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April 7, 2008

Brooklyn Flea: Time Lapse

Thanks to all the vendors and visitors who came out to the inaugural Brooklyn Flea yesterday. By some miracle, it didn't rain and the day went off without a hitch. While some of them were double-counts to be sure, the security guard at the door clicked off 20,000 entries into the market throughout the day. Insane. We'll have more candids up later in the day. If you took photos, please put them up on Flickr and tag with "brooklynflea"; if you a post a big Flickr set, please email us with a link. We also want to hear your feedback about vendor mix and other suggestions. Obviously we need more food; unfortunately dealing with the Department of Health isn't exactly a simple and transparent process, but we're working on it. Personally, we want to see more furniture and classic category-killers like antique silver and old watches; maybe a little less new jewelry and arts-and-crafty stuff. This first month will be a gradually tweaking and culling process, so please throw in your two cents.

7:00 a.m.

8:15 a.m.

8:35 a.m.

9:35 a.m.

10:15 a.m.

11:00 a.m.

12:00 p.m.

13:15 p.m.

3:00 p.m.

4:30 p.m.

5 p.m.

5:15 p.m.

5:40 p.m.

6:20 p.m.

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Comments

Congrats on your successful first day!! We didn't make it over until after 5, but we will check it out next week!

Posted by: bedstuyhoya at April 7, 2008 9:04 AM

I really wanted to love the flea market as I have been a long time fan of the ones in Chelsea, but I have to say that the Brownstoner flea market is a veru big diappointment. This "flea market" has WAY more to do with the "new" NYC than any of the spirit of the older flea markets that it wishes to mimic. Hipster lifestyle accoutrement do not make a flea market. Yesterday was a sea of goofy t-shirts, tote bags and other "crafts" with very little furniture, not to mention anything truly unique or interesting. I found it very telling that the longest line was for the waffle folks.

Lets call this market what it is: another shopping destination for the young, white, monied, vanilla, unique-but-really all the same crowd.

It's a real shame as it could have been a real flea market.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 9:08 AM

I thought the flea market was off to a good start, here's hoping it will improve with MORE: furniture, collectables, vintage stuff (ie: what you look for at a flea market), LESS: jewelry, silkscreened t-shirts.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 9:17 AM

Congrats on even pulling that off! As someone who organizes events for a living, you should be congratulated purely for the execution. I agree that it should skew more towards the old-school flea market selection, but it sounds like you already know that. Cheers!

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 9:23 AM

I actually liked the fact that it wasn't just all old things from grandma's attic. In my opinion, you can have some new design-y stuff, there were just a few dogs in that category that you need to cut loose. Overall, an incredible addition to BK!
PT in PS

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 9:26 AM

congratulations!

what a great start! we had a blast.

but yeah, if you're taking suggestions: more furniture, antiques, flea market stuff. less ironic $20 silk-screened onesies.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 9:26 AM

I scored some old school Nike Air Force Ones that I've been looking for for a while. Thanks - definately be out through the spring and summer.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 9:29 AM

First, not a comment on the contents of the Flea Market, per se, but a pat on the back to Clinton Hill and great architecture. Look at those pictures - what a beautiful backdrop for a Flea Market. Two great buildings, interestingly, both of a religious or esoteric vein. The pictures could be from Paris, but this is beautiful Brooklyn!

I think the market will sort itself out, the huge amount of people there will guarantee that. Many of the vendors I spoke to were using yesterday as a trial run to see what people were interested in, and what was totally ignored, and will adjust their wares accordingly. If what they have doesn't work, they won't continue to do it. This is, after all, a moneymaking opportunity. No one is going to get up at dawn to sit all day and not sell anything, especially in inclement weather.

Even with the weather, which was like late November, there were thousands of people. I think the Flea will be very successful, and will ultimately have a mix of the kinds of goods that appeal to a wide range of people.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at April 7, 2008 9:34 AM

It was fun. I agree with others that more food and more old junk would be appreciated. But I think there is also a place for crafty stuff--they are local people trying to make it as a small business. ( I don't have kids so I'm not in the market for onesies!)

Posted by: Carol Gardens at April 7, 2008 9:35 AM

you need vendors that take up every iinch of their space instead of only having 20 things to sell...

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 9:38 AM

We enjoyed ourselves at the flea market as well, but I have to agree with most of the commenters: less onesies and ironic t-shirts, and more food, furniture and truly vintage clothing.

Off to the UK for two weeks, but looking forward to seeing the progress upon my return.

One item of note: we have a vintage 1930's electrified milk glass and gold cross (which lights up nicely) that we want to sell. Does anyone have an idea of how we can sell it? I don't think we need a stall for just one item, but if you have any suggestions or interest please let me know! gwbrubaker@earthlink.net

Posted by: gwbrubaker at April 7, 2008 9:39 AM

Seemed like there was an over abundance of onesies. I would have appreciated more furniture both old and reclaimed. With too much new stuff, it seemed like a trade show instead of a flea market.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 9:43 AM

Thanks for turning my neighborhood into an absolute circus. I had to wait in like for 20 minutes to get an effing bagel at bagel world. For someone who cries about things that are out of scale for neighborhoods on a daily basis - I personally think your 20,000 person flea market is out of scale with the quiet area of Fort Greene you've set up shop in.

I guess if you're not in the market for a silk screened onesie, you'll have to learn to "flea" the neighborhood on Sundays.

- Annoyed FG Resident

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 9:50 AM

_sarcasm_

I have to agree with the naysayers, If you can't please everyone all of the time, Why do you even try?
_/sarcasm_

good effort. I'm sure in the coming weeks people will wise up.

Posted by: funstraw at April 7, 2008 9:50 AM

It was great fun, I was there for a couple of hours looking at all the stuff. I agree with everyone else--fewer onesies, please. I like the mix of new & old, so more old would be better but some of the new craftsy stuff is nice to have. Especially those who re-fashion old items into something new--very impressed with the woman who recovers old chairs with modern fabrics.

yes, you need more food--perhaps on the outside of the schoolyard--but you also need more COFFEE (it was freezing yesterday)--how about letting the coffee bean sellers also sell by the cup?

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 9:59 AM

Furnuture furniture furniture! That was the best part about the Chelsea flea markets... people would show up at 5AM just for the opportunity to buy the choicest vintage Danish items before they even got off the truck. If you're able to attract more used furniture vendors, this flea market has the potential to one of those "only in New York" destinations. Best of luck toy you!

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 10:00 AM

I loved that the market turned my neighborhood into a circus! It was so great to see all the people enjoying the neighborhood and supporting local businesses. The sidewalks of DeKalb were lively all day!

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 10:05 AM

I thought for a first go it was pretty great. I agree with lots of the above re: vendors, I personally was disappointed that there was no big lot of used books to pick through. But as others have said, I think those things will sort themselves out.

I'm not sure I agree with the people calling for a strictly "old-school" flea market - part of the appeal of this Flea was that I thought that since it was Web-driven, and theoretically reaching an expanded audience, it would have more of a Flea 2.0 feel. Which I think it sort of did, but if 2.0 means jewelry and kid clothes out the wazoo, then yes, a better balance needs to be struck.

I'd also disagree with the comment above about this being a "white monied" event. Yes there were plenty of pale faces in North Face jackets, but I actually thought the crowd when I was there (1-2pm) was everything good about Brooklyn: every color of the rainbow, young, old, hipster, regular folk, etc. I have to admit that I have been down on Brooklyn lately, but seeing all stripes of people together yesterday made me feel better.

Thanks, Brownstoner! Looking forward to more Sundays...

Posted by: bhguy at April 7, 2008 10:16 AM

A suggestion
I am an old junk collector from back in the pre Ebay day .
Do to Ebay ,Flea markets are not going to be what they once were . I did go on sunday and had a wonderful time enjoying the day and people . I even found a treasure . I will go again because it is a great way to spend a Sunday morning,and I always have the faint vision of finding my own Holy Grail.
I suggest that the management set up a consignment booth . A place where folks that want to deaccession items can drop them off , pay a slight commission upon the sale . This will insure a constant flow of "good stuff " allow folks to get rid of stuff that are not Ebay savvy . I can assure you it will be a very closely monitored booth .
Thanks for all your work ,
Give it time it will grow .
Steve of Gowanus

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 10:17 AM

seemed cool but I could only do a quick buzz through while the wife held our dog outside.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 10:19 AM

I'm going to be the defensive vendor here. I'm speaking for myself as an independent business person, and I signed up to make money, pure and simple. Here's what I invested for the day.

Booth: $100, tables: $20, Zipcar rental: $134. I need to make $254 to break even. That doesn't include my $200 tent I bought, or the money I invested in the merchandise I sold, or the time that went into cleaning up, fixing and/or creating what I sold.

I did not have silk screened onsies, but those people invested as much or more for their goods, too. Maybe there were too many of them, but there were also a gazillion parents and kids there, and it's good strategy to create product to meet an eager market.

I found that people were basically looking. I didn't see that many people buying anything from the people around me. I had plenty of people in my booth, and got lots of complements, but I did not break even. I learned from that and will make changes, because I'm going to continue to do the flea.

I absolutely agree with the tshirt designer who posted yesterday. If you are buying something that someone made, the cost has to reflect the talent, materials and labor that go into it. Why should anyone give it away? The same goes for higher priced traditional things like furniture, or any other vintage item. Someone spent time searching for items, buying them at higher prices than 20 years ago, and had to transport them at a higher cost. If they cleaned or restored them, that's more money too. This is all hard work to try and provide goods that people want.

Ironically, the popularity and publicity of finding great deals, or Old Masters at flea markets helped kill them. It's harder to find good stuff to resell at a good price. Ultimately, you as customers decide if that onsie or that antique is worth it.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 10:20 AM

I have to admit - as a resident of the neighborhood, I have mixed feelings about this invading our otherwise quiet weekend. Our street got about 1,000x more foot traffic than it normally does, and while people were more or less subdued, how long before they start throwing trash around? -VERY nervous in FG
p.s. brownstoner, couldn't you find a nice lot on YOUR block to throw down the flea market?

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 10:23 AM

As a local resident, I have been truly excited for the Flea and can't even imagine the planning and logistics required to set up an event at this scale, so excellent work on that! I would agree with many of the other posters, though--less hipster tote-baggy things, please (though I do not deny they are crafted with time and care), and more unique items that appeal to more than just the leggings-and-ironic-boots set. Also, a place for people to put their strollers would be great since I was constantly getting whacked by them! But all in all, great job and I truly look forward to watching the Flea's evolution.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 10:26 AM

Thanks, Brownstoner! Looking forward to more Sundays...

Posted by: bhguy at April 7, 2008 10:28 AM

First, congrats on the event! It's a great addition to the neighborhood, and it was great to see so many people out. My two cents: I think it may be ambitious to do every weekend -- maybe once a month so as to not risk vendor/visitor burnout? But if the interest is there, why not! I agree with other posters that there were too many t-shirts, etc. I would like to see more quantity of old stuff, salvage, furniture, etc. crazy stuff that you don't find so easily and better prices. Sometimes vendors put "city prices" on their wares thinking that city people have lots of money. But a lot of people go to flea markets because they are cheap. E.g. one vendor had vintage dresses for $120. I walked away and went to the Housing Works booth, where I bought something for $5. The other thing that we bought was a salvage item that we saw in one of your vendor's inventory, which we asked him to bring. I think it was interesting to use the event as a "meeting place" for this transaction. In conclusion, props again for all your hard work! You will find the right balance.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 10:30 AM

I didn't see many googy tshirts actually.

Sadly all the cheap good furniture that used to be on Altantic Avenue has been chased out by, overpriced clothing stores.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 10:41 AM

Had a great time with my family. Thanks for making it happen. I think banning strollers is mean idea, strollers were always allowed in Chelsea.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 10:42 AM

As a person who was raised being taken to flea markets, I have been excited about this one for quite some time. I thought it was great. My primary interests are the furniture, clothing and vintage kitchenware. I found the first two a bit lacking (as you've said) and found a few really awesome kitchen things. There was one woman there who was a vintage kitchenware guru with her table of orange, turquoise and brown glasses, bowls, etc. Really great stuff!! And not too expensive. I also loved the light fixtures made from bamboo. Very nice.

When I travel to other countries, I try to seek out these kinds of things. There is an amazing Street Flea in the San Telmo neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It has more of an old world feel with street artists, musicians, etc. but the prices were certainly similar to those at Brooklyn Flea when accounting for the peso vs. dollar. Some people were commenting on things being overpriced, but this is really what flea markets are like these days. The days of 25 cent items are reserved for suburban yard sales.

I think music would be a terrific addition. Wouldn't have to be a live band, but if it isn't disturbing to neighbors, some music might be a great touch. Maybe I just wanted something to listen to, to take my mind off the cold and lack of coffee. We walked up from Park Slope, skipping coffee in the hope of getting some at the Flea, to be told it was sold out. So that kinda sucked and left us to probably bail a little earlier than we might have. No biggie, though.

Speaking of neighbors, I have to say...I'm glad I can go to the Brooklyn Flea whenever I want, but I would not want to live around there. Yesterday was a COLD day and the streets around there were a mob scene. I can only imagine what it will be like on a sunny, warm one. I did feel glad this wasn't around the corner from me. I like my Sunday mornings quiet.

With that being said, I thought this was a HUGE success. 20,000 is really something to be proud of. Congratulations Mr. B and everyone else who made this happen.

Was it just me, or did anyone else notice that the crowd at Brooklyn Flea was gorgeous? I was thinking to myself...wow...if someone from abroad came over and came to this event, they'd have an awfully terrific view of the people in NY. Lots and lots of beautiful people. It had good energy. Even with that wind.

Thanks for bringing this to Brooklyn!

Posted by: jerri blank at April 7, 2008 10:49 AM

I liked walking around but didn't buy a thing (which is rare for me). It seems like right now it's a combination of the Chelsea markets and the Renegade Craft Fair at McCarren pool...but not a good version of either.

Sad to say, but I think the decline of the Chelsea flea markets was as much a result of ebay as the sites being made into overpriced condos. It's just not as worth it for dealers to drag stuff in.

What I loved about the Renegade Craft fair was that it wasn't totally crafty. There were some of Brooklyn's best small biz folk represented there like Lotta Jansdotter and Perch Design.

While you can never have too many journals and onesies, I'd love to see more of Brooklyn's best represented at the flea. Come on etsy...get your local artists to represent.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 10:59 AM

The renegade craft fair = ironic crap silk-screen fest. Please do not emulate it.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 11:12 AM

thanks brownstoner for making it impossible to eat brunch on sunday in fort greene/clinton hill for the rest of the summer. what a waste of space the flea is. basically all the street fair crap minus the drinks and any ethnic flair. it was such a yuppie stroller fest i felt like i was in park slope.

you really screwed the pooch on this one. i may have to move.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 11:12 AM

While I saw very little I actually wanted, I enjoyed the event itself. FG/CH are generally boring and provincial little hamlets with almost nothing to do. I spend all week in an isolating job; come the weekend I want to be out and about and in the mix. I thought it was great to see the streets crowded; it reminded me that I was in an actual city.

As far as the offerings themselves I agree with the earliest posters- less 'crafts fair' more furniture, books, jewelery...say, what happened to the watch vendor, anyhow?

Overall, I'd say good show. And for someone to attempt to bring race and class into the discussion - please. Grow up already.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 11:14 AM

Thank you for doing this. It was really great seeing the neighborhood come alive. Ignore the critics. This was no small feat. I picked up 3 library chairs and 2 large jasper morrison FLOS glow balls. I would love to see more mid-century modern stuff and antiques!

Posted by: oldbaby at April 7, 2008 11:17 AM

i had a great time as a vendor! despite the cold being pretty brutal... and i was very happy with how much i sold. although i make & sell new items, i agree that there should be a bit more old, less new stuff. but tote bags is one of the things that i sell-- and i sold out! so many people do like to buy them.

one other suggestion (and this was said already), some of the best fleas in California have sections where people can sell their stuff for one weekend, basically have stoop sales at the flea. i would love to do this with a lot of the vintage clothing that i've been meaning to sell on ebay. it would be great if you could regulate this somehow, so it's not just junk like plastic kids toys though...

Posted by: lc at April 7, 2008 11:18 AM

Had fun. Was cold. Needs less t-shirts and $80 polyester dresses from the 80's and more $4 dollar kitsch for home and kitchen. Some of the furniture was outrageously priced for a flea market (1500 for a side table... come on now.) Needs more food and flea market-priced clothing and accessories. Loved the fabrics and 3 dollar lampshades. Housing Works rocked. Will come check it out again in a few weeks.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 11:19 AM

ps: to continue on my thought above-- i think that would increase the chance of people being able to find stuff for cheap and hunt for treasures...

Posted by: lc at April 7, 2008 11:22 AM

Posted by: oldbaby at April 7, 2008 11:26 AM

I'm only bringing it up to highlight how ridiculous 11:12 is. Which I shouldn't because he/she is clearly a troll, but I overheard some woman yesterday at the Flea shout...

"Jesus Christ...Did EVERYONE from Park Slope come to the Flea today"

I don't get it. When will this Park Slope stuff stop?

This Flea has NOTHING to do with Park Slope, other than it is another neighborhood near to Ft. Greene. I find it absolutely ridiculous. As I'm sure 95% of people on this blog do as well, but I just couldn't believe she said that.

Actually I could believe it, but it still shocked me.

Posted by: jerri blank at April 7, 2008 11:27 AM

Sorry about my double post. My computer posts easier if I register, so I did.

Just a note to Jon and Eric. You guys did a great job organizing and staffing the Flea. I appreciating your coming around to chat, the security people, who were all very nice, and the overall convivial atmosphere of vendors towards each other. I believe you will be very successful in this.

Posted by: Venn Dorr at April 7, 2008 11:36 AM

I chickened out and didn't go because it was so cold. Frustrating, too, because I was in urgent need of a stack of ironic onesies.

OMG, literati of Brooklyn: there you have it, the title for the ultimate book about yuppie one-child families. My gift.

Posted by: Brenda from Flatbush at April 7, 2008 11:46 AM

we only had time to walk swiftly through the flea once but as a vendor of a new line of kid's stuff we did extremely well. we're artists looking for a better day job and this was alot more fun than our corporate work - our point also was to be able to sell originally designed clothes at half the boutique cost and the market lets us do so. i don't really understand all the knee-jerk hate reactions to babies and families, most of these parents are as much new yorkers as anybody single and without kids.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 11:58 AM

Did you all know that this Flea Market was sponsored by http://www.diehipster.com ?

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 12:03 PM

fleamarket without fleas

get rid of all the arty farty stuff, no silk screen shirts and baby cloth.
if you want croissants and coffee just walk a block and support the neighbourhood shops.

i love the idea of the fleamarket but make it a fleamarket with vintage stuff, furniture,... like the old one in chelsea, that's what everybody is looking for.

if you want silk screen shirts go to williamsburg if you want baby stuff go to park slope

anyway, great start!!!! make it happen ;)

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 12:48 PM

I agree...food is not a necessity at all.

And yeah, that seemed alot more like the Craft Fair in wburg or that Arts and Fleas market also in wburg.

If you get an actual flea market going out of this, that would be great.

Another thing I noticed...the demographic was nothing like the one you still see at the remaining Chelsea Markets. When I go to the Garage market I see people of all ages, older more eccentric vendors, a real hodge podge of people. The Brownstoner market on the other hand was wall to wall skinny jean types which is incredibly dull.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 1:03 PM

I don't want to say I was disappointed, but this event should not have been titled a "flea market". Something about having neighborhood stores selling brand new baby clothes is a huge turn off. If this is a way of selling Brooklyn to Manhattan, then you have been successful, but it is lacking a huge amount of "bargains" and "finds" that are usually associated with flea markets. Also, one note on Fort Greene togetherness- if you lived there, you would know that the "flea market" was not needed for that. I think to be accurate, you should re-name it "Brooklyn Street Fair" or "Screen Printing Fair". Also, I hope that this street fair does not stop the Bishop Laughlin sidewalk sales- those are really worth checking out this summer. Great food, fun treasures hunting. Wish it were worth the one block walk.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 1:06 PM

i was the one vending the vintage nike sneakers. you want vintage? you got vintage.

bargains? i was shouting to everyone everything is negotiable within reason. did any buyers try bargaining? that's what the flea market is about.

i didn't turn anyone down. a nice woman and her daughter from buenos aires wanted a pair for her boyfriend. i hooked her up - list was $60, i sold it for $40, while speaking in spanish. a repeat customer came back a few hours after buying one pair, i sold him another pair for a discount.

thanks to eric and brownstoner for hooking us up with the primo spot in the center. we made over $900 and that was ONLY selling size 9 and 9.5s!!!

we'll be back may 11 - with size 11 and 11.5's for those with bigger feet.

i'll be back as a browser/buyer next weekend!

i saw a bunch of yellow cabs bringing in our friends from manhattan also.

Posted by: ltjbukem73 at April 7, 2008 1:14 PM

why do we need choice market on the flea market. the shop is 3 blocks away. that's a waste of space. nothing against choice, best shop in the hood, but serious, just walk a block and get your coffee there

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 1:23 PM

Do people REALLY need to be so outraged?

Please get a life.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 1:39 PM

it was not that cold yesterday what a bunch of wimps you are

i worked for my family at the fetes de noel in bryant park in nov and dec that is cold

sounds like a yuppie douchebag fest

onesies for everyone

lame lame lame after all it is brooklyn

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 1:43 PM

Congratulations, Brownstoner. It was really impressive. I did a quick run through there and was surprised. Someone mentioned ebay but there is nothing like the fun of poking through things, though I didn't have much time yesterday. I'll check it out again. Somebody else mentioned trash. I live around the corner and I spent a lot of time yesterday picking up trash. I guess it can't be helped, with all the people but it would be great if the foot traffic would generate the need for some retail on Fulton.
Any retail.

Posted by: donatella at April 7, 2008 1:56 PM

My wife and I wanted to go but we saw it announced here that it had been postponed. What was that about?

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 2:12 PM

Food and coffee is a nice touch. Why don't the local coffee shops set up tables and rake it in. Oh wait, there aren't really many local coffee shops.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 2:13 PM

I also thought it was canceled. Join the club 2:13.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 2:19 PM

If anyone thought Brooklyn Flea was cancelled because of a post in the comments section of Brownstoner, I hate to say it...but you don't have all your marbles...

Posted by: jerri blank at April 7, 2008 2:31 PM

If it was mentioned in the comments that it was cancelled, and not in the topic section,followed by many people confirming it was still on, why would you believe it? Anyways, you missed out on a great bridge for sale .

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 2:33 PM

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 2:43 PM

more antique furntiture and jewelry.
more antique furniture and jewelry and antique whatever.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 3:04 PM

To poster ltjbukem73:

were these sneakers a personal collection or something? and will your boy with the clothing rack right next to you be there next week? i bought something off that rack, i hope he's back

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 3:04 PM

to be truly interesting, the market needs more FURNITURE seller - old and reclaimed. i liked the mix of old junk sellers and new Brooklyn businesses. it makes an interesting mix. i suggest that you get more tables/stands. it felt a bit empty for such a large lot. at the flea and craft markets in europe it's one table next to the other, that way you really have a lot of stuff to look at.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 3:22 PM

I agree...3:22. Putting the tables next to one another and crowding them in will actually make the Flea Market feel LESS crowded.

It means more booths and fewer people in each booth.

I thought there could have been at least another 50 vendors packed in there. Maybe some bailed because of the cold. That's what I figured.

Posted by: jerri blank at April 7, 2008 3:34 PM

One of the more unique vendors I appreciated was Katie, the woman with the bikes. I don't know how she fared, but I left the flea and returned with my bike to get my brakes tightened. Tune-ups on the spot, spare parts, and whole bikes if you wanted them. Reasonable prices too.

The flea overall was a good mix of boutique and thrift store. Both I could go to any day, but keep an equal balance and you'll keep me heading back.

PS my bodega 6 blocks a way was packed as it would be any nice day, flea or not, so there ya go.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 3:53 PM

1. I agree with all the comments regarding the mix of vendors. This is not supposed to be a craft fair, and also I would not call silk-screening a craft. Also, many of the 'crafters' were actually just re-sellers, not the original person who made the item.

2. The layout of the flea needs work. It should be aisles, not 'areas', which made browsing difficult. You can better control traffic that way too.

3. I say NO FOOD at all! You want food, walk up the street. The waffle vendor area spilled out into a whole corner of the Flea.

4. There should be a $200 max price for all items. The guy in the back right corner selling 1950's style POS side tables for $800 needs to be run out of Brooklyn on a rail.

5. I also agree with 11:18 that there should be an area for locals to have one booths. You will get some very interesting stuff that way. Having walked stoop sales across downtown brooklyn since 1995, I can say that the FG/CH stoops generally have more broken junk, but also better occasional gems.

6. Anti-baby types need to STFU and GTFO before I run over their $200 sneakers with my dirty, extra wide stroller wheels.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 4:04 PM

Living in the neighborhood for twenty plus years I salute you for bring so much life to the community. Don't mind those that have complained too bad for them. Good for business good for the nabe.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 4:06 PM

>To poster ltjbukem73:

>were these sneakers a personal collection >or something? and will your boy with the >clothing rack right next to you be there >next week? i bought something off that >rack, i hope he's back

yes, they were a personal collection. that's why we only had 9 and 9.5's, but on may 11, we have 11, 11.5 and 12's. please step through, brother.

we will be back may 11, most likely. we don't have the time to do every week, though we had a friggin' blast...

buy local! and we're looking to bring more clothes, since ppl appreciated his gear.

Posted by: ltjbukem73 at April 7, 2008 4:19 PM

For crying out loud, the cancelation message, although it was posted in the comments section, was under the name of this site's administrator. No one is stupid for having believed it. Stop hatin.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 4:32 PM

"6. Anti-baby types need to STFU and GTFO before I run over their $200 sneakers with my dirty, extra wide stroller wheels."

You need to STFU before I turn your baby into a cock ornament.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 4:36 PM

4:36...Last I heard the new lingo is crotchfruit.

Not baby.

and 4:32...if you've ever been to this blog before, you'd know that brownstoner's "name" is brownstoner when he posts.

Why would the person who created the blog and posted the article about the Flea Market in the first place announce that the Flea was cancelled in a COMMENTS section, relegated to the lowest common denominator of human life?

You've seen these comments sections before, no??

I reaffirm what someone else said. You'd have to be a total idiot to not show because of a comment on an anonymous blog.

I hope your job isn't supervisor of one of those tornado response emergency systems.

"There's no tornado coming"
"Yes there is"
"No there isn't"

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 4:53 PM

4:36 you have serious psychological issues.

Seek professional help NOW before you give NYPD a reason to come knocking on your door.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 4:56 PM

4:56:

The NYPD don't typically get involved with people disgusted with the self-righteous, self-obsessed, neurotic and oftentimes homely parents of Brooklyn.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 5:09 PM

it wasn't cold yesterday. some of you people are such pussies who complain about everything. please get out of brooklyn.

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 5:59 PM

I agree with many of the comments above although my expectations were low based on the publicity and the New York Magazine article. Unfortunately it was really boring. This is a great opportunity but the 26th Street markets were never like this. The best one remaining is the indoor Garage, so if you take a walk over there some day you will see what there should be more of and you will enjoy a different experience. You can still get a bargain if you go often enough. There is no reason Brooklyn can't have a similar experience. Do you remember all the great stores on Coney Island Ave???

Posted by: guest at April 7, 2008 8:08 PM

Oh Jesus CHRIST! Enough with the unbearable inanity of the 5:09ers and 4:36ers. Stop with the baby and mom bashing already. It is truly absurd, particularly when we're speaking about a fucking flea market. Get yourself a therapist and cease with the endless, hate-filled and tired projections.

Nice job on the flea. And I think Steve of Gowanus (10:17) had an excellent suggestion regarding a consignment booth. Surprised no one has commented on it yet. Many people are clueless when it comes to selling anything on ebay and this could be a great option.

Posted by: Nokilissa at April 7, 2008 11:50 PM

I agree about doing conventional aisles. It makes it much easier to keep track of what you have seen. And also to catch up with your friends at the end of the aisle. I have visited hundreds of flea markets and most of them are set up that way...for good reason.

Posted by: guest at April 8, 2008 12:15 AM

The idea of consignment is a potential hassle of incredible magnitude. Who is responsible for breakage. What if they don't come back to pick up the item? Who collects and pays the sales tax (what a hassle). The most important thing: if you think vendor prices are high, wait until you see what people expect for their own stuff!!!

Posted by: guest at April 8, 2008 10:47 AM

Dear People

I Love Brooklyn.
A lot of people here on this page do not. If you do not like it and want to live in the past then I think that this is not the place for you to live happy. Brooklyn is the now and the future.

That said the market was great and it will only get better. Its a biz and will sort it self out by supply and demand just like any other kkind of shopping

Posted by: guest at April 8, 2008 11:25 AM

I was one of the handmade jewelry vendors (and a local Brooklyn small business) and I have to say, my booth was packed with really nice people asking if I'd be back all day long.
Guess I'm not sure, why people seem so outraged at small business trying to grow. Why not have a market that celebrates the handmade as well as the vintage?

I guess out of 20,000 people some are going to love it, some are going to post hate-filled remarks about it. Luckily, the people who packed my tent all day long seemed really happy and we made over $1500, with our prices averaging $25-$140 items.

Brooklyn Flea will allow us to stay in business a little longer so Kudos to Jonathan and Eric for a great day and many more to come.
Time lapse photos are awesome by the way.

If they take us back (we do sell jewelry), we'll be back on April 27th & May 4th just in time for Mother's Day shopping.

Posted by: guest at April 8, 2008 2:45 PM

Brooklyn Flea will allow us to stay in business a little longer so Kudos to Jonathan and Eric for a great day and many more to come.
Time lapse photos are awesome by the way.

If they take us back (we do sell jewelry), we'll be back on April 27th & May 4th just in time for Mother's Day shopping.

Posted by: guest at April 8, 2008 2:49 PM

I also was one of the local hand-made jewelry vendors and like the vendor in previous post, I made over $1000 (prices ranging between $20- $80). People were super friendly and complimentary.
Congratulations to the organizers. I have done several other markets but never one that was as well organized or pleasant to work as a vendor

Posted by: guest at April 8, 2008 10:58 PM

i think there's definetely need to be more furniture and old stuff.
otherwise it's more of a craft market, and not really a repeat visit.
and anyway, how many t-shirts with birds on can a brooklynite
own??? it was great though, and it could be fantastic!

Posted by: chiaromonte at April 9, 2008 8:52 AM

Posted by: chiaromonte at April 9, 2008 8:53 AM

Guys, New York is expensive. If you live here, you should know that and stop complaining. Rent a car and go hit up some tag sales in New England if you want some dusty old things. Even if the Brooklyn Flea was to provide us with a simulated "flea" market, it would still cost more than everyone is wishing, simply for the hassle of loading it into this town.

There is no need to hate on the local artists trying to make a living! I am one of them and did quite well last Sunday, thank you very much. I'm your neighbor and I make all my stuff right here. Wouldn't you feel better helping me out than someone trucking in fleas???

Posted by: guest at April 9, 2008 7:49 PM

I went to Brooklyn Flea and was a bit disappointed too at the quality of merchandise ... I am always looking for vintage furniture and love shopping outdoor markets so was excited when I heard about Brooklyn Flea. Anyway, it was good to go to the sale but I probably wont go back...Ive got my guy in Williamsburg that I trust for awesome vintage furniture (yes-he charges less than Manhattan prices and he also sells books). They've got an outdoor market in the springtime that probably opens soon but sells on craigslist and they keep me up to date when he gets new stock via email. Look them up on Yelp.com under "Airstream Outdoor Book Market". Hope this helps you guys find some good stuff!

Posted by: guest at April 9, 2008 11:18 PM

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April 7, 2008

Brooklyn Flea: Time Lapse

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