Fashion and Function at Fenway Flea
A new, upscale flea market makes its mark on Boylston Street in Fenway.
By Danielle Miller
Photo by Avani Mitra
With chill hip-hop beats, dozens of passionate vendors, and unique, handmade designs, Fenway Flea was a patch of artful vibrance among its concrete surroundings. Located in The Station, a new creative outdoor space on Boylston Street, Fenway Flea embodied the sights and sounds of Boston with the nostalgic flavors of art and community, which are lacking in such a commercial area.
Aptly named, The Station is a repurposed gasoline station canopy that has been painted sky blue, bedecked with modern lighting, and strung with chain-link swings. The paved entrance is decorated with a tasteful mural stating, “Glad You’re Here.” This was the perfect space for an artisanal flea market, like Fenway Flea.
Beginning in the summer of 2022, Original Markets (@originalmarkets), the host of Fenway Flea, set up their tents at The Station every Sunday from 12:00-5:00 pm. Although the market’s season is officially over, its success made vendors very hopeful for another season.
Sofia Farah (@thetenthstringco), the owner of The Tenth String Co. and Fenway Flea vendor, assured that Original Markets was, “talking about potentially doing some more pop-up shops throughout the winter.”
Farah explained her vision of The Tenth String Co: “I upcycle pre-used clothing by sourcing materials from basically anywhere that I can get secondhand clothing… As they start matching each other, I’ll start cutting them up, combining them, and then sewing them back together. It started out as a hobby, but as I learned how detrimental fast fashion was to the world, it became a passion.”
This past summer, Farah received a DM on Instagram from Original Markets inviting her to join the market. To the artist, this “was super exciting for everybody just because of the location and the foot traffic. They asked if I wanted to vend and it was an easy yes.”
Sculptors Moon Rodriguez (@plainboyceramics) and Bean Pecorari (@bean_ceramics) were also invited to vend at Fenway Flea by Original Markets through Instagram.
For Rodriguez, “I like to allude to the rigidity of traditionalism with very geometric, tight shapes mixed with the fluidity and movement that clay can capture. So, I’m interested in how the looseness and tightness can be combined to create an interesting piece.”
Pecorari’s designs are more playful, “I do a lot of figurative sculpture. I like to include nods to comedy and little jabs to get people’s attention. I like making people laugh.”
In addition to these talented artists, Fenway Flea featured tents from local plant sellers, other fashion upcyclers, soap-makers, and many more. The Fenway area is lucky to have a space like The Station where Bostonians can support their local art community. In the words of Rodriguez, “it’s so much better than another high rise.”