Craft Fair: Pretty Dandy Flea
Reviewer: Emma Blue from Folksy shop Emma Blue
Dates: Saturday 5 October 2013
Venue: Vintage Warehouse, Nottingham.
Cost of stall: £30
Entrance: £1
Crowd: A real mix. Students, young families, people looking for vintage treasures, fellow crafters, shoppers looking for something different, people of all ages and types.
Footfall: Great. A constant stream of people from the second it opened right up until the end. There were no slow periods.
Organisation: Really well organised
Sales: A great day. Lots of direct sales, plus custom orders
Would you do it again? Absolutely!
The Flea was busy with a steady stream of customers all day
I’d attended previous Fleas as a customer, so I was really excited about taking part in this one. The Vintage Warehouse is a large venue, and it could so easily have felt cold and industrial, but Becky and her team of volunteers managed to make it feel cosy and welcoming through their choice of layout, decorations, and a chill-out area. The space was well lit, with lots of natural light coming in through the roof, and the aisles were wide enough for customers to move around easily. They had music playing all day, and wandering comedy tea-leaf readers creating a great, fun atmosphere.
The warehouse was well lit and there was lots going on for customers
The Flea was busy from the moment it opened, with a steady stream throughout the day. The customers ranged from the very young to the young at heart. People seemed to stick around, making two or three passes of the stalls, having some cake and a cup of tea, and coming back around again. It was a well-organised, well-advertised event. There was lots of promotion beforehand, and then on the day a team of volunteers handed out flyers in the centre of Nottingham, encouraging people up into Hockley and into the venue.
It felt like a real family-friendly event, with a café where people could take a break and workshops going on throughout the day. There was a good mix of stalls, some selling vintage wares, some selling food, and lots of great makers. This attracted a really varied crowd. I had a great time chatting to lots of interesting people.
My Emma Blue stall at the Pretty Dandy Flea
As well as selling lots of things, I took a number of orders for bespoke papercuts, which is always great. I love creating something that’s one of a kind and just perfect for that person. Weirdly, I had three separate orders for my map papercuts, all for brothers who were travelling around Australia. Maybe there’s something in the water in Nottingham? Another best seller was my Breaking Bad-inspired papercut.
There were so many brilliant makers at the Flea. I had a sneaky scout around, and fell in love with the gorgeous fabric homewares of Modflowers, Louise Wright’s playful illustrations, James Green’s linocuts, and the wonderful book-themed wares of The Forgotten Library. It’s just as well that I was travelling home on the bus – if I’d been able to carry one more thing, I might have spent a fortune!
Modflowers stall at the Pretty Dandy Flea
If you’re visiting or selling at a craft fair and fancy writing a review, let us know by emailing community@folksy.co.uk
3 comments
I love this idea of Flea market reviews. I live in the U.S. down south and am planning on trying out Flea markets this summer in The Atlanta, Ga. area.
Did you find that you sold enough and made enough new contacts to make it worth your time and effort?
Thank you.
Ms. Scarlet Faith
Sounds so good that am off to investigate Pretty Dandy Flea! Great review Emma Blue. :)
Good idea, great review and lovely photos. Looks like a really light space too so a great place for a fair – thanks for sharing Emma Blue.
I’ll be at Ely Cathedral with my ARC Jewellery stall in a few weeks time so would love to write a review for that. It’s a great event (if last year is anything to go by) and the venue really gets people into the festive spirit.
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