Secondhand is first-rate at Bakersfield Vintage Sidewalk Sale
Apr. 26—If you stop in at Dagny's Coffee Co. for a beverage on Sunday, you might be surprised to find yourself in front of a vintage pop-up market.
Held on the last Sunday of the month, the Bakersfield Vintage Sidewalk Sale gathers dozens of local vendors offering great vintage and secondhand finds and luxury vendors as well as hand-crafted items like jewelry and home decor at 20th and Eye streets.
Simon Ontiveras, the owner of Bakersfield Vintage, started the event in 2021, offering it monthly except during the hottest summer months, said vendor Ashley Bobadilla (@FleaMarketShawty on Instagram) who came on board to co-host last year.
"Our goal is to bring a new crowd of vintage lovers together here in Bakersfield and to provide them with a space to get to know the rest of the community and to grow their own small businesses," Bobadilla wrote in an email.
Along with being centrally located, Ontiveras picked the spot catty-corner to the coffeehouse due to its proximity to his Eye Street shop.
"We love being close to the shop, and downtown has the perfect classic atmosphere," Bobadilla wrote. We are located right in front of Dagny's Coffee Co. which makes for a perfect Sunday stroll, and there are so many local businesses located around us that we hope there's something for everyone when they come out!"
More than 50 vendors are slated to take part in Sunday's event selling a variety of goods.
Some participants include Reflective Jewls (crystal jewelry and more), Rugcandi (tufted rugs), Svnflwr.Wear (vintage apparel), Aura Mobile Boutique (thrift and consignment goods), Mystic Threads (harem pants and clothing for "the modern-day mystic and yogi"), Lost Funds (clothing brand), The Morning Drive (thrifted apparel and accessories), The Rotation Clothing Co. (secondhand threads), Tricycle Soap Co. (small-batch soap and bath products), Sew Cute (custom apparel), Gemini Soul Co. (decorated cups), Creepy Clay Jewelry, The Boozy Barrel Rental (beverages and snacks) and thrifted goods dealers Shop My Style, Mitch Thrifts, Izzy's Closet, and 8th Vintage.
Bobadilla said she has been thrifting all her life, learning from her mom who used her skills to affordably source interior design materials.
"In high school, thrifting became less about being financially responsible and more about finding rare and unique items no matter how many thrift stores I had to hit," she wrote."
After a brief period selling new clothes that she bought wholesale, she decided she didn't want to sell items that were "made unethically, and would be thrown out or donated after three or four wears."
"At this point, I started incorporating secondhand items and learning more about vintage and how to spot it. I fell in love with vintage clothing and now years later I am very happy I made the switch."
She has seen the vintage market change as styles become more fluid.
"Over the past 10 years, vintage T-shirts with a good graphic have become fabric gold," she wrote. "As celebrities swap out luxury brands for rare and unique vintage pieces, though, all eras of vintage clothing are sought after! From the early 1900s to nostalgic early 2000s, wearing vintage and secondhand is now the trendiest and most sustainable way to dress."
The goal for the event now is to expand the audience of the market with more community support.
More than 120 local businesses are interested in vending but space may be an issue when the event moves indoors in the summer.
Bobadilla encourages anyone interested in taking part to apply for the next market on May 28. (The application link will be posted on her Flea Market Shawty Instagram page bio later in the week.)
Stefani Dias can be reached at 661-395-7488. Follow her on Twitter at @realstefanidias.
