Brooklyn Flea

Saturday was a good day for the Scavenger Hunt, since it was the day that both items were found. Lucky day.

Saturday: The winner of the WWII hat was Anne Goelz from Clinton Hill. She  sought it out for her husband Eugene, who collects WWII stuff—Eugene's grandfather is a veteran. Anne is pictured at left sporting the hat quite jauntily!

Neala and Pete Ciccone (Pete is pictured at right) of Farfalla have been Flea'ing for a few years with their colorful array of mid-century modern kitchenware, glassware, fabrics and art. The Farfalla look is all contemporary kitsch and cuteness with a timeless style. Neala's day job supplements her weekend one—she's a prop stylist and product designer, and it shows that she's a pro.

Saturday (redux): The day's other winner was Hasan (left), a social worker who also lives in Clinton Hill. Love the local shoppers! Hasan just moved to the 'hood last year, and while searching for cool things to do over the weekend he saw the Hunt on the Flea blog. He expects he'll re-gift the Liz Clairborne belt to his lady. The '80s are totally hot.

Mauren Leon's Dulcinée represents clothing and accessories from the last 100 years of the finest international fashion. Mauren (pictured at right) has a background in art history and graphic design, and that finely tuned aesthetic sense shows in the racks she displays. She had a three-year run as the proprietor of a brick-and-mortar shop on Stanton Street in the city, but now she's an online entity and Flea master. Her selection is in great condition, all from designers whose clothes you covet.

We're still enjoying the Memorial Day holiday, but why not relive the long weekend through pictures? Many thanks to our excellent Flea Flickr photogs, and to all of you for coming to the Flea week in, week out.

Our Flickr pool contributors this week: dmgrabon, sfgirlbybay, brklynview, hdp-l, _dianna_ and El Razberio. Thank you!

We're on the hunt for accessories this weekend!

When you find one of the items above, which can be hidden in any vendor booth, it’s yours, absolutely free! Then we post your photo with the generous vendor here on the blog on Tuesday. You can only win once per calendar month. Items posted every Friday at noon.

From left (click to enlarge):

Saturday: WWII-era soldier's hat. Vintage
Sunday: Liz Clairborne black leather belt, 1980s. Vintage

Note: The Flea happens outdoors every Saturday in Fort Greene and every Sunday in Williamsburg. The markets are open every weekend, 10am–5pm, rain or shine. For maps/directions, click here.

It's true that the first Smorgasburg was rich with new foods to try, but really we're just getting started. Here are a few newcomers this Saturday, with more to roll out over the coming weeks.

Rob and Anna's - Chocolate-covered frozen bananas with a choice of special sauces. Raw and vegan! (Hint: say the name out loud.)

Barry's Tempeh - Artisanal tempeh from Grown In Brooklyn.

Salud - Organic Latin-style juices (above) from the Midwood vegetarian restaurant.

The Flea is especially known for excellent vintage goods and delicious pickles—and this weekend, yes, we've got new vendors on the pickles and vintage tip. Not to mention famed music shop Rivington Guitars making its Flea debut.

Saturday (Ft. Greene)

Brooklyn Bleu - Tenisha will set up with a stunning collection of vanity trays, original photographic prints, mirrors, smaller chairs, home furnishings, vintage lamps, picture frames, jewelry boxes, suit cases, decorative hat boxes and more.

Hanako Pickles - Professional restaurant folks Nell and Ken will sell their traditional Japanese nukazuke pickles and hand-rolled sushi.

Relay For Life - This charitable booth for American Cancer Society's annual event, Relay For Life, will have a well-curated selection of  vintage and used clothes and housewares, with all proceeds going to the ACS.

Sunday (Williamsburg)

Rivington Guitars - Since 1998, Rivington Guitars has been known as "the Best Little Guitar Store in New York City." They specialize in vintage guitars from names like Fender, Gibson, Gretsch, Guild, Martin, Rickenbacker, Silvertone and Harmony (and will feature some great deals at the Flea).

Cloak and Dagger - Super-cute vintage from Brooklelynn Starnes of East Village shop Cloak & Dagger; look for special stylings unavailable at the boutique.

A lot of original art is available at the Flea, from artists both known and obscure. But last Saturday in Ft. Greene a very different kind of art sale took place. Small Works for Change set up a booth filled with unsigned collages, paintings, prints, sketches and photographs all priced at $25; the artist behind each piece remained a secret until after it was sold. Keeping the mystery alive, Small Works' Rose Pearlman still won't divulge the names of the artists who donated their work (though she promises that some of them have work in MoMA's permanent collection) since it is the surprise that's the fun part of the project. "The most important thing is that people purchased art that they felt connected to regardless of its value," she says.

The group's primary goal is to offer original, affordable art to the public and give away the proceeds to needy charities. "What I did not expect was the generosity of so many," Rose says. She had 239 artworks at the booth, and raised over $2,000. Rose explains that she created Small Works for Change "as a chance for artists, who do not always have the means to donate to charity, an opportunity to give."

The list of charities Small Works for Change works with can be found here. We hope to see them at the Flea again—who doesn't love a good mystery for a good cause?

Bruce and Elizabeth of Today's Vintage Designs are lifelong New Yorkers who joined the Flea family at One Hanson earlier this year. This lovely couple may be Flea newbies but they are veteran antique dealers—they opened the Manhattan shop Antique Addiction (on West Broadway near Prince Street) on their first wedding anniversary in 1991. New York City is in their blood: they met on the B train in Brooklyn ("We were both going to work and he skootched over and made a seat for me," Elizabeth says) and their first date was at McSorley's. A mutual collecting bug united them further, since Bruce spent his childhood searching for antiques with his dad, and Elizabeth's mom used to sell at a market in Syracuse. "When the two of us got together, our collecting bug turned viral!" she says. Antique Addiction had a 10-year run in Soho before Elizabeth closed it down to become a full-time mom; Bruce continued his role as a movie propmaster, a job that he holds to this day (he's currently working on the new Men in Black III which has been shooting all over town).

Now that their three kids are older, they were eager to get back in the game and start selling their extensive collection of eyeglasses, hats, glassware, lighters, cufflinks and all sorts of small collectibles. "We like to sell small personal and decorative items," Eizabeth explains. "We like the connection they make to people, and we enjoy telling them about the history of an item and pointing out the craftsmanship and superior materials of the older stuff." There's some of their own craftsmanship in there too, since Elizabeth has been making hairsticks and hatpins (above) which have been selling well at the Flea and on Etsy.

The never-been-worn European eyeglasses from the '50 and '60s are old stock from a retired optical shop, and you'll notice the timelessness of many of the frames—Elizabeth told us that some of their best customers are eyeglass designers and manufacturers looking for inspiration. Bruce's "Men's Case," as he calls it, is also a big hit: a glass case filled with Zippo lighters, old-fashioned shaving kits and other masculine goodies draws in both ladies and gentlemen with an eye for the good life.

But it's not just the need to pay for the kids' summer camp that keeps them coming back to the Flea every Sunday in Williamsburg—it's you. As Elizabeth says, "the people at the Brooklyn Flea are the best customers ever!" We think so too.

What with the launch of our all-food market Smorgasburg and the outdoor Flea season in full swing, lots of press action of late.

The NY Post came to Smorgasburg and gave a great roundup.
The New York Times on the flea marketing of NYC.
The big Smorgasburg preview in the Times.
The Times also made a video about haggling at the Flea.
Inc. declares the Flea to be the new town square.
Gothamist's interview with Smorgasburg masterminds, Eric and Jonathan.
Nona Brooklyn talked to several vendors at Smorgasburg's opening.
One of J. Crew's featured staffers shops at the Flea! (Scroll to #3, Nathayai)
BRIC's Brooklyn Independent Television did a sweet segment on Smorgasburg.

Plus a few recent blog posts that capture the Flea experience perfectly:
Bart from New York Social Diary's lovely rundown on the Ft. Greene Flea.
Kelly Purkey took some sweet photos on a Sunday in Williamsburg.

These were excellent Scavenger Hunt rewards that had to wait two weeks to be found. It was well worth it, though not without some odd negotiations.

Check back at noon Friday for this weekend’s items.

(Click images to enlarge):

Saturday: Saturday's winner of the little pink wooden chair was Flea regular Lara (left), who lives in Sunnyside, Queens. Lara came to the Flea specifically for the chair—it's perfect for her 15-month-old daughter. The chair was described as "sweet and sturdy" by vendor Kimberlee Hanson (middle) of Interior Bliss Design. Very cute all around.

You surely recognize this Weimaraner pup (right) from the Flea—he's oft photographed and likes to hang out among the old chairs, window frames and quilts that Kimberlee brings to the Flea every weekend. Interior Bliss Design is all about reclaimed old stuff given a new lease, with an environmental angle to boot. Interior Bliss is also a full service interior design company, where old-fashioned items are made modern in comfortable, contemporary spaces.

Sunday: The lucky winner of the gorgeous two-tiered silver server was Allan Kellum (right) of Washington, D.C., who was in town visiting family. Given that it was his first time at the Flea, Mr. Kellum might not have understood the generous concept behind the Scavenger Hunt: "He came back to our booth and asked us to buy back the chrome server!" report's Zazalooie Antique's Ellen Settanni. "We said sure, just put it back on the table, and we'll pay you exactly what it cost you: NOTHING! He begged off and decided to keep it."

When not making these kinds of high-level Flea negotiations, the charming Kenn (left) and Ellen of Zazalooie search for and sell their excellent stock of smalls, glass, crystal and silver, lovely stuff all. Brooklyn natives, they now reside in Staten Island and we are happy to welcome them back to their homeland every weekend. They concentrate on 20th-century designs that have a timeless modern style.

Wow. Our inaugural Smorgasburg market was amazing. Thanks to everyone who came out, enjoyed the sun, braved the lines and ate tons of incredible food. And special thanks to all of you who blogged about it, tweeted at us and took pictures. Here are a number of links to blog posts, news stories and awesome slideshows from the weekend. Keep 'em coming, and see you next week!

Serious Eats
Metromix
Eater.com
Brooklyn Exposed
UltraClay
The Skinny Pig
Eric Isaac

Thanks as always to our roving shutterbugs: ultraclay! (check out his Analog Flea project), JennaTelesca, SlantShack Jerky, ubuntujakes, slowpoke_ny, aaronlbarr, editrrix, Manzari and itsbenlevine.