Three years ago, I launched Omaha Flea with the dream of hosting an indoor event during the holidays. Winters are cold in Nebraska & I wanted to host a market that was going to be cozy & warm. While waiting for a client at Café Postale, I realized it was the ideal venue for our market. The abundance of natural light, the café on site, and the spacious layout made this space a great home for our market!
After some careful planning and a lot of word-of-mouth promotion, we held our first market on December 10th, 2022. It was a resounding success—Santa even made an appearance! The real Santa was in a slight fender bender the morning of.. so in a panic I called every bearded man I could think of. Thankfully my husband Matthew saved the day. That part was very stressful.
PC: Brett Brooner
Holly Lukasiewicz from District 2 Floral showcased her booth at our first Omaha Flea. It featured a wreath bar with stunning holiday greens for customers to craft their own creations. My friend Carlie looked adorable with her finished piece! So much joy in the air!
My mom & her booth selling her garden art at Omaha Flea. She hosted her own Garden Art Market for almost 20 years in her beautiful yard. I think she may have influenced me a bit.
Last May, I learned I was pregnant (again), and our life was about to change significantly for our expanding family. I decided that I would not host the next market, but I also didn’t want our tradition to fade away. My friend Amanda, a talented event planner & fellow shop owner, stepped in to take over Omaha Flea. Passing the torch felt right. You may know Amanda from her shop in Dundee, Albany & Avers, where she sells vintage clothing, art, and home accessories. She has an amazing eye & incredible taste. Amanda is also very organized, making her the perfect leader for Omaha Flea.
A rack from Albany & Avers. Amanda lived in Chicago & her brand name represents both streets she lived on In Chicago. Albany represents fun & reclaimed while Avers showcases modern & trendy.
East Parlor & Harvest Cookie Co. were just some of the other vendors to name a few!
This past Sunday marked the inaugural Omaha Flea Spring edition, and we were thrilled with the turnout from locals, along with a few visitors from other areas. One interesting guest I chatted with was visiting from Amsterdam. I truly cherish the community aspect of participating in events like markets, as I learn so much from my customers, even about Omaha itself!
My neighbors, Elsewhere & Such, were absolutely charming, and I discovered their exciting business that focuses on curating vintage dominoes, dice, and Yahtzee sets. Morgan also crafts stunning Risograph prints on repurposed vintage postcards and creates beautiful game books. I ended up buying a 1970s domino set from her along with some delightful Risograph treasures.
One of my favorite podcast hosts, Amelia Hruby, was also in attendance. We exchanged amused glances since I knew her online and from her podcast, but we had never met face to face! Once we made the connection, it felt like reuniting with an old friend. I discovered Amelia’s podcast through a book I picked up in St. Louis, which led me to her podcast and revealed that she’s originally from Lincoln. If you’re looking to reduce your social media usage or find ways to sustain your business while stepping back from Instagram, I highly recommend checking out Amelia’s podcast, Off The Grid
Some vendors this Spring included:
Joanna G. Studio, Lionheart Canyon Studio, Old Soul Jewelry, Anna Stoysich Ceramics, BearLeggs Artisan Soap, The Craft Owl Studio, Third Nail Co. Ancestral Roots Medicine, By Heart and Hand (pictured below), Sunday Waffles, Truth Papers, Fahl Candle Co. (pictured below) Family of Things, Retro Pop Paper, Art by Nicole (pictured below) & Lucky Charmz
My friend Nicole at her first ever market! Nicole & I go back to elementary school. She is a mother & artist as well. Nicole specializes in live wedding painting on canvas, scene painting & portraits. If you have a memory you'd like for her to capture, she's your gal! Check out her artwork here.
Megan's candles (Fahl Candle Co) each one is one of a kind. She pours her candles into vintage vessels so each one is unique. Megan is a new mama too!
Mark your calendars for the Summer edition of Omaha Flea, happening at Sonny’s in Aksarben on Saturday, June 21st, from 12 PM to 5 PM.