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This year, Denver Flea’s Spring Flea market—a gathering of more than 200 local makers and small businesses—is getting a refresh, with a cool new location at Denver Rock Drill in the RiNo/Cole neighborhood, and more than 40 new vendors. Here’s who to visit to find gorgeous goods for your home.
Union Stitch & Design
Denver native Melissa Gallic has long had a passion for sewing, but for years, only her family benefited from her skill—until the 2015 launch of Union Stitch & Design, when Gallic turned her hobby into a full-fledged business. Gallic designs and hand-sews her simple-yet-stylish aprons and linens in her home studio, and has outfitted local restaurants including The Squeaky Bean and Pizzeria Locale. Her aprons for kids (from $30) and adults (from $50) come in full-bib and bistro styles, with customizable pockets and thread colors. Her napkin sets (from $25 for a set of four) are available in customizable fabric prints and thread colors, and her tablecloths (from $40) can be made in any size you need. And at the Spring Flea, you’ll find lots of colorful options to take home right away.
Brilliant Blue Studios
Photographer and fine artist Laureen “Reen” Axtell draws inspiration from Colorado’s legendary, brilliant blue skies. Defined by artful angles and colorful adaptations of original photography, her images offer vivid interpretations of the people and places we see around town each day. For her debut at the Spring Flea, Axtell will be selling framed and unframed photo prints (no canvases) in a variety of sizes. Each is printed using pigment-based inks on archival photo paper, which means you’ll enjoy it for decades to come.
Zeal Living
Westminster resident Caitlin Halberstadt started Zeal Living with the goal of connecting design lovers with undiscovered and up-and-coming African artists and artisans. Her online shop offers a variety of home goods (handcrafted jewelry and accessories, too), from handwoven Rwandan baskets in fresh spring hues to fluffy feather Juju hats. Our favorite: a whimsical collection of animal trophy heads ($59.95 each) that are hand-carved in Malawi from local wood—you’ll find the whole menagerie, from giraffes to rhinos, at the Flea.
Shabby Alpaca
Chris Gray and Celina Baldwin, the mother-daughter duo behind Shabby Alpaca, know a thing or two about alpacas: Gray spent more than a decade raising them and managing large alpaca farms throughout the northeastern United States. Now reunited in Colorado, the pair curates a collection of alpaca goods sourced from around the world for their online business. Their inventory includes cozy socks, gorgeous handbags and totes, cuddly stuffed animals, and textural blankets and pillows, including the handmade African mudcloth ones ($118 each) pictured here, which we love for their striking patterns, bold-yet-neutral colors, and fresh, modern vibe.
Hygge Life
Alexandra Gove is an expert on all things hygge (the Danish word for “cozy,” pronounced “hoo-guh”), and her brick-and-mortar shop just west of Vail is somewhat of a mecca for stylish comfort-seekers. You’ll find a mini version at the Spring Flea, stocked with home accessories that range from alabaster candleholders to lush textiles to flexible palm leaf baskets (pictured here, from $39.95) that are designed in Denmark, made by artisans in Egypt, and perfect for holding toys, blankets, or fresh produce during your next trip to the farmers’ market.
Imani Collective
The Imani Collective was created with the mission of serving women through empowerment, opportunity, and community. All of the online shop’s stylish home goods (think: tasseled throw pillows and blankets, hand-woven rugs, and the coolest hand-sewn “planters”) are handmade by more than 50 Kenyan men and women in Mtepeni Village and Mombasa, as well as half a dozen women stateside. Each artisan is paid a fair salary and offered benefits including childcare and healthcare assistance.
What to Know for When You Go…
Where
Denver Rock Drill
1717 E. 39th Ave.
Denver, CO 80205
When
Saturday, April 14 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday, April 15 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tickets are $5 per person and can be purchased online and at the door (tickets valid for both days). Children 12 and under are free. Flea-goers who purchase a ticket online will receive a free subscription to 5280 magazine. (Editor’s note: 5280 is a sponsor of the Denver Flea. Editorial coverage is independent of this sponsorship.) For more information, visit denverflea.com.
