The Eastside Flea is a modern day flea market that takes place in different locations across Vancouver. Based out of East Van, Eastside Flea puts on different events in different neighbourhoods, offering the flea market experience to the community. A wide variety of local vendors offers vintage goods, jewellery, clothing, handmade pieces, art, oddities, and collectables. Gather your friends, neighbours, and family and head to the next Eastside Flea market in your area!
From October 6th-8th, The Eastside Flea market took over The Nest at UBC to offer a fun and diverse marketplace to students and the community. I had the opportunity to check out the goods, and meet a few of the authentic and creative vendors The Eastside Flea had to offer!
Kirby Fisher, the owner of Dead Union, is a vintage tee-shirt collector and wholesale dealer. Not only does he have a fast growing Instagram, his vintage tee shirt collection speaks for itself in terms of his skill and passion. “We sell high-end and vintage clothing online and at markets,” Kirby explains with enthusiasm, emphasizing the excitement of opening up boxes and searching for hours until finally finding that old rock tee he’d been hoping for. Each piece in Kirby’s collection is hand picked and takes a lot of time and effort to find, so he says “It’s great to be part of a local artisan based community, such as the Eastside Flea, that appreciate and are excited about hand-made quality goods.” I recommend checking Dead Union out to find something “rare and ridiculous” for yourself.
Mary Craig Olson, owner and designer of Clutch Jewels, has been in the jewellery making and business for seventeen years. She sells her unique and innovative pieces online and through markets, such as the Eastside Flea market: “I hope to branch out to new customers, like the university clientele here at UBC, to see what works and doesn’t work in terms of style.” Mary handcrafts vintage reworks into fresh, fun pieces. When asked what she enjoyed most about being a vendor at The Eastside Flea, she said, “I try to create a mix of high and low end styles that everyone will enjoy. I love when people understand my vision and appreciate the style of the art I create.”
James Kidd, co-founder of Biota Fermentation is a new business owner in the Kombucha and health foods industry:“I first heard about the Eastside Flea market through some friends and family and thought it would be a good way for me to get my business noticed.” Although his company is new, he’s received rave reviews (from myself included) about his product. James and his business partner are classical trained chefs and have done a great job bottling and marketing their product. He plans to sell Biota in health food stores and grocery stores.
Adriana from Product of Science and Art, a family-run West coast herbal goods business originally started on their family farm, creates hand-made products and soaps from all natural ingredients: “our concept is ‘nourishing the body and mind’ using 100% natural ingredients made in our Vancouver workshop.” PSA’s products are excellent for everyone, especially those with sensitive skin. “People have become more interested in the use of natural ingredients that are good for your health and for the environment, which is great for business,” Adriana said, and went on to say that the Eastside Flea market at UBC has been a positive experience and has helped reach different clientele.
Not only did I walk away from Eastside Flea x UBC with a rad vintage football tee (shout out to Kirby!) and some beautifully crafted silver, I felt like I understood what this diverse group of vendors is trying to do: help people understand their vision. Abigail, another eager attendee, mentioned to me while leaving the market, “After spending an inordinate amount of time deciding between accessories, I walked away with four beautiful pieces, a lighter wallet, and a smile on my face. If you’re looking for jewelry, check out Zaleska and speak to Sylvia.” It’s obvious that the market provides a great opportunity to give back to small local businesses in the neighbourhood, meet amazing artists, and pick out some cherished vintage finds. For your chance to experience the Eastside Flea market and meet an amazing group of artists, visit the next Eastside Flea market held on Saturday, October 24th from 11am-5pm at the Biltmore Cabaret (19+).
If you happened to miss out on this Fall’s market at UBC, stay up to date on upcoming events with the newsletter for Eastside Flea Attendees and Vendors. Visit their event page or check out @eastsideflea on Instagram to take an inside look into the magic of The Eastside Flea market!