April 30, 2013 By Christian Murray
The organizers of a new, outdoor flea market have been flooded with applications from potential vendors.
LIC Flea & Food, which will be located at the corner of 5th Street and 46th Ave., has room for about 60 vendors. To date, about 200 vendors have applied for those spots, said Joshua Schneps, the president of LIC FLEA & FOOD.
The organizers, who held a press conference at the site of the market on Tuesday, are trying to create a flea market that offers a variety of different product types– from food, antiques, collectibles, arts, crafts and fashion—in making their selections. The market will take place on Saturdays and Sundays– and will start on June 15.
While Long Island City vendors will be among the 60 chosen, Schneps said that the vendors are being selected based on the quality of their products as opposed to where they are based.
Three well-known LIC businesses, however, have already been selected. Manducatis Rustica, Matted LIC and Malu will be selling their products.
The flea market, however, is also going to include new businesses that may not be able to afford a storefront, officials said.
The organizers hope the market will become a weekend destination for residents and visitors from around the city.
“We hope to create a venue for residents to stay connected in their own community by keeping them local and attracting people from all over Queens, New York City and even tourists,” Schneps said at the press conference.
Schneps said that the market is within walking distance from the No. 7, E and G trains. Furthermore, there will be buses that take people to the market—and back– from the East River Ferry.
The market is expected to receive an influx of attendees, since residents at TF Cornerstone’s development at 45-45 Center Blvd will begin to move in by early June. That development, which is next to the site of the market, has 820 apartments.
