniture and appliances like refrigerators. Sometimes it is very good stuff, sometimes it's not. But you have to be here to know. On the whole, it's pretty good stuff. "We have no way of knowing ourselves what we will have to sell until the goods come in.

For example, we have a lot of used books right now, because we are emptying our base library. "We have a constant turn over of material,'' she said. CASH AND CARRY -- The best picks of the assorted items at NAS are snapped up quickly and taken away.