For 11 years, The Boise Flea has been Boise, Idaho’s hot spot for lovers of vintage goods and Sunday strolls.
Erinn Urquiaga, the founder of The Boise Flea, took to social media in February to make a huge announcement — the market would be moving to a new location for the 2024 season.
“We are moving locations this year, and I honestly can’t think of a better location than this,” Urqiuaga said in an Instagram post. “We’re so excited to be at Boise State.”
The Boise Flea, which runs from April to October, allows small and upcoming business owners an opportunity for community outreach. The new location provides space for more vendors, larger booths and shopping accessibility.
Paityne Hume is a Boise State student utilizing The Boise Flea this year as a way to make money and connect with her community.
“It’s super quick in the morning to get everything ready and drive over here,” Hume said. “I am actually able to do what I like. Thrifting, fashion and stuff like that. I’d rather do this for the whole day than sit at a boring job.”
In a shared booth with two friends, Hume is selling a variety of handpicked vintage clothing, accessories and personally designed items. This is her third time hosting a booth at The Boise Flea Market.
“I feel like the first time you do it it’s definitely a lot more preparation. You’re getting stuff like your tables, clothing racks and tent ready. Once you have your base, it gets easier each month,” Hume said.
Hume is in the process of creating her own personal brand called Cinnamon Girl Vintage. She plans to sell handmade jewelry and resell curated vintage clothing.
One of Hume’s favorite parts about reselling clothing at The Boise Flea is the convenience of it, especially as a full-time college student.
“I have another job, but if I could make this my full time job I would love to because it’s on your own time,” Hume said. “There’s plenty of thrift stores around campus, so you don’t have to do much traveling or preparation for it. I think it’s super convenient.”
Grant Procal attends The College of Idaho and is also hosting a clothing booth at The Boise Flea.
“I love it. It keeps me going,” Procal said, reflecting on his first year of managing his own resale brand. “It may not be the most profitable business, but I love the grind of it.”
Procal’s personal brand is called Granted Vintage. While his current focus is reselling vintage streetwear on Depop and at The Boise Flea, he dreams of growing his business to a larger scale in the future.
“I’d want to scale it to a level where we can travel and sell clothes to people,” Procal said. “Right now, we’re stockpiling money to be able to go and buy a mass amount of clothes. We’re [selling at the flea market] in the meantime to build up that revenue and steady connections to people in Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Utah.”
Procal doesn’t run his resale business alone. Campbell McKenzie, Procal’s friend of five years, finds passion in connecting with customers at events like The Boise Flea.
“He likes finding it, I like selling it,” McKenzie said of their collaboration. “I love seeing what people wear and how they express themselves.”
“I like the commitment and I like the people,” Procal said. “I get to talk to people from all different walks of life. It’s a really eye opening experience.”
Procal and McKenzie plan to expand their network and brand as they work through school. They say The Boise Flea has played a key role in helping them reach their goals.
“I really think it’s a great opportunity for students,” Hume said. “There’s always spots available, so you’re never rushing to buy one before anyone else. I also think it’s a really good price, especially if you’re splitting it like [my friends and I] did.”
The Boise Flea is open to any vendors who fit under the categories of antique, vintage or handmade goods. Interested vendors are encouraged to send a direct message to The Boise Flea via their social media pages.