‘Come on home’: Berkeley Flea Market officially reopens | Local Businesses

The Berkeley Flea Market is open again, after its official closure June 28 and being independently maintained by vendors over the summer.

Community Services United, or CSU — the nonprofit organization that owns the market — and BART signed a new two-year agreement to keep the market in operation.

The market had previously shut down because of dwindling vendors and finances, according to Artrenia Harris, the new president of CSU’s board of directors. She said she was the sole vote on CSU’s former board against the closure.

“We agreed between ourselves to keep the market going, but if asked to do so, we would vacate the area,” said Sheikh Faeez, one of the longtime vendors who continued selling at the flea market after its official closure.

At the same time, Harris assembled a new board and “quietly and silently” secured the new permit August 30 with BART.

“I think it’s probably the first time in history that this market has been run by its own vendors,” Harris said.

Harris noted that the process was “easy” because BART was “more than happy to open this contract up again,” which is why she believes BART did not attempt to remove vendors who continued to sell on the Ashby lot.

The permit reduces CSU’s rental costs for the flea market space from $1,273 to $750 per month.

“I think that the new agreement is much approved over the old,” Faeez said. “Management stays within the market and operates alongside us. They check in regularly, attend to our needs and listen when we offer suggestions.”

Although CSU initially wanted to secure a 10-year lease, BART and CSU ultimately agreed on a two-year lease. Under Section 8 of the permit, either BART or CSU can unilaterally end the agreement if they let the other party know 30 days in advance.

BART communications officer Anna Duckworth said this clause was important because of BART’s planned housing developments with the city of Berkeley on the Ashby west parking lot, which could “result in BART’s modification or termination of this permit.” Duckworth said she doesn’t anticipate that the permit will be modified.

However, Christopher Smith, a longtime vendor and drummer at the Berkeley Flea Market who has not returned since the new agreement, said “A two-year lease will not stop BART development.”

Once the city of Berkeley and BART build housing on the Ashby West Lot, Harris said the future of the market is uncertain. Harris added that approximately two to three years ago, she heard of plans to move the flea market to Adeline Street after the completion of housing development. This proposal was not included in the August 30 permit.

According to Harris, fewer vendors have been attending the Berkeley Flea Market, especially on Sundays, because people believe the market is still closed. CSU is spreading flyers around the area and promoting the reopening on social media.

“We and the new management are doing what we can, but if people don’t show up, then they shouldn’t express faux upset at the market’s closure,” Faeez said.

To longtime vendors who have not returned to the market, Harris said, “Come on home.”