The Junction Flea’s success continues to grow and expand as they celebrate the winter season with their first outdoor holiday market held at Evergreen Brickworks. We slapped on our toques, sharpened our skates and tracked down the ever busy Micah Lenahan – organizer of The Junction Flea – to discuss the new location and remind us that a market is more than just selling goods.
Can you tell us how the partnership with Evergreen Brickworks started?
Our involvement with the Evergreen Brickworks started when they reached out to talk about a modest expansion to a small Sunday market that they were running. We are big fans of the facility and we regard it as a beautiful and intelligent space for families to explore in the city.
What attracted you to the space?
The combination of old industrial setting, mixed with nature, and contemporary designs have been brought together in a very thoughtful way. We decided that the full scale Flea could be a good fit with the large, open facilities.
What did you learn from your experience with The Junction Flea that is helping you expand your brand to the Brickworks?
The experience of having run the Flea in an essentially amenity free site in the Junction was a good starting point for considering the real requirements in running the event. We knew that having the original neighbourhood being so supportive was not something to be taken for granted, so there was a certain feeling of starting something new.
Have you been able to maintain some of your vendors from The Junction? How did the Junction area community react to the move?
We maintain a large core of vendors from the original Flea at the Brickworks, along with a few new ones. In the case of people who feel they are suddenly leaving their geographical comfort zone, we are confident in letting them know that it’s a spot that is worth visiting regardless of the fact that our event is there. The ethos of the Junction will always be an important aspect of our approach to the event.
How is the mix of vendors at the Evergreen Brickworks Market different from The Junction?
We continue to play with the vendor mix. The foremost goal is to have it feel like a full and self-contained experience, but one where the vendors will have a good opportunity to sell in a sustained way and not just be there for curiosity sake.
Thoughts on the whole experience, from summer to winter?
It has been a complete honour to work with TAS, for the past two years. You could have just let the lot sit empty collecting garbage but instead you let us run an amazing event. You landscaped the site, brought in shipping containers, and attended every single one of our events with your families. We couldn’t have asked for a better partnership.
What is your New Year’s Wish for 2014?
The Flea is looking forward to 2014 and constantly on the lookout for new sites that can be activated.
Richelle Sibolboro 