Attendees waiting in line for entrance to one of Girl Next Door Flea’s past markets at the Sanctuary on Neil. Credit: Courtesy of Amanda Hoehl
Girl Next Door Flea’s markets aim to curate an inviting atmosphere for the girls of the Ohio State community.
The local business will host its Barbie Winter Dreamhouse market Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 618 Neil Ave., and will feature over 45 vendors.
Some of the offerings the market entails include coffee, cocktail and pancake bars, an onsite tattoo artist, tooth gem artist and tarot reader, as well as vintage clothing and decor vendors, according to Girl Next Door Flea’s Instagram post.
Amanda Hoehl, founder and owner of Girl Next Door Flea, said she started her business a year and a half ago with the intent of creating an environment tailored to the interests of her female clientele.
“I started out with my personal business,” Hoehl said. “I was doing all of these different flea market events around the Midwest, but they were all very male-dominated … So my friend and I got together. We were like, ‘We could do this so much better. We know girls who shop.’”
Despite being from New York, Hoehl said Columbus’ arts scene is the most vibrant one she has seen, and she appreciates being able to play a role in fostering this community.
In describing the atmosphere of her flea markets, Hoehl said the words “girlhood and nostalgia” come to mind, and this is only accentuated by the Sanctuary on Neil venue — a historic church decorated with pictures of female pop culture icons, from Madonna to Britney Spears.
These themes can also be seen in Girl Next Door Flea’s previous markets, which Hoehl said have entailed themes such as a Mean Girls-centered So Fetch Vintage Fest — centered around the film “Mean Girls” — and a “Sex and the City” Summer Flea based on the comedy-drama TV show.
A vendor that has been present at almost all of Girl Next Door Flea’s past markets is Valerie Tran, founder and owner of pochettely — Columbus’ first Italian charm bar.
Tran said being a vendor at these flea markets has been a fun and inviting experience.
“The marketing that [Hoehl] and the Girl Next Door Flea team put in — the time and the effort for marketing — is top notch,” Tran said. “There’s a good turnout at every event that they do, which is great, and it is so helpful to all the vendors.”
In addition to the events’ turnout, Tran said she also admires the audience that they attract.
“It’s honestly one of my favorite events here in Columbus,” Tran said. “It just really empowers girlhood and kind of emphasizes it. When you’re there at the event, it’s just so cool to have that experience come to life.”
Another seasoned vendor of the markets is Lola Nauman, owner of Dustbunniez Vintage — a clothing brand specializing in ‘90s and early 2000s women’s clothing.
“I’ve been doing markets for about six years now, and this is one of the first markets that I really think kind of fit within our niche of just like very girly [products],” Nauman said. “It’s nice to be around all women. Vintage can be a very male dominated field, so it’s just a very nice and accommodating experience.”
Nauman said she not only appreciates the clientele that the markets attract, but also the shopping experience itself.
“I enjoy that you can go get a tattoo, or a tooth gem, but you can also do vintage or get handmade stuff,” Nauman said. “It’s really cool.”
Nauman said she engages in the shopping experience while she’s vending as well.
“I’m a woman who owns my own store, but at the end of the day, I’m also a woman who’s a consumer and loves to go shopping and go to girly stores,” Nauman said. “That’s just totally my thing.”
Nauman also referenced how 70 percent of in-store shoppers are women — describing the importance of curating markets tailored to their needs and interests.
“I’m so glad that we have a women-centered market,” Nauman said. “It’s obviously going to be more successful because women have more of a want to buy, and then also, it’s just nice to feel represented and then just have things catered to us, as women … It’s just a nice and accepting experience. I personally love taking a break and going shopping while I’m there.”
At the first market she vended at, Nauman said broke her sales record, which was an experience unlike any other.
“There were just so many people coming in and out of my booth that there was a line, which is not something I’ve necessarily experienced,” Nauman said. “That wasn’t just in the case of my booth — that’s for literally everybody. It’s really cool how they get the community together, so everybody can really show up.”
At the Barbie Winter Dreamhouse market, Nauman said she will be aligning her stock with the theme by featuring many pink and sparkly pieces, as well as winter gear in time for the holidays.
Hoehl said her ultimate business goal with hosting Girl Next Door Flea’s themed markets is to promote sustainability and women-empowerment within the Columbus community.
“There’s so much over consumption in the world right now,” Hoehl said. “My overall goal is to help reduce over consumption and promote sustainability, but also to support the girls — the girls that want to shop small, and the vendors that have this dream … It’s just so cool that the girls show up with a dream and they see women supporting them.”
Tickets for the Barbie Winter Dreamhouse market can be purchased on Girl Next Door Flea’s website. 10 a.m. “early bird” entry tickets are $10, while general admission from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. can be purchased for $5.
Ohio State students can use the coupon code OSUBARBIE for 30% off all tickets.
