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Image of the Hell's Kitchen Flea Market via Flickr/Fleaspeech
The Chelsea Flea Market has certainly had its ups and downs. For almost 30 years, the flea flourished in a Chelsea lot at 26th Street and Sixth Avenue. In 2005, it was forced from the space, which was cleared to make way for a new high-rise building. From that time forward, the flea lived on in two spaces: an indoor annex open on Saturdays and Sundays at 112 West 25th Street (the Antiques Garage) and on a plot of land in Hell's Kitchen on 39th Street between Ninth and Tenth Aves (which is spacious, but without the foot traffic of the Chelsea location, is struggling a bit). Now, The Real Deal is reporting that the building that houses the Antiques Garage has been sold to a developer, thus rendering its future uncertain. We're betting that the Antiques Garage will survive (though perhaps not in its current form), as owner Alan Boss has proven quite savvy and resourceful in the past. Though they weren't able to contact anyone at the market, we got in touch with the flea's PR rep this morning. Check back for updates.
· Extell buys Chelsea garage, flea market site [The Real Deal]
· Last of the Flea Markets to Make Way for 36-Story Rental [Curbed]