The value of vintage at Towson’s newest flea market

Baltimore County businessman Trevor Brake said he’s tried a couple ventures before as an entrepreneur, but Towson’s new Rosebud Flea Market is the first one that has gained real traction.

The flea market, located outside Radebaugh Florist Shop every Saturday between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., bills itself as “Baltimore County’s largest vintage flea market.”

People are noticing. Brake said that during the grand opening on July 17, Rosebud Flea Market attracted between 400 and 500 visitors. It currently hosts 31 vendors who offer goods including (but not limited to) vintage apparel, art, jewelry, music, and decor.

“We’re a family-friendly flea,” Brake said. “I tell you it’s a very rewarding feeling. More or less not because of how the business does, but how I get to see how the community grows–seeing new faces, and watching our vendors, who truly are small businesses, who get to thrive and have a place to prosper.”

Sierra Fischer is a vintage clothing and small-item seller from Westminster, Maryland who sells at the flea market through her business “Seams Like New.”  Her younger customers here now are trending toward buying long skirts, and workman jeans. But someone’s taste in vintage items also depends on the individual, she said.

“Like Trevor said, it’s really not about the money,” she said. “It’s about the connection I’ve made with my clientele. Seeing those light-up moments for them, that really hits home with me, because I know that they love the product just as much as I do, and they’ll actually use it. We’ve seen so much waste in the world, and it’s just really sad to see it all go unused. There’s some really good treasures out there.”

Fischer fell in love with the work of finding, sharing and selling vintage items, and hopes to make it into a full-time business soon. Her background is in customer service, and she strives to give customers a personal touch at Seems Like New.

“I want to give everybody that little piece of attention, make them feel welcome, make them feel listened too,” she said. “It’s a huge part of what I do. It is extremely important. It’s the little things, even just a compliment or a smile can brighten their day.”

Brake learned some of his own business style from attending a Rochester, New York flea market his sister was a vendor at during the summer of 2021 called “Lucky Flea”.

“I watched and learned the whole process of a flea market operating–how the employees make things run smoothly, how the vendors set up their own shops,” he recalled. “I used to work for my brother who is a tech company owner. It’s called ‘Let’s Tap In.’ It’s a night life business. It does a lot of events. I took the event management operating. I combined it with vintage clothing, and you get a flea market.”

Both entrepreneurs have found a home for their passion and positivity at the Rosebud Flea Market. Brake said he hopes the market could expand in the future. Fischer has found kindred spirits in the local community.

“Towson is an incredible community, really a wide range of ages,” she said. “I feel that I can really connect to each and every person. It’s really opened my eyes. I’m from a small town in Cecil County, grew up in the middle of a corn field–so I didn’t know that many people in the community. Coming to a city it’s been a really great experience to meet all different types of people.”