Closing Bell: Brooklyn Flea + Urban Arts Festival
It’s been a busy week behind the scenes at The Flea, what with last night’s community meeting and all. The meeting was conceived as a listening session for neighborhood concerns but word leaked out and a number of supporters showed up and it ended up feeling more like a referendum on the market. For a…
It’s been a busy week behind the scenes at The Flea, what with last night’s community meeting and all. The meeting was conceived as a listening session for neighborhood concerns but word leaked out and a number of supporters showed up and it ended up feeling more like a referendum on the market. For a couple of longer reports, you can check out Racked, Gawker or Reclaimed Home. Senator Velmanette Montgomery, Councilmember James and Borough Prez Marty Markowitz by proxy all stepped up to the plate on behalf of the Flea; the suggestions ranged from the incremental and addressable to the not-so-reasonable and deal-breaking. There’s a big NY Times story about it slated for this weekend, so keep your eyes out. The two themes we (and others) kept coming back to were community-building and the importance of nurturing small businesses. Along those lines, we hope that everyone who comes out to the Flea this weekend will also make it over to nearby Myrtle Avenue between Emerson and Grand where the first day of the Brooklyn Urban Arts Market will take place; the four other days are August 10, August 24, September 7 and September 21. The open-air market will feature live music, visual art performances, food from Myrtle restaurants, and about 50 local, primarily home-based artisans, vendors, and entrepreneurs selling fashion, art, accessories and more. The event runs from 12 to 7. First timers attending the flea may want to check out the Flea Blog first and get these essentials under their belt: Flea hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday; it’s located at 176 Lafayette Avenue in Brooklyn. Closest trains are the C and G to Washington/Clinton. Or you can take any of the number of trains that go to Atlantic Station and make the 10-minute stroll up Lafayette Avenue from there.
Update: The New York Times article, by a reporter who took the time to sit down with us and was smart enough not to get himself kicked out of the community meeting, is here; a Daily News article by a “reporter” who was stuck chewing his cud outside the meeting is here. The most amazing part of the News article is the cherry-picked quote from Councilmember James that gives the impression that she’s against the market when she has championed it from the beginning. Some quality journalism.
Bxgrl, I personally understand exactly where you are coming from, but it’s pretty simple: The animosity towards the Brooklyn Flea is based on passive-aggressive racism. Nothing more. Nothing less.
This so-called debate reminds me of the “outcry” against Korean delis in black communities in the 1980s. You know why the Koreans moved in and took over and did well? Because they did a good job and didn’t let racism—and self-hatred—get in the way of things. And what was their reward from people in the community they served? Being accused of being “carpet-baggers” by daring to run a business well as immigrants and who ran a business without resorting to the place becoming a drug-front.
What’s amazing is the outcry against Brooklyn Flea. Which is an event that happens for a few hours one day a week in a lot that would be empty otherwise.
boricua jack said this:
“…but face facts – you’re defenders of Whitestone Brooklyn if anything.”
and
“…into a Black community is the way to stop gentrification…”
You know, people like you should not be able to claim anything about anyone. I was born in Brooklyn (Brookdale Hospital) and was raised in Brooklyn (Brighton Beach) and it utterly amazes me to read your self hating crap. Whitestone Brooklyn? Really? Is that the best you can come up with? You have that much hatred of yourself?
Your attitude actually reminds me of people in Brighton Beach who complain STILL about the Russians “ruining” the neighborhood. It’s the same racism and hate and animosity that comes from one fact: You spend decades in a neighborhood and can’t clean it up or make things better, but then some outsider (White, Russian or Korean) comes in, does something good and what’s their reward? Passive-aggressive hate.
Look in my case of Brighton Beach, my parents dealt with a lot of Russian bullshit (Labor Camps, etc…) in World War II, but they never ONCE spouted ONE negative thing about the Russians coming in an cleaning up Brighton Beach. But you know who complained? Old school neighborhood racists who were 3rd generation from any immigrant experience who just hated them for no valid reason.
Also, why complain about a flea market “gentrifying” a neighborhood? Who is selling their homes to these “white invaders” you’re complaining about? Or you don’t want to face that fact. If racial purity of a neighborhood is so important to you, do what they do in Chinatown or Williamsburg/Borough Park: Just sell to “your own”.
You want to save things and preserve what you find important? Stop spending so much energy being a racist and actually do something. But when someone comes in an does something nice and creates a decent environment, don’t complain. Just go to a therapist and explore why you’re a masochist and embrace squalor and unsafe streets.
It is disingenuous and manipulative, however, to toss race and religion into this, because this isn’t about either. It’s about small mindedness, and self interest on the part of some of the parishioners, and jealousy and envy on the part of some of the naysayers on this blog. Jonathan and Eric created a very complex and involved business from nothing, with no prior experience. It is understandable, that in the course of four months and thousands of people, issues would come up. The church should have met with them immediately, when problems of people using their bathrooms, or chaining their bikes became apparent. It would behoove J&E to rectify the situation, not allow resentment to grow, but how can they be expected to be aware of what goes on off the site of the market, if no one says anything? Similarly, I’m sure they would have seen to it that church goers could get into the church. As for other detractors, I’d say a little envy goes a long way. It amazes me that whenever someone is successful in creating something, the line starts of people who are eager to criticize and tear down not just the enterprise, but the creator. Why shouldn’t Jon and Eric make money from this? It is a BUSINESS, that they have put their time, money and hearts into. And please stop the nonsense about race. This has nothing to do with race, whatsoever. It has to do with a man who saw an opportunity to combine his love for antique and flea markets with the community he lives in and loves. Does anyone think this was easy? So what, that he happens to be white, young, and a relative newcomer to the neighborhood? So many people other than himself, or his demographic, are benefiting from this.
I have no doubt that the legit and correctable concerns will be taken care of forthwith. I wish Jon and Eric much success, and hope the Flea Market is around for years to come.
What really kills me are the comments, from some of anti-Flea marketers at the meeting, to the ignoramuses posting after the Daily News article, to some of the comments here. 98% of them come from people who have NEVER been to the Flea Market.
I don’t care if you don’t like flea markets, antiques, outdoor food, or silk screened tee shirts. Let’s look at what the market has done for Fort Greene/Clinton Hill. It has put it on the map, first of all. Press on the Flea has been local, national, and probably international. This brings interest to the neighborhood, and it brings people, people who walk around and see the beauty of the community, people who spend money at the restaurants and shops. Perhaps people who like what they see, and decide to check out real estate, both buying and renting. How is this bad for the multi-racial, multi-national population of merchants, restaurant owners and landlords? As Ft Greene/Clinton Hill is one of the most integrated and diverse neighborhoods in the city, any benefit to the community is not just benefiting some white elite, but everyone, including the majority black population.
Secondly, if anyone would bother to actually ATTEND the Flea, before venturing opinions about how Jon and Eric are promoting a white elite agenda, you’d see quite the opposite. I’ve spent entire days there helping a friend vend, and I can unequivocally say that the market is as diverse as Brooklyn, in terms of vendors and customers. Some of the largest and most successful vendors at the market are minority group members. They are selling all kinds of goods, from food to furniture to soaps to silverplate. They are all from Brooklyn, too. None of them are stupid, either. If they felt exploited, they wouldn’t be there. The booth rates of the Flea are reasonable, and this provides an excellent opportunity for all local entrepreneurs, craftspeople, designers and vendors to show their talents and make some money. What is more community oriented that affording local people the chance to make a better living? The customers and attendees are as varied as the vendors, all ages, races, incomes and interests. It is insulting to all of us to intimate that we are all so enamored of shopping that we can’t tell when we are being manipulated, if that were indeed the case. In addition, the Flea hires local people, many of whom are black or Latino, to work security and setup/breakdown. It’s also in a perfect location, and funds generated go to benefit a primarily minority attended Catholic school, whom I don’t hear complaining.
And for some reason I don’t see the comments as anti-Semitic. They were incorrect and a little ignorant but not anti-Semitic (in my opinion). She’s not saying she hates Jews. Her argument doesn’t hold any weight given the fact freedom of religion (or a lack thereof) is one of the founding principals of this country, but she’s not demeaning the Jewish faith.
As for the sanctity of the “sabbath,” if we followed the logic of some of the posters here the City would be shut down Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Could we please drop the black vs white vs hispanic vs asian vs ? thing. People of all colors, languages, creeds, sexual orientations, etc. attend the Brooklyn Flea and thats part of what makes it so GREAT! Its one of the few neighborhood institutions where folks from all walks of like come together and mingle. Unlike the churches, temples, and mosques I must add.
Whatever comments the woman made about synagogues are irrelevant. We all agree the issue is definitely not having an event on the Christian sabbath. What are we going to stop selling alcohol on Sundays as well?
Debating those comments is a waste of time and takes away from the real issue at hand. Is the current location ideal for this event? I’m not against the flea market I just don’t think it should be located in a R6B residential community. Zoning laws are created for a reason. Whether it’s 20,000, 10,000 or 5,000 the flea market is a commercial enterprise that is not well suited to its current location. It doesn’t need to be shut down, it needs to be moved to a location where it can thrive. The event will continue to grow and will eventually need to move anyway. The space will not be large enough.
I thought that comment in the times was a little facetious, and doesn’t really represent what I think Jon is about. defending brownstone Brooklyn for him (Jon feel free to correct me here) is about the architectural beauty of it. He’s invested in his community and not about chasing anyone out of the neighborhood other than drug dealers and criminals. which is pretty much what any neighborhood wants, I think. Parishioners certainly don’t want a criminal element either- so in that respect, everyone’s interests dovetail nicely.
The flea always seemed to me to be another way to invest in the community in a way that offers benefits for all. If some people feel the need to make it into a race issue, I suggest you look at how many vendors and attendees are not white, but other races. Obviously they like the flea very much.
there’s no getting around the anti-semitism of Ms. walsh’s remark. whether or not it could happen on a Saturday next to a temple isn’t the issue. Her remarks play right into the old Protocols of the Elders of Zion garbage. If you don’t like people being biased against you, practice what you preach. remember the Blue Laws? Jewish businesses were forced to remain closed on Sundays because it was the Christian sabbath- yet Christian business had no problem being open on Saturdays- must be ok to desecrate the Jewish and Muslim Sabbaths I guess.
Of course there are issues when you bring a neighborhood event in. But the church is obviously about no event under any circumstances and the hell with who it hurts. And shutting down the flea will hurt both Minority and White vendors and local businesses. You don’t get more selfish, shortsighted or elitist than that.
From the NY Times article:
What adds a layer to this fairly familiar neighborhood tension between longtime, mostly black residents and wealthier, mostly white, newcomers is a sort of role reversal for Mr. Butler and the Flea’s fans. They fancy themselves protectors of so-called Brownstone Brooklyn, defending their adopted homelands of Fort Greene and Clinton, Cobble and Boerum Hills from rampant, insensitive gentrification. So it is disorienting, to say the least, to be cast as the local villains ruining a neighborhood.
Oh, so the wealthier, mostly white newcomers like Butler and the Flea folks represent what – rampant but sensitive gentrification? This made me laugh aloud. You can fancy yourself defenders of “Brownstone Brooklyn” all you want, but face facts – you’re defenders of Whitestone Brooklyn if anything. There’s nothing Brown about the Brooklyn that you’re so invested in. If you think that introducing a weekly influx of mostly white folks – even the “down,” “sensitive” types like yourselves – into a Black community is the way to stop gentrification, you’re deluding yourselves.
As for the article, frankly I wish it had focused more on the non-church-related issues. There we apparently other upset neighbors at the meeting; I’d like to know what they had to say.