Alternatives to the Broadway Flea Market

[MaddieBB12]

Posted: 5/14/20 at 7:10pm

Due to Broadway being suspended until at least September 6th, it looks like the Broadway Flea Market will probably be suspended as well.

I know that in the grand scheme of things, this is not something that is a high priority at all! But it is always a fun day, and it truly is a day where so much of the theatre community comes together for a good cause, some good deals and finds, and in the case of the past few years, some good weather! I've been attending with my dad for years and years; we always make a point to go together, have lunch, and at this point, we have our routine down pat. It's always a blast.

I would hope that maybe they will still have some components of the day online, namely the auction. Since they have experience in running the auctions online, I can't imagine that would be too difficult to pull off. Might be able to get some people to donate some cool things after all the cleaning out that people have been doing recently.

Any thoughts? Or fun flea market stories to share for old times sake?

 

[stoptheworld38]

Posted: 5/14/20 at 9:14pm

Maybe they’ll just postpone it til spring?

I could also potentially see them holding some version of it online (which I wish they’d do anyway to reach more people who can’t go in person) but of course that takes away the fun of the in person aspect and especially things like the autograph tables...

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 5/15/20 at 10:14am

Since there will probably be fewer shows participating (ugh), it might be easier to space out the tables if they use the same amount of space. That T-shirt table is like Black Friday at 4 a.m. most of the time, though, so good luck holding back the already grabby people.

I'd be very happy if some of it were online! I only did the autograph line once, and it was fun but not my primary reason for going.

[Kad]

Posted: 5/15/20 at 11:47am

I actually think an outdoor retail event like this probably has the best chance of returning within the next six months, with modifications. Fewer booths, the elimination of the celebrity autograph/photo table, moving things like the auction online, mandatory masks, and an enforced capacity would probably all need to be observed.

[Wick3]

Posted: 5/15/20 at 1:06pm

The Broadway Flea Market auction starts online a week before the flea market. They close bids the day before and whoever has the highest online bid is where the bidding starts on the live auction. You can even have one of the volunteers have you on the phone during the live auction so for those of you who aren't in NYC you can still participate.

In post covid-19 though, I do think all of the auction would be done online. I've been attending the live auction as a spectator (standing on the sides) the past few years and have really enjoyed it. I still remember when the Springsteen opening night tickets plus party sold for around $13k after a bidding war.  

Updated On: 5/15/20 at 01:06 PM

[MaddieBB12]

Posted: 5/15/20 at 2:26pm

Another, perhaps pipe dream, idea that I had was possibly to do the flea market pub-crawl style. All 41 of the theaters themselves are sitting empty; each theater could have a table and you just limit the capacity of how many people can go into each of the houses at a time. 

[OKBroadwayFan]

Posted: 5/15/20 at 6:21pm

I love the Flea and had to miss last  year.    

I have noticed that BCEFA have not had any items for sale on EBay.  They usually have a half dozen items for sale (autographed posters, playbills, etc) at all times.    I wonder if their entire staff have been furloughed?

The closure hit about the time that the spring bucket drive was starting.   I was hoping that some of the shows would donate their items to be sold online.

[PianoMann]

Posted: 5/15/20 at 6:50pm

OKBroadwayFan said: "I have noticed that BCEFA have not had any items for sale on EBay."

I noticed this, too, but I'm assuming it's because employees are not allowed to go into the office to photograph, post, and ship the items. I think / hope this'll be back up and running when offices reopen in NYC.

 

[stoptheworld38]

Posted: 5/16/20 at 1:28pm

As was said earlier, if shows are open in September (which yes I realize is probably unlikely, but not out of the question as we really don’t know at this point yet how things are gonna progress) it probably could happen, if they did it in a bigger area and could have people more spread out. Maybe also do it over 2 or 3 days instead of just one, as that could maybe mean fewer people at any given time.

It would seem kind of strange to have flea when no shows are running (and probably a lot fewer people would come) but I guess it could potentially happen...

[Wick3]

Posted: 5/18/20 at 8:59am

I think it would be possible. The farmer's market at Union Square is open in the weekends and nowadays they limit the total amount of people in the market area. Thereafter, a long line forms that wraps around the entire park (with social distancing of 6ft apart.) I've waited in that line and it goes by fast. Then again, I think people who go to farmer markets know which tables they want to go to and have a list of the items they want to buy.

With Bway flea market, part of the experience is going from table to table looking for some good deals/finds. 

One of the cool things at flea market last year was getting a photo with a Tony Award statue for $20 I believe. I doubt that would be possible in a post covid-19 world but who knows. 

[VintageSnarker]

Posted: 5/20/20 at 4:39am

Wick3 said: "I think it would be possible. The farmer's market at Union Square is open in the weekends and nowadays they limit the total amount of people in the market area.Thereafter, a long line forms that wraps around the entire park (with social distancing of 6ft apart.) I've waited in that line and it goes by fast. Then again, I think people who go to farmer markets know which tables they want to go to and have a list of the items they want to buy."

Interesting. It's technically in walking distance for me but I haven't gone up to Union Square since the quarantine.

It would take a big effort but there's no reason why some of the sales couldn't be moved online, especially for the more expensive items. Shipping seems to be a bigger issue. Like, figuring out how to ship bigger items and the way the cost of shipping skyrockets when you factor in the weight of items you would otherwise easily carry away in person. For example, how much would it cost to ship a bundle of Playbills? I can't see it being worth the time to photograph a ton of Playbills when it's cost prohibitive to ship them because of the weight. Similarly, I can't see anyone rushing to buy things from those tables that are always full of old books and VHS tapes. 

Based on what they've had to sell at previous Flea Markets, I only see a couple of shows being able to move to online sales successfully: Wicked, Hadestown, Dear Evan Hansen, etc. The table that sells that art/costume sketches could also move online. 

[hearthemsing22]

Posted: 5/20/20 at 5:44pm

I think a big part of their proceeds come from the photograph/autograph booth/tables, and I just don't see any way they would recreate that experience virtually. I think it would be better to move it to maybe just before the winter holiday season, a few weeks before the major holidays. That way they still make a profit but they're not totally bombarded by so much holiday traffic.