Dying? Dead? Hardly. After being told that few vendors were left, and remembering a dreary visit in the 90s where its condition seemed, at best, anemic, I arrived expecting to find this little flea on life support. What a surprise–the place was bustling. The goods tilt heavily towards vintage jewelry, but there were fewer crafts than at other markets, more satisfactory "old things" to browse through, and even at 5:00, with many sellers beginning to pack their wares, the market felt lively.
Many dealers enjoy a strong following. Bob, the market manager, pointed out one fine jewelry merchant with customers who have been coming to him for over fifteen years; some upper east side ladies stand by his table for two or three hours at a time on the weekend.
"The older your merchandise, the better it sells here," Bob said, adding that he would love to add more collectibles, china and linens dealers. He may get his wish: sellers from West 26th Street in Chelsea are looking for a home in anticipation of the Antiques Garage closing, and some of them have already made the move uptown to the east side.
When I told Bob that I'd heard that the lights were barely on at 67th Street, he looked annoyed. The flea used to be managed by another organization, which may explain my experience in the 90s, and politics, Bob suggested, may be playing a role in the rumors of 67th Street's collapse.
Enter the flea from the entrance to P.S. 183 at 66th Street, or at the the playground gate at 67th, where some dealers are set up in front on the sidewalk. There are more tables and a green market in the playground.
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