Diamonds in the rough: Neighborhood Flea hosts its second monthly market of the year

Just like the hidden jewels to be found within the tents of the Neighborhood Flea, the market is one of Pittsburgh’s buried gems.

Between the warmer months of June and October, a pulsating pop-up marketplace calls the corner of 23rd Street and Penn Avenue in the Strip District its home. The Neighborhood Flea was started three years ago and it’s been offering memorable shopping experiences since the first tent was set up June 2013. The market is held once a month, for a total of five times a year.

From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Pitt alumna Carrie Nardini transforms a standard parking lot into a celebration of independent vendors showing their talents and hard work at the urban market. As an offshoot of the I Made It Market, a traveling crafts marketplace, Nardini has made The Neighborhood Flea a Pittsburgh-specific recurring event.

“I wanted to show something Pittsburgh can identify with other than sports,” Nardini said.

With over 30 stands and eight food trucks, the nomadic shopping plaza acts as a stage for creative people in the area. As ’70s music blares from the on-site DJ, you walk past the aisle of food trucks into a marketplace exemplary of Pittsburgh’s diverse cultural interests, and with a plethora of vendors, there are plenty of chances to discover something worth treasuring.

Items sold range from vintage flannels and aging books to handcrafted wooden furniture and stationery with quirky designs. Within each aisle and on every table, the novelties vied for the attention of wandering shoppers. The vibrant colors from the glass vases shining in the sunlight radiated from the center of the plaza. Each booth is filled with the artistry of Pittsburgh’s independent creators who specialize in products such as breathtaking jewelry, one-of-a-kind dresses or awe-inspiring prints and paintings.

When they weren’t browsing the stands, shoppers could walk over to the food truck area and experience some of Pittsburgh’s independent eateries. Intermixed with the regulars like Southside BBQ and The Mac and Gold food trucks are some of the lesser known vendors like Happy Camper Cakes, who specialize in cupcakes.

Gwyn Zollinger started her making cakes out of her camper — achieved by gutting some of the vehicle’s insides and replacing them with kitchen supplies — in 2014 and uses the Neighborhood Flea as a vehicle to turn her passion for baking into a business.

“Cupcakes are really hot right now and being here at the flea market gives us a chance to break onto the city’s food scene,” said Zollinger.

Happy Camper Cakes comes from Westmoreland County, proving it’s not just Pittsburgh natives making their way to the market. Vendors extend outwards to the greater Pittsburgh area, even coming from Ohio and the surrounding areas.

Champaign Paper, a company specializing in cards and stationery, is a regular at all the Ohio and Pittsburgh markets. Some of the funky designs included food, animals and Ohio themes.  Making the trip from Canton, Ohio, founders Shaun Mueller and Beth Tran use markets like The Neighborhood Flea to make their way to more ambitious plans.

“The markets are a great starting point to eventually getting a brick and mortar store,” said Tran.

The Neighborhood Flea is bustling every second Sunday of the month until October, and August 14 will be the next opportunity to peruse.

All the independent vendors come together to talk, eat and create something of their own miniature city.

“The Flea brings together a community that gets to show off the little treasures in the area,” said Nardini.