Hard times have hit the Aloha Stadium Swap Meet, where vendors are struggling to stay open because of smaller crowds — and more frugal shoppers.

"It's slow, just like after 9/11," said Paul Le of Kaimuki, who has been setting up his wood art stand at the swap meet for seven years. "People are more conscientious in their buying. They're looking for deals."

And they're haggling more, trying to chip away at already-low prices.

"They don't shop like before," said Flo Konelio, whose fruit stand at the swap meet was attracting few customers yesterday. The Kalihi resident said she has been selling produce at the swap meet for two years and has never seen it so slow. "Christmas was pretty busy, but not as busy as in the past," she said.

Vendors say the swap meet has been hit on two fronts.

For one, fewer visitors are coming because of the slump in tourism.

Fewer residents are also visiting the swap meet, open Wednesdays and weekends, because they're cutting back on spending as the economy flounders.

All that adds up to dismal sales.

The meet has long been known as a mecca for deals on everything from clothes to jewelry to art, and as a hotspot for tourists looking for trinkets.

But Neumann Shim, Swap Meet Vendors Association president, and the owner of a temporary tattoo stall at the meet, said many vendors have moved on because it no longer made financial sense to rent a space.

"A lot of vendors have quit," he said.

It's unclear just how many vendors have left, but some estimated it was upwards of a dozen in the past several months alone. The management company that oversees operations at the swap meet could not be reached yesterday.

The swap meet Web site says there are more than 700 vendors at the meet.

Shim said he believes the total is now about 600.

Some vendors have also left because of conflicts with management.

Vendors pay about $75 for a stall at the meet and some said they are now struggling just to break even. Hilwa Muhsin, who runs an electronics stall at the stadium swap meet, said her sales are down by more than half from a year ago.

"A lot of people are having a hard time," she said.

Of her customers, she said, "They're stretching their dollars."

At the swap meet yesterday morning, many shoppers said the crowds appeared thinner than ever before. And those who were shopping were looking for deep discounts — and they weren't afraid to barter.

Swap meet regular Haunani Kalauawa of Wai'anae was able to get a wireless headset for her cell phone for $25 — less than she would have paid at Wal-Mart, she said.

The 34-year-old said she often finds deals at the meet on everything from baby clothes to jewelry. "I always find it here," she said.

Scott and Amy Pearson, also of Wai'anae, said they usually come to the meet about once a month to shop for deals. Yesterday, they were able to grab a dish drainer for $5.

The Pearsons said they have noticed a drop in the number of shoppers. But that won't keep them from coming back, they said.

"You find the odd deals" at the meet, Amy Pearson said.

Cheryl Wond, 55, of Makiki, got to the meet about 11:30 a.m. yesterday, after checking out the early-morning deals at the Kam Swap Meet across from Pearlridge Center. She said crowds at both were some of the smallest ever.

Still, that didn't keep her from finding deals.

She was able to fill a small rolling suitcase with her purchases.

She and her husband, Herman, buy "whatever catches our eye."

Vendors say it's regular customers like the Wonds who keep them going.

"Hopefully, the new year is going to bring more business," said Le, who operates the wood art stall. "We hope that everything is going to get better."

But not all the vendors are hurting.

Bobby Acoba, who sells ribbon lei for $18 to $40 at the meet, said his Christmas sales were up this year and he was seeing brisk sales yesterday, too.

"We were lucky," he said, grinning.