BRIMFIELD FLEA MARKET

In mid-May I had the chance to travel north to the sleepy town of Brimfield, Massachusetts with our buying team to attend my very first Brimfield Flea Market. I've wanted to experience this world famous market for years and to say it was a dream come true would be an understatement. I was there to catalog their experiences and collect inspiration for a series of posts on BHLDN's blog B-Inspired. What I ended up with was a new appreciation for the creativity of our buyers, and memories of great times with a team I love more each day.

Days started early, with Dunkin Donut coffee in hand and layers of clothes to shield us from the pre-dawn chill. We'd hit the fields by 6AM, and visit tent after tent of chotskies and treasures. The buyers were a well oiled machine; scanning tables and quickly flitting through booths like the pros they are. Each group had their own mission: Accessories was after vintage jewelry and exquisitely detailed handbags, while Decor was after embroideries, unique metalwork or woodwork, and paper ephemera. In some cases their field finds are a perfectly curated capsule for our stores' vintage assortment; while for others the journey has just begun as they'll inspire products in the months to come.

I did manage to squeeze in a few tents for myself this trip, bringing home a stuffed Indian elephant (random I know) and a hand embroidered shaw from the Victorian Era. They're both helping finish up that living room project I started months ago. I think I'll need to go back to Brimfield, and next time bring a small fortune and a Uhaul. - b.