W. Nicole is a lead designer for Nicky Canary Jewelry Design based in Fairfax, and comes to the Arlington Market every weekend. Photo by Eden Brown.
The Arlington flea market, outside the Courthouse cinema, near the farmer’s market on Saturday mornings, has grown up. It’s not a Paris “Marché de Puces” yet, but some of the stalls now resemble the famous Paris markets, where dealers come from far and wide to trade collectibles like old por
celain, postcards, and political pins. Doing some Christmas shopping there almost guarantees the gift won’t be on someone’s Amazon list or straight out of the Tyson’s Corner Mall, and in an era of shop locally, think globally — this is as local as it gets.
The stands that could be right out of the Porte de Vanves market or the Marché de St. Ouen are the collectibles by Alex Seytoff, whose eclectic selection includes two samovars, priced at half what they cost on the internet. He is there every week. And likewise, a few stands down, the vendor has some paper weights and blown glass.
For new grandmothers, there is a Thai vendor selling hand-crocheted caps in animal designs: the frog had great appeal to one browser. Nicky Canary jewelry designs is at the market every week.
Mary Howard came from Los Angeles and set up a business selling distressed wood and slate items with designs applied to them. She doesn’t have a website, because she likes meeting the people who buy her items. She comes every Saturday and enjoys the “vibe” from meeting people. She finds Arlington much friendlier than Los Angeles.
And for the hostess gift, while they last, at the Farmer’s Market, both Courthouse and Marymount, there are wildflower-inspired bouquets: the one at Marymount has milkweed pods as its “pièce de résistance.”