Oh Say Can You Flea

Vintage fabrics galore, a grand pair of old brownstone doors flanked by pressed-tin mirrors

“Apparently, we’re in desperate need of a flea market.” So said one Fort Greene denizen as he pushed his way through the mobs of hipsters at the neighborhood’s latest hot spot: the front lot of Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School. Indeed, the grand opening of Brooklyn Flea was the place to be on Sunday, despite the un-spring-like chilly temps and blustery winds. Curated by the real estate Web site, Brownstoner.com, the merch was a far cry from the cassette tapes and cheap sunglasses that infiltrate many a flea market. (Even the food was curated: Belgian waffles, mini quiches, couscous.) While the requisite reworked vintage T-shirts and onesies were aplenty, there were also some terrific curios to be had, ranging from retro textiles to an old oak door salvaged from a brownstone. While I really wanted to walk away with a gorgeous pair of lacquered wood and black glass night tables, circa 1955 ($1,600), or a Halston tie-dye-esque gown from the Seventies ($350), I instead settled for a very on-trend pleated blouse (sans label) with a rhinestone-dotted neckline, $15; a couple of pretty vintage books (Conrad Richter’s The Trees, $8, and Philip Truex’s The City Gardener, $15); a leather clutch with a metal “M” monogram, $20, and a kitschy plastic spoon holder in the shape of a peacock, $5. Watch your back, Clignancourt.

Judging books by their covers

Brookyn Flea Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School Lafayette Ave. between Clermont and Vanderbilt Ave. Fort Greene, Brooklyn, NY