Gowanus Lounge: Serving Brooklyn

Thor’s Coney “Flea by the Sea” Goes Afro-punk

February 19th, 2009 · 7 Comments

A while back, Thor Equities announced that it would have a flea market called “Flea by the Sea” in summer 2009 on the big empty lot it owns on Stillwell Avenue, between the Bowery and the boardwalk. (The lot is empty because he demolished all the rides and attractions two winters ago.) Last summer it briefly hosted carnival rides, which he would presumably put on the Astroland property this years. Hence a full, empty city block. Yesterday a tipster passed along an email that has gone out to members of the Afro-punk community. Here it is:

Hi guys, We would like to share this 0pportunity with all of you: “Coming in May, a totally new and exhilarating experience will be coming to Coney Island – a magical and festive place to eat great food, hang out, and see and be seen, and of course, SELL YOUR FANTASTIC MERCHANDISE!! Flea By The Sea is a revolutionary approach to the conventional flea market. With thrilling rides, games,live entertainment, and unprecedented million-dollar advertising campaign letting every New Yorker know Coney Island is going to be hotter than ever this spring! So if you’re looking for a new way to have fun in the sun, and make some money too, nothing will beat the Flea By The Sea..or as we like to say…fuggettabout!! TO FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN PARTICIPATE
CALL 8 8 8.940.8 8 81 OR WRITE FLEABYTHESEA@GMAIL.COM…We would like to share this 0pportunity with all of you.

So, let’s see, an Afro-punk Flea by the Sea with “an unprecedented multi-million dollar advertising.” This promises to be even better than last year’s Summer of Hope.

Tags: coney island

7 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Brenda from Flatbush // Feb 19, 2009 at 10:10 am

    I feel really really dorky for having to ask, but what is Afro-punk?

  • 2 anon // Feb 19, 2009 at 10:25 am

    I can assure you, that Thor Equities & Joe Sitt will be charging a nice rental fee for a booth & maybe even get a percent or two on the sales of the merchandise from those vendors. Right now he’s only paying taxes on the land without a rental return on this property. He needs cash badly. It’s going to be a flop.Maybe Joe is standing on line for part of the stimlus monies? Coney needs much more than a Flea Market to attract crowds. All it seems to me is an open air MALL.

  • 3 Jack // Feb 19, 2009 at 12:51 pm

    Thor is a bunch of idiots. If you look at the rides and attractions they kicked out, all of them took a few weeks to tear down… But a lifetime to figure out the business. So what does he do? Kick out the folks who know how to make money and then shove nonsense on these lots.

    Please let there be some scandal that comes along and pulls Thor down forever. They are horrible.

  • 4 Jeffrey L. Wilson // Feb 19, 2009 at 1:39 pm

    @ Brenda:

    Afro-punk is a marvelous concert/festival that showcases the wealth of Black rock artists that traditionally haven’t gotten much attention, because, you know, Blacks aren’t supposed to do that. No rappin? No R+B? No sell.

    Lots of great indy band, flicks, and skateboard exhibitions. Afro-Punk rocked Fort Greene Park last summer and set up a BMX ramp/skatepark on Atlantic Ave.

  • 5 Bruce // Feb 19, 2009 at 5:11 pm

    The local community will not allow Sitt to open a flea market on c7 zoned land, if the city has the balls to stop Sitt.

    Bruce

  • 6 Brenda from Flatbush // Feb 19, 2009 at 8:22 pm

    Afro-Punk, yay! (All who rock are righteous; those who rock against stereotype, doubly so!) Thanks, Jeffrey.

  • 7 Tystarr // Feb 21, 2009 at 10:55 am

    This sounds pretty awesome. I’m so there!