Stylish Times at The Flea
We’re not having the best of the luck with the weather at The Flea, but luckily we’re more than making up for it with media coverage. (To be fair, it hasn’t actually rained yet, but it’s come pretty darn close both Sundays to date.) The Sunday Styles section of The Times devoted its cover yesterday…
We’re not having the best of the luck with the weather at The Flea, but luckily we’re more than making up for it with media coverage. (To be fair, it hasn’t actually rained yet, but it’s come pretty darn close both Sundays to date.) The Sunday Styles section of The Times devoted its cover yesterday to photographs of a number of vendors who were on hand for opening day. (The story was even on the NYT home page for a while.) Here’s an except from one of the slideshows narrated by Time scribe Guy Trebay:
The mix of the people you saw at the Brooklyn Flea was really the best part of it. It was very race-mixed, gender-mixed, age-mixed. It was very family, but in the larger sense of the New York family. It just had a very Brooklyn vibe in general.
Another big crowd turned out yesterday, along with a mix of vendors that included a number of new antiques and vintage sellers. Another bunch of vendors who used to be at the Chelsea flea market start next week. Hopefully they’ll bring some sunshine with them!
Scavengers on the Urban Savannah [NY Times]
Photos from DJ $mall Change‘s Flickr Set
What is a “post-Cinton Hill after party”? Post what, and after what?
Its a flea market for God’s sake. What the hell does it matter if its mixed race or not????
If its not to your liking don’t go anymore
It is comical at best that the same people calling the attendees douche bags and gentrifiers, are the same people who probably love Bruce Ratner and his huge gentrification project. Now you can think of it this way, they will have somewhere to shop. But while you are wasting your time complaining about this, Ratner is plotting to do a great big gentrification jobby over you. Nothing will be cheap then.
I didn’t get out of my booth much, but in my aisle alone, there were 3 black vendors within spitting distance of me. Unless the vendors were segregated and I was in “the black section”, that seems pretty diverse to me.
PS: I saw some black celeb walk by and I couldn’t place him. It’s bugging me. Anyone?
I went to the Flea on Sunday and was dissappointed. It had a lot of crafts and baked goods, but certainly was lacking in the weird/cool old stuff department. The markets that used to be in Chelsea were much better than this; it sucks those are gone now.
As far as concerns about racial diversity- I just don’t get it. I’m pretty sure the vendors are willing to sell their stuff to people of all colors, shapes and sizes.
OK a success = a race issue. This is why I dispise people who wear race on everything. You know, the neighborhood is a bit different now and although I think it is wonderful that it has a diversity factor why don’t black vendors (not that I thought of labeling them as such) simply register their booth with Brownstoner and stop the stupidity. Really, get over yourselves.
I love how white people see five Black people, three Latinos, and eight Asians amidst a group of hundreds, if not thousands, of white folks and that constitutes “very race-mixed.”
And man, you have GOT to be kidding me with your “my BF is black” comment. Joking, right? When white people feel compelled to say that, it’s basically one of the most tell-tale signs of a giant, whopping closet racist…
The flea market is a hot idea. I think the organizers (hello, Brownstoner!) just need to show a little more respect for the value of the actual community it is in by going out of its way to attract more truly local vendors and vendors who will meet the needs of us residents–we majority–living in the immediate area. Maybe a discount on fees for businesses from (or vendors who live in) the immediate area? Actively recruiting black businesses? Something… an effort, at least… Otherwise, it’s just another typical whites-move-in-on-the-beauty-and-lower-cost of the Black nabes gentrification…
“but I also think it’s a bit of a marketing ploy for the web site and for the real estate market in the neighborhood, trying to bring newcomers to the area.”
DUH! What a discovery!! Genius!
The concept is outdated, and can’t compete with the convenience, selection and prices of online vintage shopping. I think it’s cute that you guys want to do this, but I also think it’s a bit of a marketing ploy for the web site and for the real estate market in the neighborhood, trying to bring newcomers to the area. I’ve always known brownstoner.com as a real estate and development speculator’s tool, rather than a website that celebrates these communities as they are; and I must admit, I’ve used it as such, especially the forums. However, I do get a bit sick to the stomach realizing just how much change this site and its associated events bring to areas whose charm and character depend on people appreciating them for what they are and enhancing their services, rather than bringing in the hordes from manhattan for yet more condoization.