KATIE DELANEY
A look into the vintage clothing sellers at the Fenway Flea
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Katie Delaney
Oct 25, 2023
Curated collections, eclectic garments, and innovative up-cycled pieces bring shoppers to the Fenway Flea each Sunday afternoon. The Fenway Flea is a weekly outdoor market at the Station in Fenway. The market features over 30 small businesses selling vintage clothing, jewelry, food, and more. Original Markets, the organization that runs the Fenway Flea says that their goal is "providing support to small business owners by creating opportunities for emerging entrepreneurs to reach customers on a larger scale."
The majority of the business owners at the Flea are clothing sellers, who are able to connect with customers and share their items. The unique clothing is really the centerpiece of the market, with a wide variety of pieces and styles. Let's take a look at a day at the market, and some of the people behind the products.
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"Glad you're here"
Shoppers enter the market on Sunday afternoon.
1734 Thrift
Corrie Vanderbrug named 1734 Thrift after her parent's first apartment together, honoring the respect and support they've given her throughout her life.
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Vanderbrug began selling secondhand clothing in 2020. "I realized I had a lot more than I needed or could handle in my closet, sustainability wise," she said. She decided not to buy new clothes and start selling what she had, launching her business.
A shopper spots a white sweater while browsing the racks.
Vanderbrug checks out the customer's purchase, with a smile on her face.
"I really like the human connection."
Vanderbrug sells online and at markets across the state. But it's markets that she prefers. "I get to talk to people I get to learn what they're looking for, and learn about them. A lot of the time, buyers have a connection to the piece that they bought for me."
Vanderbrug said she wants to share how cool and unique shopping vintage is and tries to keep it accessible. "I try not to price my items really high just because I think it's better when it’s affordable. I think vintage and secondhand should be affordable for everybody," she said.
Vanderbrug's handmade caprisun purse and other accessories for sale
Vanderbrug has a background in art, and is an art therapist who works at a hospital in Boston with kids in the oncology unit. Her job is stressful, but the market provides some relief. "Having this on the weekends is really fun. It's freeing for me, my therapy in a way," she said.
In the mood
Sonxai Thirakoun runs In the Mood Vintage, a clothing shop which primarily sells pieces from the 60s and 70s, sourced from "anywhere and everywhere," Thirakoun said.
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Thirakoun sells online and at markets all around the Northeast. They're "looking to instead of creating new things and putting new things out there, recycling," Thirakoun said. "Sustainability is the basis of it."
Thirakoun oversees shoppers pulling a dress from the rack
Thirakoun loves to connect with customers at markets, sharing their pieces with people directly. "I'm more inclined to sell something to someone if they show that they really appreciate it and love it," Thirakoun said. "I like to see that on their face when they're buying something off me, it means something to me."
A jumpsuit from the 1970s hangs front and center at the In the Mood booth.
"I Just curate vibes"
Thirakoun is a full-time clothing seller, and sells at markets frequently. Thirakoun said that markets are "super affordable," for business owners, much cheaper than having a storefront.
"It's a good starting point for a small business like me," Thirakoun said.
buckaroo vintage
Chelsea White is the owner of Buckaroo Vintage. Her inspiration comes from her grandparents who lived out west and lived "a lot of different lifestyles, very rustic and adventurous," White said. "I started buying and reselling inspired by their style."
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White exclusively sells at markets, in Western Massachusetts as well as in Boston, Providence, and sometimes New York. She sources her clothes from thrift stores, yard sales, and estate sales.
White runs the Buckaroo Vintage booth, complete with matches, books, and accessories.
Passersby browse look through sweaters, denim, and flannels.
"The ability to present everything as like A collection in person is really fun for me"
"That's the benefit of setting up at markets," White said. White's collection has been crafted meticulously from places all over the country. She has done sourcing trip to Colorado, Texas, and North Carolina to find pieces.
White also said that at markets she loves "getting to interact with people who love the same things you do."
Through the rack: crowds mingling and browsing at the market.
Check out more photos on my Instagram! @katiedelaneytv
Buckaroo Vintage
1734 Thrift
In the Mood Vintage
