brooklyn bound: brooklyn flea

Where do I begin to describe one of my favorite shopping/eating/people watching destinations?? I suppose from the beginning……

In 2008 I read about a new flea market that was slated to open in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. I did a bit of a double take as Fort Greene is where my alma mater, Pratt Institute is – and while the neighborhood is graced with beautiful, tree-lined streets and landmark-worthy brownstones,  when I was a student back in the 80’s it was also quite dangerous – like, crack and rampant crime dangerous.  So I was more than a little intrigued by the notion that this neighborhood had changed so much as to host what looked to be a fabulous assortment of vendors.

I read on – the 2 guys who started the Flea are Jonathan Butler (who runs the blog Brownstoner) and former speechwriter Eric Demby. They have assembled a sharply curated collection of  200+ vendors that are quite diverse yet consistently high-quality. “Not everyone wants to buy an old doorknob,” said Butler. “But the last thing we want is a bunch of shitty crafts lying around.”

Touche Jonathan!

Indeed, the Flea boasts a fantastic mix that falls into roughly 3 categories.

There is a wide array of vintage, well, everything:

fabulous vintage clothing

I am coveting this leather jacket.

love these groovy thermoses

repurposed industrial lighting

I’m addicted to mason jars. I’m double addicted to blue mason jars.

crates galore – these make great serving trays or unique planters

I was SO born in the wrong era………..

There is also a fantastic selection of new, handmade items – home decor, clothing, jewelry – that you definitely will not find at your local chain store/mall retailer:

vases hand-cast from antique milk bottles

love these silkscreened t-shirts

adorable children’s clothing

unusual fixtures

vintage bricks planted with sedum

And finally, food. Like, really good food. Small, artisanal vendors selling some of the most delectable, to die for sweets, savories and everything in between:

kumquate cupcakery’s delicious mini cupcakes

people’s pops shaved ice made from local fruits and herbs

red hook lobster pound. the best. lobster roll. ever.

this………….

…..is how salvatore bklyn ricotta samples their amazing cheese

There’s also plenty of “borough pride”:

The market has moved around a bit in the last 3 years but is currently in the Fort Greene schoolyard where it began on Saturdays and in a new spot by the Williamsburg waterfront on Sundays.  There is also a new market at the Williamsburg site on Saturdays, called Smorgasburg – a food-centric market comprised of about 100 purveyors of handmade food as well as Greenmarket farmers and cookware vendors.

To see the complete slide show of my last visit, click here.

Better yet, just GO. SOON.

Let me know what you bought!

Brooklyn Flea
http://www.brooklynflea.com/
http://brooklynflea.com/smorgasburg/

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4 Comments

  1. Jen on July 6, 2011 at 8:32 pm

    Next time you’re at Brooklyn Flea, check out the heirloom beans at Brooklyn Bean Co:
    http://nonabrooklyn.com/tag/brooklyn-bean-co/

    It’s owned by my good friend Erica and her boyfriend Will, an alum and teacher (respectively) of the French Culinary Institute.

    • sheri silver on July 6, 2011 at 9:31 pm

      How did I miss this? Looks like they’re at Smorgasburg, which I have yet to get to…….love this blog though; thank you!

  2. Erica on July 7, 2011 at 7:37 am

    Thanks Jen! Sheri, yes, we’re at Smorg and soon to be at the new Dekalb Market in August – definitely stop by. Your blog is great!

    • sheri silver on July 7, 2011 at 7:58 am

      Thanks Erica! Dying to get to Smorgasburg and will definitely look for you! Thanks for writing!

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Hi! I'm Sheri!

Welcome to my little corner of the web where you’ll find easy, delicious recipes, the best kitchen hacks and simple tips for turning your home into a clean haven that is free of toxins. So glad you’re here!