south park flea market on the move
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In the face of light attendance, the South Park Flea Market is taking a breather for a week in preparation for its grand relaunch on June 1. There will be no market on May 25.
Big changes up ahead: The market will no longer be held at the low-visibility 8th and Grand. Instead, proprietor Phillip Dane has signed a deal to take the weekly event to the large parking lot at 11th and Figueroa, where the LA Central project is set to break ground next year.
The lot’s higher profile and proximity to the Convention Center, Staples Center and LA Live should help bring in more traffic to the market that has seen a trickle of shoppers in recent weeks.
Additionally, a $3 parking fee includes the price of admission to the market, where you can expect more farmers and food vendors. New hours are from 11:00am to 4:00pm.
So does this mean LA Central isn’t breaking ground anytime soon?
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9 comments
Maybe Astani’s 8th & Grand is breaking ground soon…..?
Well that’s too bad, we went to the flea market last sunday and it was almost totally empty, probably due to the heat. At least it was walkable from the historic core. Now it will be pushing it.
Neel, I had the same reaction! Apparently Phillip just doesn’t like the current location. Now the South Park flea market will be in the heart of South Park.
A good move? We shall see.
I’m sorry to see it leave the Historic Core area as well. But I can understand, with the low attendance of late. I was there myself last Sunday and many previous Sundays and have witness the lack of shoppers. It’s a shame more Historic Core residents did not support the growth of the Market. Guess I’ll be hiking to South Park every Sunday…still in the Downtown area, though, so no complaints.
Believe me, moving was not part of the business plan but honestly the turn out has been terrible. I can only do so much in way of promoting this project. Over 2000 flyers per week are distributed, ads in the LA Weekly, Los Angeles Downtown News, write ups in all the blogs downtown, articles in Angeleno, LA Times, Downtown News and many more…. only to see a small gathering of supporters. No one has to tell me it’s small, I know. $80,000 invested so far. I want to stay downtown but can’t unless the residents get behind the deal. It would grow into something huge in a short period of time if we show the vendors we want this in the neighborhood. I’m not sure anymore, but I don’t think it’s too much to ask people to come out for 15 - 20 mins on a Sunday and spend $20 to keep the market moving forward. I spend about $200 each Sunday on things for my house, kids and my girlfriend.
I also want to thank all of you that continually support this market and please come down on June 1st and check out the Free Music too. I have Emith lined up and you can check them out and get the latest updates on my site… http://www.southparkfleamarket.com Thanks!
my roommates and i have been saying this for 4 months… just make it monthly, like the first sunday of every month or second or whatever. its the weekly thing thats the problem. there’s only so many crazy hats and leather bound diaries u can buy. then when the attendance starts to warrant it, bring it to 2 weeks etc.
still, hopefully the new location will work out better, because in the end i still like the idea of dt having this at our disposal. good luck.
Phillip deserves much credit for his efforts. Hopefully the revamped format will provide more uptake on the part of locals.
“I want to stay downtown but can’t unless the residents get behind the deal. ”
For urban pioneers, downtowners dont seemto support businesses that much. Why move downtown and pay those prices if you could care less about growing businesses in the community?
I make it out to downtown often, and I am coming all the way from practically Palos Verdes. If I lived downtown, I would make it a point to visit all new businesses at least once, and chat it up with the owners. I dont care if its yoga, food, clothing, whatever. I would make a point to at least check it out.
I am glad businesses are still willing to bet on downtown’s residents.
From what i’ve heard, Moinian Group, the developers of LA Central, are expecting to break ground in late 2008. The project is approved. I know tht in this current market, massive condo/mixed use projects like this one are questionable, but look at the location. A block from the Blue Line stop, LA Live, Staples Center and the Convention Center. Two from the South Group towers, and 4 from 7th street. This property is too valuable to be left a parking lot, and with the second phase of LA Live opening December 1st, this wil get underway. By my predictions, it should be done around 2010-2011-2012…By that time, the market will have bottome dout, and be rising. More and more people will want to live near rail and bus stations, and in walkable neighborhoods as gas hits 5, 6 dollars a gallon.
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