The 2013 Flea Market Thread- Page 2

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 5:32pm

Richard Ridge sold me an Anarchist mug (he saw my window card from a mile away and knew what I was looking for) and told me that someone had just bought 16 of them. Is that person here, perchance?

[Marianne2]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 5:49pm

Yeah, some stuff was overpriced. I wanted to buy some cups that they serve drinks at the theater in. 1 table had them at $1 all day. Sweet Concessions also went down at the end of the day. The other table, I don't recall had them for $5 and didn't go down when I went through again. They lost that sale. I would have purchased at least 2.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 6:10pm

At about 5:30, they started packing stuff up for the day. Very strange.

And photos with Bernie were SEVENTY FIVE DOLLARS?!?!?!?

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 6:12pm

Why would one person ever need 16 window cards of the same show?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 6:13pm

I think it was 16 mugs, not windowcards. Ridge tried all day to get me to buy a mug for $1 but even that was too much.

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 6:15pm

Oh. LOL

Still, 16 mugs..? I guess that covers you for two weeks of coffee drinking without having to run the dishwasher.

[VotePeron]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 6:15pm

Wanted a Bring It On sampler CD with 3 tracks on it. The guy wanted $5 for it and wouldnt budge. Oof.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 6:15pm

Yes, sorry, it was 16 mugs. Maybe they're giving them as Christmas gifts? I actually really like it because it's exactly the size I prefer my mugs to be.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 6:18pm

I really wanted to get a photo with Faith Prince, but when they told me I had to wait in line and they couldn't guarantee I could get a photo with her unless other people wanted one, I lost interest instantly. Now I'm even more glad I didn't stay, because that on-the-fly pricing would've aggravated me. They advertise $10. That's what it should be.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 6:18pm

The flea market is actually where I always buy a majority of my cast recordings from the previous season and this year I got exactly one cd. There was no way I was going to spend that kind of money on used CD's, even if it was for charity.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 6:18pm

And I don't meant to kvetch because I know it's for charity, but a lot of us that attend have to set ourselves budgets...

[passing strange]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 6:22pm

I had a great time at the flea market today. I got there at 10am for the first hour of the autograph table. The Matilda actresses were so cute. They looked really excited to be there. I got autographs from Rory O'Mally, Judith Light, and Faith Prince too. They were all super cool. I will definitely do the autograph table again next year.

[Anakela]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 6:31pm

I spent $35 total this year, and my two favorite purchases were a $1 "Livin' Evita Loca" shirt, and a $2 Elf Santa hat. I wore that Elf hat all day; two people tried to buy it off me.

Agree that the prices seemed way out there this year - when I was at the Kinky Boots table and saw that they had some random (meaning not opening night, not signed, etc) bathrobe from Wicked priced at $200, because it belonged to Jerry Mitchell, I kind of figured I would be looking more for the fun cheap items this year.

[Pammylicious]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 6:33pm

Like clockwork at 4:30 prices dropped dramatically. T-shirts were $1 2/$5 that were $5 and $10 an hour before. I got a Rent flask and large picnic basket which I am sure that was used as a prop, they just didn't know from where. Some other assorted $1 items including the cups that were $5 before.

11 CDs (including Matilda OCR-broken jewel case) and Grease (Laura Osnes revival). Total of all 11 was $27.

7 t-shirts including the ladies Hands on a Hardbody ($2.50)

i won a book at the Telecharge table called The Shubert Organization, very nice cocktail table piece.

The flea market was smaller since they didn't use the space on Broadway and who the heck booked an Indian fair on the same day?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 6:56pm

At 5:30, they pretty much decided to call it a day. I went back around 6:15 and the whole thing was shut down. But I really do have some major issues with some things this year -

1) The autograph table. They really need to figure out a way to not combine this with the photo booth. I was right at the front of the line at 2pm and we still waited almost until 3pm to get Bernadette to sign our stuff and that was done in a rush because she had spent her whole hour almost at the photo booth. That's really not fair for everyone behind us who waited so long to see her and couldn't get anything signed. And that' was after waiting around 35 minutes for Laura Benanti to come back from the photo booth. It seems they put the focus entirely on that photo booth and if they have time to come back to sign, they'll let them and that is completely unfair and wrong. They should have the stars commit to 2 hours and do 1 hour at the table and 1 hour at the photo booth to make it fair for both lines. Because this system that they've been using for so long just doesn't work.

2) Autograph Table issue #2. I called BCEFA and was told it was 3 items per person to get things signed so that's exactly what we brought. No issue for the 11am line. At the 2pm line, we were told that they had changed it and it's now only 2 per person. F*CK. YOU. I wasn't having that at all and gave each person 3 things which they were glad to sign since I'm sure they didn't even know about the limit to begin with. I doubt everyone behind me in line who had their 3 things was as brazen as we were to put them on the table but you absolutely can not change the rules at the last second like that AFTER people have paid. It's unfair and just an all around real SH*Tty thing to do.

3) The prices. Again, I know this is for charity but they need to send out a memo on what's acceptable pricing otherwise they're not going to make any money off these things. They were trying to sell me a "KINKY BOOTS DEMO CD" for $10. I asked if they were demo tracks different from the actual CR and was told no, it was just a sampler. $10 for a CD sampler? Are you F'ing kidding me? They can't GIVE those things away and that's exactly what they were trying to do at the end of the day since nobody had bought them for that outrageous price.

4) Table workers attitudes. I got there around 9am because a lot of times you'll find the best things early and for the most part, people will be more than happy to sell to you early. And after all this is on a public street and they can't stop people from walking in and wondering what's going on and wanting to buy stuff they see for sale. But this year the attitudes of a lot of these people was just atrocious. At 9:55 I was looking at a HANDS ON A HARDBODY opening night gift and asked the lady who was basically standing around picking her ass, how much it was. She told me it's not 10am yet and they haven't even started pricing things. At the same time someone else was looking at something on that table and the old man working with the woman actually YELLED at him to "STOP BROWSING! IT'S NOT 10AM YET! NO BROWSING UNTIL 10!!!!" I really wanted that HARDBODY thing, too and when she saw that I was just going to stand there she took it off the table and moved it behind the table somewhere. I wish I could remember what table it was but I don't remember even seeing a sign up for it. But I wanted to kick her in the tit.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 7:37pm

I really wanted the engraved Hands on a Hard body frame too but didn't get it.

I really wish more people had the sense to say "I won't pay $50 for Jeremy Jordan/Corey Cott". But all the girls using mommy and daddy's money were glad to line up.

[IronMan]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 7:38pm

Jordan, after you spend a day working one of those tables you get back to us on how charming and polite you stayed while fending off vultures who try to buy things before you have a chance to put it out, slobs who throw all your merchandise around, and especially those who think that because you are standing behind the table that you know every single thing that your group donated and can tell them exactly where they can find it and how much and can they have it for less?

When I've worked the booths, I made sure that everything was priced and labeled BEFORE it was brought to the table (live and learn!), but unless you've done it before, it's a HUGE and wearying task. Remember that EVERYONE working there is giving up a valuable morning off so that they can help out- they're not professional flea-marketers. To show up and lug big boxes of junk through Times Square at 9am and then have the vultures trying to buy things before you are ready to sell is highly annoying. There's a start time for a reason, and just because you are there early doesn't mean everyone is ready for you.

That said, no, they shouldn't have snapped at you. But try to understand why they did- because if you were so eager to buy something, then maybe they could raise the price... it IS for charity, after all, and we always try to get the most money we can AND get rid of everything we have. This is why prices start high and are marked down during the day.

I have loved working the booths and will do it again when I can- but it's a damn hard job (especially when you have to leave to go work a matinee, then come back to clean up) and the people who are giving up their time to help you find that flop-show windowcard deserve a break.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 7:52pm

I was surprised at how shovy people were this year. It was like puppies running for kibble.

[Eris0303]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 7:55pm

I find the use of the word "vulture" to be highly unnecessary. While there are some jerks I'd say most of the people are nice and polite.

Like Jordan said - most of us are there spending our hard earned money. Saying we're there to get as much out of as possible kinda borders on a vulture like attitude


ETA: Agreed, Lizzy.

Updated On: 9/22/13 at 07:55 PM

[stevenycguy]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 8:04pm

I just have to say a big thank you to all the volunteers who put the flea market on, year after year. All the people I came into contact with were extremely helpful, and many went above & beyond to chat with people, ask if they were finding anything good, etc etc. They made it fun and were happy to search for merchandise if you couldn't find it on their table. Got a mix of tickets, CDs, playbills, mugs, t-shirts, posters, books. Some booths started closing at 5:30pm, and by 6:25pm it was over. I thought the crowds brought a fun energy to the flea market, and it raises more money for charity that way. I look forward to the flea market every year and can't wait for the next one.

[IronMan]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 8:05pm

Geez, folks- it's just a word. Though most people are lovely, there ARE those few who behave rudely. I apologize to anyone offended by my language.

Please don't kick me in the tit.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 8:14pm

When looking through boxes of Playbills shoulder to shoulder with other people, I try to ask people what they're looking for, to see if I can help them. But today I noticed that no one asked me what I was looking for, and I was wondering if I was the odd one for bothering someone while they were in their zone.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 8:18pm

I had a guy shove through me saying, "EXCUSE ME, EXCUSE ME!!!" at one of the $1 t-shirt tables and he said it in such a way I thought he'd dropped his wallet or phone near my feet, but no, he just wanted to look at the shirts in a much more urgent manner than I did, apparently.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 8:20pm

"Geez, folks- it's just a word. Though most people are lovely, there ARE those few who behave rudely. I apologize to anyone offended by my language."

No, it's your entire general attitude that I find offensive. Much more so than anyone I encountered at the flea market today.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 9/22/13 at 8:23pm

Sorry, "vulture" isn't appropriate for most people at the Flea Market, but it certainly is for some. Obviously without the people who are spending money on the items, there's no point in having the flea market, but there is a standard of decorum and respect that every year I wish were observed, and every year it is not. The odds that the person in front of you browsing for Playbills is looking for the exact thing you are...slim to none. You can take a breath and wait. I watched a girl in a Matilda shirt all but run over someone on crutches trying to get to the table because her favorite Matilda was over there selling or something. It was definitely a ruder crowd than I've ever seen before and I felt for the volunteers. I've worked it before but it was certainly not as bad.

I just think it would be nice to keep in mind that there are many people there who want to enjoy it as much as you do. The people organizing it and donating their time are giving just as much as you are because without volunteers and without donations and without everyone from big Broadway stars to unpaid interns for Broadway Spotted choosing to be there in a hectic, stressful, difficult situation for free the flea market wouldn't even exist. That's no excuse for sellers to be rude to anyone, there are better ways to set ground rules and make decisions about when to sell without snapping, but really this year something was in the Kool Aid because people were straight up cutthroat and nasty. What the f could they possibly sell at the flea market that's worth being a psychotic monster over?