The First Flea

Just a taste of the amazing items we had for sale in Phoenixville

Yesterday was our first vintage flea market. Wanda, our soon to be "glamped" vintage pop-up camper/shop, did not make the trip with us. She's still busy getting primped for her inaugural market this summer. On Saturday, my cousin Suzanne (designer, inventory curator, and van packer extraordinaire), and Frances (amazingly talented seamstress and incredibly knowledgable horticulturist), and I set up shop at an event called A Whole Lot of LuLu in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. This vintage flea market began in the Spring of 2014 with a parking lot full of local shop owners, Keely and Joan's, family and friends selling their wares. Saturday's event was the third time for the market, and boy, has it grown fast! Yesterday, the parking lot across from LuLu Boutique and Gifterie, Keely and Joan's shop, was crowded with talented artists and vendors selling vintage and handmade jewelry, clothing, and housewares, while The Thrifty Discount DJ's spun oldies on vinyl records for entertainment. But, that's not all. The flea market has grown so much that it now encompasses the entire block of Main Street outside the parking lot. Both sides of the block were lined with even more vendors and artisans. All of this was nestled in the town's center - a quaint, little up and coming business district full of gourmet eateries and independently owned shops and boutiques who joined in the fun by offering specials for flea market shoppers all day Saturday. If you love vintage shopping, this is an event you want to mark on your calendar. The girls at LuLu have plans to host the fair in the spring and fall each year. The next Whole Lot of LuLu event will take place on October 10, 2015. Don't miss it.

The Great American Pub and Hotel was one of the many local businesses
that offered specials for shoppers on Saturday.

Now, on to the brass tacks. What did we learn? First and foremost, we learned that vintage shoppers are so much fun. We got to talk to a lot of interesting and friendly people. It's so rewarding to watch someone find a piece that delights or inspires them. My favorite buyer from yesterday's market was a newly engaged young lady who purchased a gorgeous vintage peignoir set. She was smiling from ear to ear as she held the set against herself and explained she was buying it for her wedding night. The second runner up for favorite shopper was a jogger who stopped to help us put up a canopy before the market even started. After the canopy was in place, he noticed an old black typewriter we had set out. We struck a good faith deal with him and put the typewriter aside while he finished his run. I not only love this guy because he so chivalrously stopped to help three damsels in canopy distress, but because he was our first EVER vintage flea market sale. (If the bride-to-be wasn't so stinking adorable, this guy would probably be number one on the favorite shopper list.) Rounding out the top three buyers of the day, was a group of shoppers. They were the most adorable, well-mannered adolescents that I've encountered in a long time. They were so sincerely enthusiastic about the typewriter deal (not the black one) that they ended up brokering, that you couldn't help but get caught up in their unabashed joy. These young ladies made it into the top three, not only because of their high cuteness quotient, but because we also scored some fabulous handmade totes from from one of their moms (H.B. Bags)as part of the typewriter deal. 

Just one of the fun people we met at our first vintage flea market.

I'd be misleading you if I stopped here and left you with the impression that selling at a vintage flea market is all rainbows and unicorns, because it's not. There's a lot of planning, preparation, and hard physical work that goes into a successful day at the fair. We had an absolutely stunning display set up, as you can see from the photos, and it was no accident. Sue designed a floor plan weeks in advance of the fair and meticulously curated the items back at the shop to achieve a visually appealing, unified overall first impression as you approached our booth. The really cool thing about the display was that it was actually comprised of multiple smaller themed vignettes that flowed together seamlessly. For weeks prior to the event, floor plans were drawn up, mocked up vignettes were built, vans were packed, and careful consideration was given to every detail down to the little glass bottles of fresh-cut flowers integrated throughout the display. Our sales exceeded our expectations for our first market, and I think it was due in large part to the fact that our items were displayed in such a visually appealing and thought out way. 

Hopefully, Sue's genius comes across in this image.

You know what they say, "Failing to plan is planning to fail." Start early and be diligent. If you are a new vendor, here is a very practical Vendor's Checklist from a blog called A Vintage Parcel: http://avintageparcel.blogspot.com/2014/03/gearing-up-for-spring-junk-bonanza.html.This checklist will help you with the logistical stuff, but the creative planning is up to you. Create something that reflects your own unique style and personality. Have a vision and work hard to bring it to fruition.

There's no question that having a plan is important, but you also have to be prepared to work to execute that plan. Setting up and breaking down a 20' x 10' retail space is not a job for slackers. If you're thinking of getting into selling at flea markets or fairs, start your personal training regimen and brain building exercises now. When you're setting up and breaking down your display, there's a lot of bending, lifting, sweating, and thinking on your feet. It's intense work, but it's totally worth the results. If at all possible, I recommend having family and friends visit your venue toward the end of the day and getting them to hang around to help with breaking down your booth. I don't think Sue's husband, Bill, and her daughter, Devon, had any idea they were going to be recruited for our break down crew when they showed up close to 4:00 on Saturday, but they hung around and their help was invaluable. They cut our break down time in half. Words can not describe how much their help was appreciated after 10 hours on our feet.

I'd like to leave you with a few parting thoughts from Sue, our fearless, but reluctant to claim the title, leader. Sue's a retail sales guru and a creative design expert so pay close attention:

1. Have a plan. Visualize your set up/display. If you're selling many different types of items, group them according to a theme (maybe color, use, or era).

2. Pack your items according to your planned set up. It'll be much easier to set up and break down your booth if your items are grouped and packed in themes.

3. Make good use of your limited space. Don't limit your 10x10 display area (or whatever size you have) to just table tops. Use props like easels, shelving, grid walls, and stacked books to add visual interest and increase your display space.

4. If you're selling through other venues like Etsy, eBay or a shop, don't forget to promote that. (Vintage Character on Etsy) Have lots of business cards and sign-up opportunities on hand. It may lead to sales long after the market day is done.

5. Finally, have fun! Sure it's work, but it's also about connecting with people. A smile and a friendly greeting can go a long way. 

6. P.S.(From Me) Put out a typewriter in your display. Apparently, people of all ages love those things!

Thanks for following our vintage mobile sales adventure. I hope you learned something helpful, and enjoyed hearing about our experience. Please follow this blog to hear about all the amazing venues we visit, and all the important business (life) lessons we learn along the way.

Stacy, Suzanne, and Frances
www.etsy.com/shop/VintageCharacter