Wolff's Flea Market Blog

Seller's Rules & Tips wolffs.com   FACEBOOK & CRAIGSLIST We encourage our vendors to post their items on social media: facebook page, Buy, Sell, Trade Group  & craigslist. These listings are FREE!  We love this concept because buyers and sellers are able to meet in a neutral location at the market (must have a selling space-no parking lot sales). This also draws new customers to the entire market and helps everyone! Many vendors have had success with social media. Customers have come from as far as Iowa to purchase their items! For more advanced posters, please "tag" your photos & posts with #wolffsfleamarket and @wolffsfleamarket. If you don't know what this means, please disregard! EARLY CLOSE DAYS Occasionally the Rosemont market may need to close early due to a stadium event. We continue to have a steady customer flow on these days because we are an "early shopper market". The majority of shoppers attend before 11am. Don...

A few pictures of creations we have recycled, repurposed, reinvented and reclaimed! Shoe storage made from leftover tile and cast-off TV shelf Tree stump planter made from wood craftsman's castoff. In the background recycled pop can flower, reclaimed pallet rack with insulator LED candle holder Wall of Rust made from old door hardware Boy's bathroom painted shelf decorated in a baseball theme Curbside to flea market to repurposed beverage cart Tire planter

April 26, 2016 Today is  World Intellectual Property Day , one of our favorite holidays. Actually, at Wolff's we are concerned with  ‪#‎ counterfeits‬   ‪#‎ fakes‬  and other ‪#‎ intellectualproperty‬  every day. It's ok to talk about it. Research is ongoing!  http://www.wipo.int/ip-outreach/en/ipday/ Have you visited our Haul of Shame Counterfeit Museum in Palatine? (now closed) We take this task seriously! Prevention-Intervention-Education = PIE! A COLLAGE OF COUNTERFEITS THAT WE USE FOR EDUCATION!

This article  by Meaghan Brophy was published  in Flea Market Zone on March 21, 2016.   Balancing the Safety of your Business and the Demand for Trendy Goods March 21, 2016  by  mbrophy        Filed under  Flea Market & Swap Meet News http://fleamarketzone.com/2016/03/balancing-the-safety-of-your-business-and-the-demand-for-trendy-goods/ By Meaghan Brophy As a vendor, staying on top of the trends and providing in-demand products for your customers is the name of your game. However, it is becoming increasingly apparent that just because an item is popular, does not mean it is safe. There have been rising reports of hoverboards catching fire and exploding. There have also been recent reports of United States Customs and Border Protection seizing entire shipments and warehouses full of hoverboards because of their fake trademarks and unauthorized batteries. In addition to larger retailers such as Amazon and Target pulling hover...

Although it's December and we are in Chicago, we can still dream and plan for our future flea market garden. Check back as we continue to find awesome gardening ideas and links by the original creators! Number 1: FLEA MARKET FAIRY GARDEN This adorable flea market fairy garden was made by Wolff's Crafty Kids at Wolff's Flea Market Palatine . About 12 vendor and customer children 11 years old and under added their own personal touches. They had so many ideas! I just put out miscellaneous found supplies and let them have at it. I spy. What do you see? On display HERE . HOW CUTE IS THIS! Number 2: TREE LOG PLANTER For 2 weeks I noticed 3 partially carved log bowls. I thinks they were rejects from a wood carver. A vendor won the at an auction and sold me this one for $5. I shoulda bought the others. This easy project involved just a few steps: Drill a couple holes for drainage Line with gardening cloth Fill with compost or your favorite soil blend Since this w...

This old, tired "curbside" butcher block ended up at the flea market. A little TLC transformed it into this serving cart. First I removed the yucky loose and useless shelf  A good sanding removed most of the dark stain, but I left some to show through the final finish Bottom half of cart was painted with 2 coats of dilutes Barn Red paint. Dark blue, forest green and creamy beige were also blotted on and then wiped off to add a slight weathered look. Top and painted areas were covered in 2 coats of Varathane Golden Oak semi-gloss Stain & Poly (water based). Hardware: shut off valve knob (front left), bottle opener (front right), craft fair stone hook (side right), 4 caster wheels. Shelf: I added a sanded plank of recycled cedar fencing as a removable bottom shelf Accessories: Handmade wine caddy on top and wineglass box on bottom shelf are made from recycled fencing and pallets by me (Impatient Pallets)

BY SHARON WOLFF (Photos Sharon Wolff You found your cool vintage drawer pull, but it's covered in nasty, chipping paint. Here is an easy, safe, chemical free way to remove the paint and bring out the beautiful patina of your old hardware. I COLLECT RUSTY HARDWARE. DON'T ASK ME WHY. THIS $1 FLEA MARKET FIND HAD  SEVERAL COATS OF PAINT RESIDUE. NOT THE MOST, BUT ENOUGH TO REQUIRE THIS   EASY PAINT REMOVAL METHOD. Y OU NEED: OLD POT, 1/4 C BAKING SODA, TONGS AND A  SCREWDRIVER OR OLD TOOTHBRUSH Place your item in boiling water & baking soda. Boil for 20-30 minutes, depending upon how much paint is on the item.  USE TONGS IF PAINT PEELS OF EASILY, YOU ARE DONE, OTHERWISE RETURN TO POT CAREFULLY USE A SMALL TOOL OR  TOOTHBRUSH TO GENTLY REMOVE RESIDUE BEAUTIFUL! BOTTOM LEFT, ON THE RUSTY HARDWARE WALL