While many people keep old flames burning in their hearts while nursing scarred souls, there are others stuck with physical objects - jewelry, books, clothes or other souvenirs - painful reminders that they’d rather not have around. Now there’s a place to get these vestiges out of one’s life forever.  An Vũ  reports.

Most of us keep an old flame burning in our minds or in our hearts. A shattered relationship usually teaches us lessons and leaves a scar in the soul. But it can also leave us with physical objects—jewelry, books, clothes or other souvenirs we might rather not see everyday.

To address the problem of unloved mementos of a former lover, a group of young people has established a special fair held monthly, where people can buy and sell such objects. Called “Chợ người yêu cũ” (old flame fair or exes’ market), the event has been held at 58 Tô Ngọc Vân Street on the first Sunday of each month since May 2017.

Unlike other book or trinket fairs, this one takes place inside a residence called Bay la Bato. Sold here are utensils, souvenirs, tokens and even love letters between old lovers.

Đinh Thắng, founder of the fair, lives and works in Hà Nội. As a real cosmopolitan and man of carefree spirit, he claims the old flame fair is among the many “awesome” social ideas he has generated.

“This fair is only one of those many cool ideas my friends and I came up with after a chit chat about ex-girlfriends, boyfriends and things,” he said. “After the break-ups, we found there were many objects left in our homes by old lovers, and we do not want to see them again, since they remind us of unhappy memories.

“However, these things were still in good shape. It would harm the environment if we tossed them away. Then, we thought we should make an exchange with other people, so the objects would find new owners. They can buy new, good objects and we protect the environment. It’s a win-win,” he said.

In its first six months, the fair has attracted so many young people eager to sell their mementos that there isn’t enough space for them all. They wait patiently for others to finish selling and a stall to become available.

Thắng said only about 10 people came to each of the first two fairs, which he describes as an “experiment”. The space constraints are a necessary condition for keeping the event free, as hiring a larger venue would be too expensive.

The intimate venue keeps the event convivial. Attending as a buyer and selling are free. But if a seller brings extra goods to sell, he or she pays 30 per cent of their profits to the organizers.

At the fair on October 1, 500 buyers and sellers turned out. Some people at the venue’s 20 stalls sold their pottery souvenirs, with prices  from VND30,000 (US$1.3) to VND110,000 ($4.8). But others give away their souvenirs for free. All sellers at the fair join a Facebook page and describe what they want to sell and the tragic love story behind their items. Then the organising board selects those allowed to sell, with early posters getting priority.