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September 7, 2007
Salvage Fest 2007: 20 Hours and Counting
We're looking forward to meeting lots of you tomorrow at the Salvage Fest--we'll be the unshaven guy sporting the new Brownstoner t-shirt. As we've been telling you all week, the First Annual Salvage Fest takes place Saturday from 10 to 4 at P.S. 11 in Clinton Hill. It's a great chance to find that perfect doorknob as well as to talk to vendors about tracking down hard-to-find items; one of the salvagers will also have samples of reclaimed flooring on display. And don't forget to drop off any old building materials that have been gathering dust in your basement. The schoolyard is located on Washington Avenue between Gates and Greene; the closest subway stops are the Clinton/Washington C train and the Clinton or Classon stops on the G train. Weather forecast looks good (knock on wood), but if it looks shaky in the morning, check in here for scheduling updates. See you there! GMAP
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Comments
wow, you guys could use some design help...
Posted by: guest at September 7, 2007 2:13 PM
And you could use some help with your manners. Thanks to Brownstoner for the Salvage Fest. I hope to see this event grow and flourish.
Posted by: guest at September 8, 2007 2:38 PM
Brownstoner's followers are much like Bush followers.
You either eagerly sign the loyalty pledge and only comment positively or get personally attacked.
Posted by: guest at September 8, 2007 2:53 PM
I just came from the salvage fest. Small lot, pretty fair section of items. Not bad for the first salvage fest though. Hope this becomes an annual event. Perhaps it will get bigger and better as the years go by.
Posted by: Marauder at September 8, 2007 3:04 PM
Just got back also, Got a few things I needed. Wish there was one next week so I could arrange to transport some of the bigger items.
Posted by: guest at September 8, 2007 4:37 PM
Did anyone else notice just how WHITE this event was? I mean, weren't African Americans welcome at this "Salvage Fest"? What gives? This is really getting to be offensive.
Posted by: guest at September 8, 2007 4:47 PM
I was impressed--especially with the Albany dealer, Silver Fox, from whom we bought a great mirror.
I wish someone had organised something like this in Brooklyn 33 years ago when wev needed lots of stuff for our house.
BUT, I liked the old blue Brownstoner tee shirts, with a picture of Mr.B's house,more than the new ones
Posted by: Bob Marvin at September 8, 2007 7:07 PM
4:47 - I am not sure what you mean. My boyfriend, myself and our dog stopped by around 11 am - he was certainly not the only African American man present when we were there, including at least some of the vendors. Perhaps they started checking for racial purity later on? Fort Greene/Clinton Hill was full of so many great events today, from the Salvage Fest to the sidewalk tabling to the first annual Fort Greene Festival. Made me smile to see the diversity of folks gathering and enjoying themselves. Oh jeez, now I am sounding sappy. Can't even bring myself to insult 4:47...
Posted by: Putnamdenizen at September 8, 2007 7:41 PM
4:47 probably didn't even go to salvage fest. it was as mixedas the neighborhood.
Posted by: guest at September 8, 2007 8:17 PM
All I can say is that obsessively fixating on recreating the "original details" of a 100+ year old building doesn't appeal to African Americans.
Also, if you think of B-stoner's readership, I'd expect it reaches a supermajority of whites.
Posted by: slick at September 9, 2007 2:44 AM
Excuse me - one of the black vendors here. Since I was here from 8 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon, I can authoritively say that black people were certainly represented as both vendors and attendees. I had a booth, Eddie's had a booth, Olde Good Things had several black employees, and there were black parents galore from the school selling food. I don't know how anyone could manage to not see any of us. There were also an awful lot of black attendees, and they bought a lot of goods from everyone. Granted, at 10 in the morning, there was a very white majority, but by noon, I'd have to say the people there represented all the facets of the neighborhood, black, white, Latino and Asian.
As to the contention that black people aren't fixated on restoring original detail to their homes, my largest and most expensive items went to black customers who were doing just that, and most of the black brownstone owners I know have spent just as much time as anyone else stripping woodwork, or searching for and restoring period detail.Period woodwork and detail is an especially good background for those who favor an Afrocentric design scheme, and even for those who don't, black people are certainly just as appreciative of craftsmanship and beauty. Attend the Bed Stuy House tour, or the Crown Heights house tour, and you'll see plenty of attention to period detail.
I enjoyed the day, in spite of roasting in the heat, and I hope Mr. B repeats the event sometime in the (cooler) future. For the first time, I think it was a success, and any improvements can always be made for the future. To anyone who bought from me - thanks!
Posted by: guest at September 9, 2007 8:28 AM
Slick's statement "that obsessively fixating on recreating the 'original details' of a 100+ year old building doesn't appeal to African Americans" would come as a great surprise to many of my neighbors.
Posted by: Bob Marvin at September 9, 2007 10:17 AM
I think this should become a regular, weekly salvage/flea market. The flea markets we once had in Chelsea are almost completely gone except for the one in that parking garage on 25th street, and the prices have been insanely stupid for years-- no fun. It makes more sense to have a flea market in Brooklyn anyway, where people are actually doing the kind of renovating that calls for old mouldings, etc.
Posted by: guest at September 9, 2007 11:47 AM
I completely agree with the above comment- I can't understand for the life of me why we don't have a flea market in BK apart from that rather unimpressive 7th Ave one. I'd be there every weekend- I used to go to the Chelsea flea market and will always remember the fun I had browsing the aisles for affordable treasures.
I thought the salvage fest was a great idea and seemed a success. The comment about it being a 'white' affair is way off the mark from what I observed, too. Whatever- troll away, troll.
Posted by: guest at September 9, 2007 12:15 PM
This morning I saw a post remarking that the crowd at the salvage fest was oddly 'white', and now I notice that that post has been deleted. Did anyone else see it? This is getting really creepy. I'm not normally one to believe in conspiracies, but I know that post was there. I saw it with my own eyes, and now it's gone.
Posted by: guest at September 9, 2007 1:42 PM
Mr. B, would you be willing to get a weekly thing going? I am sure many would be willing to help ( i hear all the meee's:) Brooklyn can do this with so much more style.
Posted by: guest at September 9, 2007 2:57 PM
Guest at 1:42, I also saw the post you're referring to. In fact, I seem to recall seeing two such posts, neither of which is present now.
I have the feeling that someone has "hacked" the site and is deleting posts. Very strange.
Posted by: guest at September 9, 2007 3:30 PM
1;42/3:30:
Still there (@ September 8, 2007 4:47 PM).
Perhaps this website isn't working properly wsith your browser.
Posted by: Bob Marvin at September 9, 2007 5:04 PM
Well I made a post earlier that is now missing. I was simply bemoaning the fact that race seems to be an issue at every Brownstoner-related function. People of color are obviously made to feel unwelcome at these things and I find find that not only unconscionable but sad. For crying out loud, it's 2007!
Posted by: guest at September 9, 2007 6:23 PM
FWIW I didn't see your post-- just the 4:47 one--but I thought the September 9, 2007 8:28 AM post, by a black Salvage Fest vendor, was a pretty definitive response to this issue. YRMV.
Posted by: Bob Marvin at September 9, 2007 6:48 PM
You have to hand it to the race-baiter, above-- he does a great job of trying to get people inflamed. It must be entertaining in the same way as scrawling grafitti in toilet stalls. Knock yourself out, mini-troll. The crowd at Salvage Fest was as diverse as the hood itself. Anybody who felt uncomfortable was probably wearing tight underwear or crappy shoes.
As for it being "creepy" that a webmaster might delete a post (whether it happened or not, dunno): You are retarded. Every webmaster deletes posts they find objectionable. You don't like it, start your own blog. Jesus, why am I bothering to answer you?
Posted by: Rehab at September 9, 2007 7:17 PM
If you are a serious writer, 6:23, and not just a troll trying to cause contention, I don't understand where you are coming from. I'm the black vendor from 8:28. I don't need anyone to go out of their way to make me feel welcome, I'm as entitled to be wherever I am as anyone else, and I go through life confident in my self worth. If anyone doesn't like the fact that I'm black, that's their problem, not mine.
Eddie's Salvage is a staple of the CH community. I would bet every single renovating homeowner in Clinton Hill has bought from him, black, white and purple. I don't think he feels he needs to be welcomed, either - he just is. If anyone has a problem, it is you. If you are not comfortable in your skin, you need to deal with that. What on earth is Brownstoner, or anyone else for that matter, supposed to do to welcome you, anyway? I think you need to welcome yourself, and enjoy what you are doing, and stop counting people like they are the raisins in your cream of wheat.
BTW - Bob, did you buy that painted mirror that Silver Fox had? It was gorgeous.
Posted by: guest at September 9, 2007 7:19 PM
Guest 7;19,
Yes, that's the mirror--it certainly IS gorgeous--my wife and I love it! (Although hanging such a heavy mirror is more of a job than I expected--the largest (100lb) OOK picture hooks I had aren't up to it--I just bought some heavy toggle bolts that should work).
On another note, I fear that we've both been wasting our time witb a poster who is anything BUT serious. He has, however, been able to convince both black and white posters that he's race-baiting, so I think he's failed (this time, at least) in creating the contention he craves.
Posted by: Bob Marvin at September 9, 2007 7:43 PM
I for one agree with the earlier poster, and no I do not believe s/he is a "troll".
This site has been steadily deteriorating for at least the past year. It really stinks, IMHO, and while I wish we could migrate to a more controlled, secure model on this website, I really think we've hit a new "low" when someone who complains about some of the many racist undercurrents of this site or of our society at large gets immediately berated and branded a troll. Maybe it's the effect of 8 years of Shrub in the White House. I don't know, but some of the things happening on this site now are truly shameful.
That's my opinion. Flame away. I don't care.
Posted by: guest at September 9, 2007 8:46 PM
This guy's full of shit. I'm black and went with two of my friends and we felt very welcome. I even had a nice chat with Mr.B. I hope you do it again next year.
Posted by: guest at September 9, 2007 8:53 PM
8:45,
While I'm willing to blame ALMOST anything on the present incumbant of the White House, i agree with 8:53.
Posted by: Bob Marvin at September 9, 2007 8:59 PM
8:46 that is bullcrap. These cries of discrimination are ridiculous. There were plenty of blacks at the salvage fest. If you felt discriminated against then maybe next year you should keep your black ass in the projects.
Posted by: White and Proud in PLG at September 9, 2007 11:42 PM
Thanks, White and Proud. We'll be happy to oblige, if you'll keep yours in the trailer park.
Sometimes there is such a thing as too much free speech.
Posted by: guest at September 9, 2007 11:59 PM
My guess is that 11:42 and 11;59 are the same thing, talking to itself.
Posted by: Bob Marvin at September 10, 2007 12:21 AM
CAN WE GET OFF OF THE NEGATIVE MESS AND FOCUS. WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO SEE THIS DONE MONTHLY OF BI WEEKLY? CAN WE GWT TOGETHER AND DO IT? i DON'T CARE IF YOU ARE POKKA DOT AND PINK(WHICH IS A COLOR I'M FOND OF). cAN WE START TO ACT LIKE THIS IS 2007 NYC AND STOP BEHAVING LIKE.....WE SHOULD BE ASHAMED!!!
Posted by: guest at September 10, 2007 8:22 AM
I'd wager that 8:22, Bob Marvin, Rehab, White and Proud in PLG, 11:59 and 8:53 are all the same person.
Posted by: guest at September 10, 2007 8:26 AM
Hi. I had a great time on Saturday and would like very much to see this done more often. Of course, I have a vested interest, because all of you who came helped raise $1000 for the PS11 PTA (I'm head of fundraising, and was the sun-burnt woman with brown hair who was behind the popcorn machine most of the time).
I've been dealing with some pretty sensitive race issues in Clinton Hill and at PS11 for a while now, and I firmly believe that the best way to go forward is to do just that, go forward. If you look for racism everywhere, you will see it everywhere.
SalvageFest was advertised on this site, on the FGKids list (very diverse population on that list), through the Society for Clinton Hill, and probably many more places that I'm not aware of. I was positioned within view of the gate all day, and I was really happy to see the people coming in, who were of many races and many of whom were discovering Clinton Hill for the first time.
This was a huge boost for PS11, so I'd like to give a huge shout of thanks to Jon and to everyone who came to the event. It was a great day, and just one example of why I love living in Clinton Hill.
Amy
Posted by: Anonymous at September 10, 2007 9:31 AM
"This morning I saw a post remarking that the crowd at the salvage fest was oddly 'white', and now I notice that that post has been deleted. Did anyone else see it? This is getting really creepy. I'm not normally one to believe in conspiracies, but I know that post was there. I saw it with my own eyes, and now it's gone."
There are several posts missing. What's up?
Posted by: guest at September 10, 2007 9:34 AM
Guest 8:22,
Yes, I'd love to see this as a regular event!
Posted by: Bob Marvin at September 10, 2007 10:36 AM
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