Pre-Loved Podcast: Brooklyn Flea

Pre-Loved Podcast is a weekly vintage fashion interview show, with guests you’ll want to go thrifting with! For more Pre-Loved Podcast, subscribe to our Patreon!

Today’s show is a collective episode about the Brooklyn Flea, which re-opens for the season this weekend (April 1-2!). Founded 15 years ago, in April 2008 by Jonathan Butler and Eric Demby, Brooklyn Flea has grown into one of New York City’s top attractions, operating flea markets that feature hundreds of top vendors of furniture, vintage clothing, collectibles and antiques.

First up, you’ll hear from co-founder Eric Demby, and then later on in the episode, three incredible vintage dealers who have been with the flea since its early days.

We’ll speak with Francois of Of Leisure who was a fashion photographer for 10 years before he started selling French and American vintage at the Brooklyn Flea in 2013.

Then we’ll chat with Travis, the owner of The Hood Haberdasher, who grew up between Brooklyn, Miami and Jamaica, and started his full time vintage passion about 15 years ago – bringing “statements, not staples”home to Brooklyn to the Flea.

And finally we speak to Thea Grant, about the family first jewelry business she and her husband Nico started in Brooklyn, and their extensive range of vintage, antique and handmade jewelry.

It was such a joy to hear from them what being a part of the Brooklyn Flea all these years has meant to them – so let’s just dive right in!

DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:

[2:05] Eric Demby, co-founder of the Brooklyn Flea, tells stories about taking the train to New York City, as a teengager from Connecticut, to shop vintage.
[7:00] While working in local politics, Eric notices that tourists start to visit Brooklyn, but they don’t know exactly where to go.
[11:42] Eric’s partner, Jonathan Butler – founder of Brownstoner, hosted an event called ‘Salvage Fest’ in 2007, in a schoolyard in Clinton Hill.
[14:28] On the vintage scene in Brooklyn in 2008.
[15:58] Etsy starts-up in downtown Brooklyn, but they’re focused on handmade goods – not vintage – at the time. They have a booth in the early Flea.
[19:21] Opening day on April 6, 2008
[25:11] Curating the selection at the Brooklyn Flea.
[32:07] What to expect when the Brooklyn Flea opens for the season, April 1-2, 2023
[35:23] Francois, of Of Leisure, shares his story with vintage fashion, including learning to sell vintage clothes working at the flea market in Paris while he’s there as a student.
[42:44] On turn-of-century French vintage and workwear.
[54:10] Travis of Hood Haberdasher shares his story with vintage and the Flea, growing up at the Flea, and meeting his wife there!
[1:11:00] Thea Grant shares the story of the antique and vintage jewelry business that she and her husband Nico started in Brooklyn.
[1:22:00] Around 8 years ago, Thea & Nico saw the wholesale jewelry business changing a lot and started to rethink how they would do business direct to customers.
[1:44:55] On vintage Bakelite jewelry.