Do you have a love for vintage goods, thrifted clothing, handmade crafts, and food trucks? If so, check out The Lucky Flea Market downtown in the Neighborhood of the Arts.
Co-founders Sofia Cerankosky and Chris Rapoza were inspired by vintage markets in Los Angeles and decided to create their own Rochester-based outdoor vintage market back in January 2021. After months of planning, reaching out to possible vendors, and sorting through over 200 applications, The Lucky Flea Market held its grand opening on May 30 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Originally, the market was only going to remain open until June 27, but because of its extreme popularity, it has been extended through the end of October — which is good news for all of the UR students who went home for the summer.
Opening time at The Lucky Flea Market.
My only previous flea market experience was on a dreary day about 10 years ago where I paid way too much for a unicorn Beanie Baby (with a shiny horn!) and a pair of moon shoes, so I was very excited when I heard about the opening of The Lucky Flea through a poster at Yotality, of all places.
Most of the vendors are thrifted resellers, boasting copious amounts of vintage clothing and goods that look like they could be straight out of my grandparents’ houses. In fact, last time I went, I saw the exact vase that my mom and I took home from my grandpa’s house the month before.
There’s also a decent amount of vendors selling handmade jewelry (mainly earrings), some plants, and other handmade crafts. My favorite booth was a “flower bar” by Sibleyville Flowers, where people could build their own flower bouquets. I also love the embroidery done by Sick Hoops — a skill I meant to learn over 2020 quarantine but never did. The vendors can vary from week to week, so make sure to keep up with The Lucky Flea’s Instagram to stay up to date. Fun side note: One of the vendors is actually a current UR student, junior Emily Bingham, which I discovered after looking up her Instagram from the business card she gave me after I purchased a cowboy worm T-shirt.
Some of the food vendors have stands, but there’s also a handful of food trucks for market-goers to choose from. During my last visit, Le Petit Poutine, Roll’n Deep (bubble tea and Asian fusion food), and The Dainty Donut Factory all made an appearance. I hope to see a fried dough truck there one day, but perhaps it’s best for my health if that doesn’t happen.
Left: The chocolate pretzel, s’mores, oreo crumble, and french toast flavors from the Dainty Donut Factory Right: Bacon covered poutine.
As for the prices, the range is pretty extreme, from $1 tees to $300+ vintage Bills jackets. You can try haggling with the vendors (I think this would go best with the clothing ones,) but sometimes they’ll even offer you a discount outright if they sense you’re on the fence about buying something. I justify all my purchases there as supporting small local businesses and remind myself of the time they either spent making a piece or sifting through junk at a Goodwill.
So now that I have you hooked on going, how can you get there? If you have the luxury of driving, there is easy-access parking at Village Gate (entrance on Anderson Ave). Biking only takes about 20 minutes, and much of the route is mainly along the Genesee Riverway Trail. The longest option is the bus, which according to Google Maps will take you a little over an hour on Sundays.
TL;DR:
When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays through Oct. 31
Where: 320 N Goodman Street (a large parking lot behind Village Gate)
Why: It’s a fun outdoor market with clothing, vintage and handmade goods, and plenty of food.
