Brooklyn Flea Launching Giant Food Market
When we were launching the Brooklyn Flea back in early 2008, we (Messrs. Demby and Butler) struggled with whether or not to have food at the market. Believe it or not, it was not an obvious decision at the time. Three years later, however, it’s clear that the presence of food, coinciding as it has…

When we were launching the Brooklyn Flea back in early 2008, we (Messrs. Demby and Butler) struggled with whether or not to have food at the market. Believe it or not, it was not an obvious decision at the time. Three years later, however, it’s clear that the presence of food, coinciding as it has with the explosion of the local artisanal food movement here in Brooklyn, has played a big role in the Flea’s success. As the food component of the Flea has continued to get more popular, we have been facing one of those rich-man’s problems: Too many exciting new food applicants, not enough food spots. Literally, every week we get a handful of applications from chefs at top-shelf restaurants just itching to spread their wings by developing and selling their own specialty items. (In the last week alone, we’ve sampled mozzarella from a Jean Georges refugee and mustard from a former Tom Colicchio staffer.) We’ve also got another of those good problems—what to do with the new Williamsburg location on Saturdays. This time, however, the answer is a no-brainer: Create the city’s largest outdoor food market! Called Smorgasburg (lest any of us start taking this foodie thing too seriously!), the market will feature more than 100 vendors (“packaged, cooked, raw, Mason Jar’d, and more,” as the Flea blog put it this morning). We’re also pleased to report that the Saturday market, which will kick off on May 21st at the Edge site, will be anchored by up to 20 GrowNYC Greenmarket vendors, including Brooklyn Grange, Consider Bardwell and Hudson Valley Duck Farm. For more details check out the Flea blog and to apply to be a vendor check out Smorgasburg.com. You can also follow the Smorgasburg Facebook page and Smorgasburg Twitter account to stay up on the play-by-play.
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That’s like walking into someone else’s house, going into the refrigerator and complaining about the food.
oh man, i’ve totally been guilty of that! (but i do get your other points!)
*rob*
“and i think benson was just poking fun too.. cuz you know, it’s kinda sorta true. it’s like move over low end food truck workers, the elite has moved into town! it’s blatant and i assume benson is just more privy to noticing those kinds of things than a lot of people who just moved here last week.”
Sorry rob, but bullcrap. Not on what you’ve said, per se, but regarding who you were talking about. He’s jealous, pure and simple. He’ll try to justify it, by bringing in the thread about the broker with the hand written sign, as proof that Jon is some kind of elitist snob, but that has absolutely nothing to do with being able to wish someone well for success in their business, elitist snob, or not. Someone is supposed to fail in business, and is some kind of horrible person, because you don’t agree with comments or threads they make on THEIR own blog? That’s like walking into someone else’s house, going into the refrigerator and complaining about the food.
As to the whole food court thing, what is wrong with selling to your market? Again, certain people on this blog rant endlessly about how Americans, and New Yorkers in particular, have lost their competitive and creative edge. Yet when a couple of New Yorkers; like them or hate them, agree with them or not, come up with a highly successful idea, he’s going to sit there like a frog on a cow pie and complain?
He’s not joking, and I don’t appreciate the “brown nosing columnist” remark. I brown nose no one, never have, and never will.
“i dont do it out of hate, just a big wtf. if someone bought me a 10 dollar gourmet cookie i’d surely eat it in 2 seconds with a giant shit eating grin on my face. :0 .,.,., <– crumbs”
you should come over one of these days. we’ll make ghetto sloppy joes and walk over to the flea and eat them on paper plates. i’m sure all the beardos will be like “oooh that looks good where did u buy that!!” in their nasaly midwestern accent 😉
they are not remotely in competition
i totally agree with you there.. im not arguing that point. the beardos can’t afford a 200,000 food vendor city license anyway. well maybe their parents can? clearly they can afford these fancy trucks, right? again like i said, these people are extremely easy to poke fun at… i dont do it out of hate, just a big wtf. if someone bought me a 10 dollar gourmet cookie i’d surely eat it in 2 seconds with a giant shit eating grin on my face. :0 .,.,., <– crumbs
*rob*
I see benson is just happy to be alive today. He’s always looking for the upside!
OY.
I thought the Red Hook ballfields were the cheaper version?
“it’s like move over low end food truck workers”
I’m sure your typical dirty water hotdog or halal guy in manhattan could give two shits about food at the flea.
they are not remotely in competition
and i think benson was just poking fun too.. cuz you know, it’s kinda sorta true. it’s like move over low end food truck workers, the elite has moved into town! it’s blatant and i assume benson is just more privy to noticing those kinds of things than a lot of people who just moved here last week.
*rob*
“Brown-nosing columnist, table for one!”Wow benson- ou are bitter. Make that a table for two- as bitter as you are, you’ll need the extra chair.