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In March 2019, she cultivated 45 distributors promoting home made treats, crafts, and classic items below the roof of Tarpon River Brewing in Fort Lauderdale. Practically 1,000 folks confirmed up on its very first day, and it has been successful ever since.
Quick ahead to 2024, and Flamingo Flea is popping 5 years previous. Now, Sumner has almost 70 flea markets and pop-up shindigs scattered all through Florida — a powerful feat for any entrepreneur.
“A very powerful factor has been seeing a few of our distributors, who have been with us from the very first flea, now opening their very own brick and mortars, leaving their full-time jobs, and committing to their goals,” she tells New Instances. “That is greater than a buying expertise; it is about spending a while with the gifted folks and companies in our space, listening to some stay music, and actually feeling the vitality.”
Among the many Flamingo Flea success tales is the Crumb Up. A husband-wife-owned, handcrafted dessert enterprise hailing from Lake Price, the Crumb Up was among the many flea’s first distributors. Since then, it has opened an internet retailer and supply operation, expanded to large-scale festivals, and not too long ago opened a meals truck.
One other success story is the mother-daughter-owned the Wallflower Shoppe. A purveyor of home made décor, candles, skincare merchandise, and extra, the spot was a daily at Flamingo Flea occasions from the start. After seven months of building, this previous December, the Wallflower Shoppe opened its first brick-and-mortar location in Cape Coral.
Presently, the Flamingo Flea rotates venues each different month between Tarpon River Brewing in Fort Lauderdale and Loopy Uncle Mike’s in Boca Raton. All through the years, greater than 1,500 completely different distributors and 15 venues have participated. Sumner says she now receives greater than 100 functions to fill 35 vendor spots at every occasion.
The ambiance at every Flamingo Flea is as healthful and feel-good because it will get with stay music, the turnout of a complete group, canine (who’re at all times welcome), and the companion breweries who usually provide up particular offers and menus.
“We stay in a fairly transient space, with folks transferring out and in on a regular basis,” she says. “We wish to faucet into making folks really feel like they’re part of this group. At Flamingo Flea, they will meet new folks and have a way of belonging.”
To have a good time its fifth anniversary, Flamingo Flea has a variety of occasions slated by means of June, together with an anniversary flea at Tarpon River Brewing (March 10), Loopy Uncle Mike’s (April 20), and its bi-annual Pet Brunch at Tarpon River Brewing (April 28).
Flamingo Flea. Midday to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 10, at Tarpon River Brewing, 280 SW sixth St., Fort Lauderdale; flamingoflea.com. Admission is free.
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