Vintage Home Goods & Finds
HOW TO:
Haggle at a
Flea Market
Maria Tocco of the Providence Flea, now entering its
eighth season, tells us how to score the best bargain.
MORE LOCAL FLEA MARKETS
The Old Mill Vintage Marketplace and Flea (indoors),
3 Bridal Ave., West Warwick. Open Saturdays and Sundays,
10 a.m.–4 p.m. No admission fee. 226-3377. Bargain City at
Ann and Hope (indoors), 1 Ann and Hope Way, Cumberland.
Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. $1 admission fee. mybargaincity.com.
Seekonk Flea Market (outdoors), Seekonk Speedway, 1782
Fall River Ave., Seekonk, Mass. Open Sundays, April through
November, 7 a.m.–1 p.m. $1 admission fee. seekonkfleamarket.
com. General Stanton Inn Flea Market (outdoors with an
indoor antiques market), 4115 Old Post Rd., Charlestown.
Open Sundays April 26–Memorial Day weekend, then
Saturdays, Sundays and holiday Mondays through Labor Day,
8 a.m.–3 p.m. No admission fee, $2 to park on Sundays.
364-1818. Plainfield Pike Flea Market (outdoors), 2111
Plainfield Pike, Johnston. Open Sundays April 26–October
25, 6 a.m.–3 p.m. No admission fee. pikefleamarket.com.
Never throw out the first price.
“I would recommend people who have never haggled before to
ask, ‘What’s the best you can do on this?’ A vendor will come back
with an offer and you can accept or counter with a lower offer.”
Have a price ceiling in mind.
“Decide what you want to pay before you know the cost,”
Tocco says. “You’re going to find a lot of things at the market,
particularly from vintage vendors, that don’t have prices.”
Be realistic.
“[The vendors] are expecting to haggle with shoppers.
If you get anywhere between 10, 15 or even 20 percent off,
you’re getting a really great deal.”
Shop strategically.
“Late in the day — that’s when you get the best prices,”
she says. Browse, grab a coffee or sweet treat then return
to negotiate, especially if you’re eyeing an oversized item.
“They don’t want to pack it up again, transport it again, store
and bring it somewhere else to sell again.”
Be willing to walk away.
“Typically when you do walk away, the vendor will come
after you and offer a lower price,” she says.
Don’t haggle the artisan makers.
“I find that they price their work very fairly. I think it’s much more
likely you’d offend an artisan maker, whereas the vintage vendors
are expecting it. You want to be respectful of their creativity.”
Visit the Providence Flea on March 22, April 19 and May 3
for indoor markets at the WaterFire Arts Center in Olneyville.
The market returns to the Providence waterfront in late spring.
providenceflea.com —C.N.
50 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l
MARCH 2020
Designer
Karli Hendrickson’s
Favorite Vintage Finds
In her own words, the freelance designer, illustrator
and RIM contributing stylist shares the cream of her
extensive vintage crop.
LILY, THE OWNER OF FEMME AND NEST, IS A GOOD FRIEND
and knows my style well. When she’s spots something I’d
like, whether a pair of cute clogs, the perfect vintage mug
(I have a HUGE collection), or basically anything orange
with ’60s daisies on it, she scoops it up for me. The orange
pot was a birthday present from her. She has lots of amazing
home goods, artwork, furnishings and other curiosities that
she sells at popup markets and on her Instagram, @femme.
and.nest. She specializes in curated, | | CONTINUED ON PAGE 98