The 2013 Flea Market Thread- Page 5

[Pammylicious]

Posted: 9/23/13 at 1:22pm

They were doing construction at Shubert Alley but they still had the photograph/autograph booth there and several other tables. I believe the reason they didn't use the Times Square space was another event was being held there and it was just as crowded as the flea market. That was another reason for the crowds. Two events at the exact same time one block from one another.......does the city even think of crowd control when they book these double events.

[DivaBrigader]

Posted: 9/23/13 at 1:49pm

Jodi Benson was at "Newsies" last night. Now SHE should have been at the flea market photo booth!

[Kelly2]

Posted: 9/23/13 at 1:51pm

"Why? The posted hours were 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Why give people that kind of advantage? Doesn't BCEFA usually close off the streets while people set up and let everyone in at once? (Then again, I heard a lot of stuff was gone super-early from Phantom, which blindsided a lot of people.)"

I really agree with this. I think selling before 10AM is so unnecessary and wrong. The flea market starts at 10AM. Why shouldn't everyone have a fair chance at buying the things they love or the really cool items? There's a start time for a reason and IMO selling the good stuff to the few people who can camp out earlier isn't right.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/23/13 at 1:52pm

The first time slot at the autograph table I noticed a little girl I couldn't quite place until someone told me it was the kid from THE NEW NORMAL. I told her I didn't know she was going to be there and she laughed and said she was just going to the flea market and they asked her to sit in since some people dropped out. She was so darn cute and nice. I just wanted to ask her to do her Little Edie for me!

[Eris0303]

Posted: 9/23/13 at 2:01pm

For the most part most of the "Broadway" people I encountered were nice and polite. Save for one woman who was pulling a rolling suitcase. I was standing at a table browsing and she came to stand next to me but left the suitcase with the handle extended behind my legs. When I turned around to walk away from the table my shins hit the handle and I very nearly when over her suitcase and onto my head.

But the absolute rudest people I encountered were the Junior's patrons. Now, I fully understand that having the celebs there makes things a little harder for Junior's to DO business. I also fully understand that if you're trying to leave there are people in the way. But, any person there would be perfectly willing to step aside if asked. We all knew that people had every right to come and go from the restaurant. What they didn't have the right to do was barrel through the crowd and push people out of their way. If I have my back to you I have no idea you're coming. Therefore I cannot get out of your way. Crashing into me so hard that I nearly lose my footing and fall into another person only makes things worse.

[BwayGeek2]

Posted: 9/23/13 at 2:53pm

Elke: What an awesome haul! I am jealous of your Catch Me If You Can t-shirt!

[Cape Twirl of Doom]

Posted: 9/23/13 at 3:36pm

"Why? The posted hours were 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Why give people that kind of advantage? Doesn't BCEFA usually close off the streets while people set up and let everyone in at once? (Then again, I heard a lot of stuff was gone super-early from Phantom, which blindsided a lot of people.)"

I really agree with this. I think selling before 10AM is so unnecessary and wrong. The flea market starts at 10AM. Why shouldn't everyone have a fair chance at buying the things they love or the really cool items? There's a start time for a reason and IMO selling the good stuff to the few people who can camp out earlier isn't right.

No, the streets were not blocked off to pedestrians before 10am. The only barricades there were for vehicles. Why sell to them early? Because they were there, with their arms completely full of costume pieces, etc. Like bags and bags (hundreds of dollars worth) of stuff, and there was no way anyone was going to put stuff down and wait til 10. Having them stand there, not moving, for a whole hour would have been pointless and would have created more of a crowd, as then they are just there taking up space. Of course it would be better if people waited until 10am to start shopping, but the only way for that to happen would be to stop people before they got to the tables, by fully closing off the street to all who were not working the event until 10am.

Updated On: 9/23/13 at 03:36 PM

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 9/23/13 at 3:38pm

Of course it would be better if people waited until 10am to start shopping, but the only way for that to happen would be if Broadway Cares fully closed off the street to all who were not working the event until 10am.

I'm surprised they don't already do that. I didn't get to the Flea Market until 9:45, but it was already so crowded and the Phantom table so relatively empty of stuff that I would've believed it'd been going on for an hour or so already.

[JBC2]

Posted: 9/23/13 at 3:40pm

I kept track of the winning bid amounts up til the item I was bidding on came up. Here are a few examples:
The Phantom's Mask...$7500
Walk on role in Phantom...$5750
Walk on Mamma Mia...$5000
Opening night & Party:
Betrayal...$5300
Beautiful/Carol King...$3000
If/Then...$6000
Aladdin...$4600
Hedwig...$6500
Rocky...$2000

I might have a few more jotted down, so if there's one in particular, just ask.
Also,the walk-on role for Wicked ended at 3pm today on Charity Buzz.Winning bid was a few hundred over $16,000.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 9/23/13 at 3:40pm

"Having them stand there, not moving, for a whole hour would have been pointless and would have created more of a crowd, as then they are just there taking up space."

They should close the area to pedestrian traffic while the flea market is being set up. And if people would really stand there staring at the tables, unmoving for an hour if they were told the flea market wouldn't begin until ten...that's pretty weird. Go get Starbucks. Or better yet, get there when it actually starts instead of trying to jump the gun to one-up someone buying something you won't even remember you bought in a year.

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 9/23/13 at 3:51pm

BC/EFA just announced their total amount raised from the Flea Market: $631,222

Not too shabby. Congrats to all on that. Sorry to hear it wasn't a great experience for some, though.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 9/23/13 at 3:55pm

And if people would really stand there staring at the tables, unmoving for an hour if they were told the flea market wouldn't begin until ten...that's pretty weird.

Yeah. There's no reason to have a rush line FOR THE FLEA MARKET!

[NicoleMWright2]

Posted: 9/23/13 at 3:56pm

My finds

August: Osage County windowcard (was originally priced at $15 for one windowcard, $25 for two. Got it for out-of-town friends and after spending five minutes trying to find a second windowcard, the man at the table gave it to me for $10)
Hands on a Hardbody thermos - $5
Hugh Jackman Back on Broadway souvenir program (FREE)
Baby It’s You souvenir program (FREE)
Dreamgirls Film program (FREE)
A Christmas Story playbill (FREE from friend)
Rock of Ages LED lighter from Toronto (FREE)
signed banquet invitation prop from Cinderella - $5 - this was around noon, went back at 3 and they upped the price to $10 since they were selling well)
Matilda word magnet set - $1
knee high socks a la Kinky Boots - $1
free pair of tickets to Anthem (from the wheel table)
Rashidra Scott’s Hair nameplate - $1
Ghost original cast recording - wheel table
Genius Lovers - Strange Game CD - wheel table
Hairspray Hollywood Bowl canteen - $1
Carrie bracelet - $1
Sean Saves the World stress ball - wheel table
Kinky Boots shoehorn - wheel table
Newsies trading card set - $20 (marked down from $40 -- I expected to pay 20 for the full set)
Once guitar pin - $1

--
I echo the comments about people being pushy, especially at the tables for the merchandise companies. A good number of tables dropped prices to $1 for items (or 2 for 1) at 4:30, and other tables did the same when word got round that it was happening. I got to the area at about 10:10 and some tables were already doing great business. Decided against photo booth/autograph table this year and after reading how everything went, seemed like I made a good choice.

I think I did pretty well for my money this year and over $631K this year ... not bad at all :)

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/23/13 at 3:57pm

Kelly, trust me. I will absolutely remember the posters I bought at 9:20am. And if that means that I "one-upped" someone in order to get them, well than Boo F'in Hoo. The last time I saw one on them for sale, it went for around $2,000. And I got it for $20.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 9/23/13 at 4:01pm

"Kelly, trust me. I will absolutely remember the posters I bought at 9:20am. And if that means that I "one-upped" someone in order to get them, well than Boo F'in Hoo. The last time I saw one on them for sale, it went for around $2,000. And I got it for $20."

See, I just think that attitude is a little competitive and a little antithetical to the point of the flea market. Please don't take this as an attack against you personally, I'm glad you were able to get things you loved, but what if you were unaware that some tables sold before the advertised start time or you were unable to get to the flea market before 10AM and someone else bought all the things you wanted? Wouldn't you have wanted at least a chance at getting them or seeing them, same as everybody else? I know the world isn't fair but I guess I'm not going to give up on wanting it to be. You're happy with the system because you were able to work it to your advantage, but if the roles had been reversed, I imagine you would've been less pleased.

[MaddieBB12]

Posted: 9/23/13 at 4:01pm

I had an amazing time yesterday. We got into the city around 9:30 and got online to get SRO tickets for Kinky Boots, which we did (we were the first people online, and the tickets actually went on sale almost half an hour early, which a VERY unexpected but nice surprise).
But here's what I picked up:

PLAYBILLS:
bare (2012 Off B'way Revival)
One Man , Two Guvnors
Evita (2012)
Annie (with Jane Lynch)
The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2012-2013)
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Full color)
Hairspray (OBC)
Hands on a Hardbody
The Scarlet Pimpernel
Jesus Christ Superstar(OBC)
Thoroughly Modern Millie (OBC)
Cinderella (Full color)
Jekyll & Hyde (2013)
Chaplin
Potted Potter
The Performers (Opening night)
Scandalous (opening night)
Tarzan (opening night)
Nice Work if You Can Get It (Opening night)
Bonnie & Clyde (Opening night)
Kinky Boots (in Chicago)
Newsies (at Papermill Playhouse)
Cinderella (signed by the cast)
---And Kinky Boots, but that was from the show :)

Window Cards:
The DIary of Anne Frank (with Natalie Portman)
Carrie (2012 Revival)

OTHER:
Kinky Boots Demo (I only payed $1 for mine, as did my best friend, who was with me, and had the whole cast sign it after we saw the show.The cast even commented on it.)
A Tony Awards Seating chart from 1987
A 'Rent' Canteen
Bye Bye Birdie Scarf(2009 Opening night gift)
Derek Klena signed 'Wicked" Dressing room sign
A Bonnie & Clyde sippy cup
Broadway Green Alliance Playbill insert notebook from Mamma Mia!
A green duffle bag (I was *told* it was used onstage at Legally Blonde, but I', not sure I believe it. But, it was a nice bag, came in handy throughout the day and cost $7)

I also won a 'Hands on a Hardbody' CD for answering trivia.

KINKY BOOTS was absolutely FANTASTIC. And the cast was lovely at the stage door, and I was so starstruck by Stark Sands, since I have been a fan of his for a while.

Overall, it was a wonderful, unforgettable day.



Updated On: 9/23/13 at 04:01 PM

[MaddieBB12]

Posted: 9/23/13 at 4:01pm

Double post!

Updated On: 9/23/13 at 04:01 PM

[Marianne2]

Posted: 9/23/13 at 4:06pm

Good for them for raising that much money.

I can see where closing off that street until 10am could be a problem. There are other businesses on there and people may need to get into some of them for whatever reason. I know I walked through somewhere between 9:15 and 9:30 or so and saw people still setting up, so I decided to go sit and eat my breakfast until closer to 10. It was crowded then. I'm very amazed I remembered the table where I saw a box labeled Tony Playbills. I went straight back there right before I checked anything else out at 10 because I didn't want to miss my chance to see if they had the 2006 one. I also didn't feel right going there before then because of set up.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 9/23/13 at 4:07pm

but what if you were unaware that some tables sold before the advertised start time or you were unable to get to the flea market before 10AM and someone else bought all the things you wanted? Wouldn't you have wanted at least a chance at getting them or seeing them, same as everybody else?

!!!!!!!!!

Yup.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/23/13 at 4:08pm

I didn't work anything to my advantage, Kelly2. I live a block away and went over and people were selling. I'm sorry that you don't like that fact that they started selling early. I didn't like the fact that at 6:00 yesterday, everyone packed up and left even though it said it would go until 7pm. Who's fault is that? Do you want to yell at the vendors for leaving early and not "playing fair"? What about the poor people who couldn't get there until 6:30?

There are so many "fair" and "unfair" things to be concerned about and what time a charity starts making money really isn't one of them.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 9/23/13 at 4:12pm

I think the issue is more that the tables started selling WELL before the advertised start time.

Updated On: 9/23/13 at 04:12 PM

[Kelly2]

Posted: 9/23/13 at 4:23pm

"I didn't work anything to my advantage, Kelly2. I live a block away and went over and people were selling. I'm sorry that you don't like that fact that they started selling early."

It has nothing to do with whether I liked it or not. It didn't personally affect me. I only wanted one thing and I was able to purchase it for $5 in the middle of the day. So I really have no personal investment in it at all. You are very lucky to be able to live so close to the flea market and to be able to get there early and walk up and down and wait and take advantage of it if people choose to sell early. Most people are not in that position. And your having those advantages does not make you more entitled to the "good stuff" at the tables than anybody else, which you don't seem to agree with.

"I didn't like the fact that at 6:00 yesterday, everyone packed up and left even though it said it would go until 7pm. Who's fault is that? Do you want to yell at the vendors for leaving early and not "playing fair"? What about the poor people who couldn't get there until 6:30?"

I left early so I wouldn't know about that, but it's my belief that if you advertise a time that should be the time that the event takes place. Also, people getting there half an hour before the end of an event logically should expect their options to be more limited than people who get there exactly when the event starts.

"There are so many "fair" and "unfair" things to be concerned about and what time a charity starts making money really isn't one of them."

Sure, there's plenty of fair and unfair things, but this is a thread about the flea market so that's what is being discussed. It's fair TO YOU because it worked for you. But if someone was a huge fan of the same show as you and had flown in to go to the flea market, or driven in, or taken the subway from another borough and got there at exactly 10AM when the flea market opened, hoping to find something and they didn't have a chance because somebody sold it to you before the event even started...that kinda sucks for everybody in the situation who isn't you. And maybe that doesn't bother you, but if the shoe were on the other foot, I think it would.

[Liza's Headband]

Posted: 9/23/13 at 4:32pm

Oh, give me a break. "The early bird gets the worm." Remember that expression?

Regardless of where Jordan lives, he went early. Because he went early, he was privy to some early selling. That's life. If you have an issue with that, you can put that on the vendors -- not Jordan.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 9/23/13 at 4:33pm

I think it's unfair if tables were selling 30+ minutes before 10, but Jordan (for example) could've bought a Hardbody windowcard 30 seconds before someone else went to the table to look for one. I know I've looked through boxes of Playbills and haven't found what I wanted only because I clearly didn't look at every single Playbill in the box. So much of this kind of shopping is about luck.

[Kelly2]

Posted: 9/23/13 at 4:49pm

"you can put that on the vendors"

I do. I think they should sell at 10am as advertised. It's nobody's "fault" but theirs, if "fault" is really the right word to use.