Greenflea, the flea market that has operated on Sundays in the playground and school building at 77th Street and Columbus Avenue for 34 years, closed for good last Sunday.
But that doesn’t mean there won’t be a flea market there. The market is re-branding as the Grand Bazaar, and hoping to inject some more life and new events into the market, which some insiders tell us needed some new verve. All of the net profits will continue to be distributed to PS 87, The Computer School, PS 334 and PS 452.
The Greenflea staff is expected to remain on board, but new vendors are expected.
“It’s really left up to the [current Greenflea] vendors if they want to join the new market or not,” ” wrote Julie Ra, the former head of GreenFlea who is now the executive director of Grand Bazaar, when we asked if the old vendors would be back. “We will of course have many new vendors, especially more artisans, designers, and food purveyors. I think you will see from the special themed events, https://www.grandbazaarnyc.
Each Sunday, they’re expecting to feature some new booths and pop-up shops.
The market will be open this Sunday for a sneak preview, and there is a “Summer Ice Cream Blizzard” scheduled for July 31.
The official grand opening for the new Grand Bazaar is set for September 11.
Image via Grand Bazaar.
We scream for ice scream blizzard!
In other words, they are going upscale. And by closing and re-opening and yet retaining the same management, they get to up the booth rent for the vendors.
Exactly! And from what I have heard the “new” management has been less than welcoming to vendors who have been there for many years. Telling one that people just don’t want to buy the kinds of things you sell.
Such an elitist attitude toward vendors who have supported the school through thick and thin is really inappropriate. Is this really the kind of market we want to encourage of public ally owned property?
Wait a second! I was thinking to unload some of my Greenflea purchases made over the decades. Big Yard Sale, perhaps. But now I’m thinking to hold on that that stuff to see how prices react to the Grand Bazaar.
I think it would be disloyal for Management to exploit those long time vendors.
i’m curious to know why GreenFlea would not be able to make changes to the booth rent at any time they choose. can you explain?
Long term leases?
Does anyone know why PS87 gets some of the profits when the wear and tear is on the playground and building shared by PS 452, Computer School and Anderson?
Per the article: “All of the net profits will continue to be distributed to PS 87, The Computer School, PS 334 and PS 452.”
Yes Siddhartha I read that. I’m asking why. The other three schools are in the building. They pay to fix damages done to the yard and the building and the bathrooms. PS 87 is down the street. I’m wondering why they get a cut. I’m also curious as to if 452 will continue to get a share if they move to 60th Street. While that seems absurd it isn’t much different than the PS 87 situation. Perhaps they can make the same deal Comment Bob says PS 87 made and promise not to have their own flea market.
I think it may be because PS87 started Greenflea way back when. Maybe someone who was around back then can confirm.
From what I understand, they get some of the proceeds for not offering a competing market in their playground.
So they’re colluding in an attempt to keep prices high? If two businesses did this it would be illegal.
The late New York radio personality Lynn Samuels once said that she enjoyed flea markets so much that even if she were to win the lottery, she’d still to go to flea markets– she’d just do so in a limousine.
I find this story extremely interesting. No doubt the flea market could use some new life… at the same time its really all i’ve known around here… i would walk around just for the love of the game most days; I love to walk. And I have barely ever actually bought anything despite so many walk throughs. So maybe it is time for something new… Still, I love a classic and this market was a real classic. i wonder what will happen next.
Does anyone know if the farmers will still be across the street?
Yes, I asked this past Sunday. They don’t have any connection to the Flea. They remain!
We would assume so.
I would imagine that since this market funds a school which largely serves the wealthier UWS residents, they would want to see a more upscale market that meets their tastes and lifestyle.
Really? The local public schools now “largely serve the wealthier UWS residents”?
So where do the *poorer* UWS residents send their kids to school? Private academies?
Oh, yes, and how about the middle class?
How many of *your* kids are in the public schools? (Predicted answer: You don’t have kids. Tell me I’m wrong; I can take it.)
Not schools but school. Obviously you are not familiar with the school referenced. Your old world is rapidly changing.
Ps 87 and Anderson each raise about a million dollars a year. That money can’t be mostly from Green Flea.
I think we’re all still waiting — how many of *your* kids are in public schools? Just how personally familiar are you with the public schools, anyway?
No, as I said, I didn’t think so.
I don’t care.
Sean, what school are you talking about? As the article states the four schools get money from the flea market. Three are housed in the building, one is down the street. The flea market is far from the sole, or even primary, source of revenue for these PTAs.
Lynn Sammuels—another bomb thrower…….
the parents let it run down by stopping all advertising- until they realized the schools were not getting the much sought after money that for years paid for all the extra services. Now once realized, the parents association is beginning to hopefully save the Market. As of now it has been a money loss for the venders…for the past two years..AND…The parents closed down the bathrooms for use by customers….the venders are able to use some dirty bathroom on the 2nd floor, which is usually the teachers bathroom….and mostly has a terrible smell. This takes 10 minutes away from selling each time a vendor needs to use the facilities….When a customer needs a bathroom, they leave the Market and go to Starbucks and never return to what will now be known as THE GRAND BAZAAR. Still without bathrooms.
That is correct. The Anderson school PTA spent a lot of money upgrading the bathrooms that hadn’t been renovated in decades for their children’s use. They don’t want them used and made filthy and disgusting like the bathroom you are referring to. That isn’t going to change because the market changes its name.
Couldn’t an arrangement be made to have the vendors pay for the bathrooms to be thoroughly cleaned each week after the market and also something to cover the wear and tear on them?
Also, why are the described conditions considered acceptable for the teachers? Difficult to imagine their union standing for this (or sitting, as the case more often probably is…)
both bathrooms had someone assigned to keep them clean all day long. The floor was mopped at least three times a day , and it was kept in excellent order. That was part of the operating expense overseen by the director. And, yes the upstairs bathroom should be in much better condition considering its use for the Women educators teaching on the second floor.
anon : the money spent on fixing the main floor bathrooms came in large part from the many dollars received from the Greenflea Market. You can not have it both ways. Raise rents , raise table fees, pay for school “extras” i.e. bathroom renovation included, and then remove use of the bathroom from customers and vendors alike.
The thinking of this policy appears to me to be very self involved and inconsiderate of the community .
d’ya think????
‘Buy here, but hold it in, there are no facilities for you!’
The profits from the flea market are split between 4 schools as mentioned in the article. The cost of the bathroom renovations was funded only by the Anderson school because only those kids use the bathrooms. You are simply making up “facts” that most of the money came the flea market.
Lots and lots of rumors and assumptions here! I think the UWS should be thrilled that a new market is coming and that they are continuing with the positive mission of Greenflea. When you think about it, our whole neighborhood and NYC changed, so why shouldn’t the market change too. The best part about reading all your comments is the market hasn’t even opened yet! 🙂 So no one really knows what is going to happen. All I can say is that I really like what I’ve read on their website and it looks like they are trying to make something nice out of it. So, let’s stop complaining and bashing here, and let’s support them!
You know Marcus, I was getting excited about the news (see Comment #1), but your Comment got me thinking. Why’s Marcus denying all our Comments as baseless? Why’s Marcus trying to get us to go along with his way of thinking?
Yes, the UWS has really changed!