Are you a treasure hunter? If yes, then the flea market Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass in Brooklyn is for you. From the table with the giant pile of garments, textiles and handbags ready for rummaging (no labels, very affordable) to the-buis.com stall with color-coded vintage designer finds (think Chloe, Dolce, and Moschino to name a few), there is something for everyone.
To start your field trip, enter 80 Pearl Street, Brooklyn into your GPS. That’s the location of the flea market every Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Click here for the official website. We parked at 181 Front Street Parking—not great for SUVs, but it’s in the heart of where you want to be. There are many other parking garages around and the subway stop is super closeby, too.
The flea market stalls are mainly under the massive arch of the overpass. Take your time browsing through all of the offerings. Most vendors take Venmo (and some take credit cards), but you probably want to bring some cash, too. In addition to clothing, there are furniture and household item stalls—music and art posters—vinyl records (45s, too!) and cassette tapes—down to a bowl of vintage matchbooks next to some classic magazines still in their plastic sleeves.
My stylist suggestions for shopping clothes at any flea market: pants are tough because often they’ve been altered—jackets, tops and dresses tend to be great flea market finds—make sure you try everything on, look in the mirrors provided and better yet, have someone snap a few photos of you front and back before deciding on a purchase—stock up on fun and unusual accessories.
When you’re ready to eat and possibly buy something that hasn’t been pre-owned, then head to these nearby places:
50 Washington Street for Sweet Green which is just up the street from one of my favorite places ever: John Fluevog shoes (both men’s and women’s fabulous and unique styles).
80 Front Street for Front Street Pizza. Get a whole pie or pizza by the slice—or order Italian-American favorites by choosing “one from column A and one from Column B.” This is right across from Scotch & Soda—authentic & individual Amsterdam design for both men and women.
53-83 Water Street is home to Empire Stores (PSA: these are the public restrooms you want to use!) which houses shops, a food hall, art gallery as well as restaurants with great people-watching and river views.
Take a walk in the park, enjoy gorgeous views of The Brooklyn Bridge, visit Jane’s Carousel and if you walk below the Brooklyn Bridge in the park to its left, you’ll see Lady Liberty in the distance. Enjoy this fun part of the city and let me know what you find at the flea market!
