BEDFORD-STUYVESANT — A new flea market selling clothing, antiques and jewelry from inside vintage Airstream trailers has taken over an empty Bed-Stuy lot.
Akichi Flea set up shop in an empty lot on the corner of Fulton and Spencer streets this month and will operate through the summer.
Owner Hisaki Kiyohara was inspired to open the market with five friends after riding across the country on their motorcycles, where they discovered Airstream trailers made in the 1960s and 70s.
They bought three from Wisconsin and Florida then brought them to Brooklyn to create the market, Kiyohara said.
“We really love old vintage stuff, from clothes to our motorcycles,” Kiyohara said. “When we saw the lot on Fulton, we thought of building stores inside the Airstreams and saw it as a chance to make things happen.
“We hope to contribute to the neighborhood in cleaning up the block and bringing something different to what used to just be a vacant trash bin.”
Kiyohara houses a clothing business in one of the three trailers, and co-owners plan on re-purposing another as a motorcycle customizing shop.
The rest of the outdoor space, at 1181 Fulton St., is available for up to 15 local vendors.
Kiyohara said the group plans to host a farmers market during the week and later on hopes to turn the lot into a beer garden or another “creative outlet.”
“Akichi,” which means “empty space” in Japanese, is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
