The Brooklyn Bazaar returns to Greenpoint, weirder and more glorious than ever

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Brooklyn Bazaar

Photo: Regina Mogilevskaya

After a year-long hiatus, the Brooklyn Bazaar is finally showing off its swanky new digs in the heart of Greenpoint. The after-hours flea market and concert venue opened its doors to the public on Sept. 9, now fully settled into the Polonaise Terrace on Greenpoint Avenue, a former banquet hall with a glittering art deco vibe, which has been preserved in a way that brings out the best of the Bazaar.

Whereas the Bazaar’s previous home on Banker Street was one big delightful mess of a room, the new location provides a more simultaneously curated and trippy experience, almost like a fun house. The market–home to more than 30 rotating vendors–lives on the first floor in a chandelier-lit ballroom that looks like something out of Anna Karenina. Adjacent to it sits a Brooklyn Star spin-off restaurant, a kaleidoscopic hall covered in mirrors where everyone is in shadow, accented only by the light from red candles and dim light bulbs. Upstairs is the separate concert venue, while downstairs in the basement there’s a galactic scattering of ping-pong tables beneath neon lights, karaoke rooms, a mini golf course, and arcade games. Oh, and there’s a bar on every floor. Scratch that–it’s not like a fun house, it is a fun house.

Here are the coolest things we saw at the Bazaar on a recent weekend visit.

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Photo: Regina Mogilevskaya

Brooklyn Bazaar

Photo: Regina Mogilevskaya

As moody as the lighting in the market is, you’ll know where to spot the goodies when you need to. While you stroll and shop, enjoy a frozen raspberry margarita from the bar, or grab a slice of caramel apple pie to keep your strength up.

SHOP

Brooklyn Bazaar

Photo: Regina Mogilevskaya

Brooklyn Bazaar

Photo: Regina Mogilevskaya

Brooklyn Bazaar

Photo: Regina Mogilevskaya

It’ll be impossible for any jewelry fanatic to walk by the Sweetpeas & Gypsies booth without stopping. With prices ranging from $36 for rings to $120 for necklaces, Nicole Dubensky’s handcrafted jewelry includes stunning turquoise rings, delicate shark teeth necklaces, and long beaded necklaces with elegant stones.

Brooklyn Bazaar

Photo: Regina Mogilevskaya

It’s nice to see that Bernie Sanders’ face is still going strong, at least in the…wooden stamp community? The Beast Quality Rubber Stamps booth features a ton of quirky, handmade stamps that you’ll want to own, just because.

Brooklyn Bazaar

Photo: Regina Mogilevskaya

Brooklyn Bazaar

Photo: Regina Mogilevskaya

Brooklyn Bazaar

Photo: Regina Mogilevskaya

These days you can’t walk around Brooklyn without bumping into a vintage shop on every corner, but there’s something wonderfully unique about the Theobucket Vintage booth, where you can peruse $5 magnets and enormous binders full of fascinating ads that go as far back as the 1920’s. (This is particularly interesting if you’re, ahem, re-watching Mad Men for the fifth time). Make sure to chat with the owner of the booth, Nat, and his wife Rachel for some great stories on how they found their inventory over the years!

Brooklyn Bazaar

Photo: Regina Mogilevskaya

Not only can you purchase an original tattoo from endlessly talented tattoo artist Sara Gaugler, but you can actually get tattooed at the Bazaar, too. How’s that for a Friday night?

SNACK

Brooklyn Bazaar

Photo: Regina Mogilevskaya

Brooklyn Bazaar

Photo: Regina Mogilevskaya

At The Brooklyn Star you can choose from a chili frito pie sandwich, a bucket of fried chicken, corn dogs, and, yes, a raw kale salad.

ROCK

Brooklyn Bazaar

Photo: Regina Mogilevskaya

The stage at the Brooklyn Bazaar is something special; check out their upcoming performances.

PLAY

Brooklyn Bazaar

Photo: Regina Mogilevskaya

What’s better than ping pong and mini golf? Neon ping pong and mini golf, clearly.

LOOK

Brooklyn Bazaar

Photo: Regina Mogilevskaya

Brooklyn Bazaar

Photo: Regina Mogilevskaya

Look up, to the side, and all around you when you visit the Polonaise. The mirrors and chandeliers alone will keep you more than entertained.

One Response

  1. Theobucket -

    I am have the Nat as mentioned in the review of Theobucket Vintage. As a flash sale for any readers come down and see us at the Brooklyn Bazaar any Friday or Saturday night in October and you can purchase any of our extensive collection on Vintage Advertisements for only $10 ea. Normally these sell for $13 ea. Just mention sub.brooklynbased.com

    Reply

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