Leslieville Flea |
vs. |
Parkdale Flea |
| Christine Roberts (pictured) and Brigid Elmy; 2013 |
Owner(s); year established: |
Vince Luk (pictured) and Joshua James; 2013 |
| Off the charts: like pull the car to a screeching halt, dive into a dumpster, pick things up roadside, passionate! I’ve carried home old salvaged wood mouldings while I was nine months pregnant. | On a scale of one to Antiques Road Show, how big is your passion for flea market finds? | I’m always looking for a good deal, and I live for Storage Wars! It’s great being the organizer because I always get first dibs on those unique one-of-a-kind items! |
| They are all truly amazing and supportive people. They help each other out and many have become good friends. It’s like a family, really. | Is there a certain “repertoire” amongst the different vendors? | The vendors are incredibly supportive of each other, and I always see trades happen between them. It’s a great community to be a part of. |
| Definitely! We get some really hard-core bargain hunters, so it can get pretty interesting, but our vendors really know the value of each item. | You gotta love the hagglers! Do people still barter for the best deal? | Oh, they absolutely haggle! Especially with the antique and vintage items. Not so much with art and handmade crafts. |
| I’ve seen a stuffed iguana sold; a vendor get chased by a chicken. Someone once bought a full-length vintage fur coat in mid July! | Strangest/craziest thing you’ve seen someone buy/sell? | I have actually seen someone buy animal remains from a cabinet of curiosities. No joke. There is literally something for everyone. |
| We base it on the quality and type of items they sell. Our main focus is vintage and handcrafted goods, but we always strive for a wide mix of items being sold. Different is always good! | One’s trash is another’s treasure. Is it hard to find cool items and sellers? | We try to get a diverse range of vendors, local artisans and young entrepreneurs. We select those that show commitment to the quality of their products and an enthusiastic attitude. |
| Any item that has a unique story behind it and has people asking, “Where did you find that?!" | What classifies as the “holy grail” of flea market finds? | Something that has the customer beaming with excitement at the treasure they found. |
| leslievilleflea.com | parkdaleflea.com |
