Attention Shoppers!

We all know times are tough. But Pittsburghers are tougher. And those who flea are toughest of them all!

Finally, Pittsburgh is being served the flea market it deserves. And where better than the historic Strip?

Starting Saturday, June 25 2011 at 8:00am-2:00 pm —Savvy shoppers and merchants from near and far will come together in one curious mash-up of great deals, one-of-a-kind finds, early morning coffee, all played out beneath that glorious Pittsburgh skyline.

Whether you’re looking for vintage clothes, vinyl, old-world fixtures for that fixer-upper, collectible jewelry, old-timey house wares—hey it’s a flea market, you know the drill—come search, sell and be seen at the newest, grooviest, greenest, buy & sell-fest in town:

Pittsburgh Flea in the Strip!

History of the Flea Market

The history of the flea market dates back over two centuries, when rag and bone men scoured through the garbage of Paris at night to find valuable junk to sell on. They were called ‘crocheteurs’ or pickers. The romantic term was ‘pêcheurs de lune’ or fishermen for the moon. Many set up their temporary stalls within the Paris walls, in sleazy neighborhoods but because these neighborhoods were full of pickpockets and thieves, they were chased out of the city walls to Clignancourt, Montreuil, Vanves, etc. The largest of these flea markets is the one at Clignancourt but the other two continue to this day.

The rag and bone men gathered outside the walls of Paris at the Porte de Clignancourt and set up temporary stalls where they hawked their wares. Eventually, they formed groups of stalls to attract more customers. The more enterprising traders began to ‘trade up’ in terms of goods and eventually it became popular for Parisian collectors and antique dealers to shop there for bargains.

In 1885, authorities in the town of Saint Ouen made a significant move to pave the streets and clean up the area, marking the official starting year of Les Puces. Several areas were designated as official market areas and a fee had to be paid to set up a stall there.

The markets grew until Monsieur Romain Vernaison transformed the acres he owned into a series of covered huts; voilà, Marché Vernaison was born.

Then an Albanian named Malik (rumored to be an Albanian Prince) bought a restaurant on rue Jules Valles and transformed the building into 100 stalls, forming the Malik market.

The Marché du Biron was formed in 1925, with two long rows of stalls and is known as one of the more expensive markets.