Vintage Finds at Nuevo Bazaar
photo: © 2013 A.T. WILLETT
With all of the big developments to downtown that have brought a slew of shiny new restaurants, bars, stores and attractions, it’s nice to experience something with local charm and a bohemian feel that epitomizes the true essence of Tucson. That was the exact impetus that drove Tim Hagyard to create the Nuevo Bazaar Downtown Flea Market back in 2010. With a strong desire to create a shabby-sheik market with a wide variety of items, Hagyard set out to bring the Indian marketplace aesthetic to life right here in our own backyard.
“In 2010 I started this out of feeling the need that Tucson needed a bazaar in the downtown area,” says Hagyard. “At that time, downtown was not what it is like today with the streetcar and all of the shops and restaurants. Rio Nuevo was still in the planning stages, and the area needed more events to bring people to it. So I thought that it would be great to have a flea market somewhat modeled after those in India that you can find in Brooklyn or San Francisco. It creates a little event of its own, even if it just pops up on a little street corner.”
Now in its 4th year, Nuevo Bazaar is back and bigger then ever. With a prime location at 126 E 7th Street, Hagyard is bringing together over 20 vendors who will be selling a mix of everything from clothing, antiques, collectibles, art and accessories that range from vintage to mid-century to modern. The event is taking place on Saturday February 7th from 9:00am-5:00pm and welcomes families and eager shoppers to peruse the booths to see what gems they can find from the assorted group of sellers.
“People can expect an eclectic grouping of things. Some people have vintage stuff, some have modern and some specialize in collectibles. Some are professional dealers, and some are just collectors who want a vehicle to sell their extra things through. There are arts and crafts and clothes and all sorts of things. This is a great time of year to have an outdoor event like this where families can come out and browse and enjoy the day buying some great things. Everyone likes hunting for items and doing some shopping.”
With a great location for foot traffic and bike commuters thanks to the two-way street improvements of 6th avenue, the bazaar will have more space this year than ever before. Situated next to Tap and Bottle and the row of 6th avenue art galleries, Hagyard’s goal of preserving the mellow, organic feel of the flea market has remained perfectly intact.
“My favorite part is to have created an event that people come out and enjoy and to help out the downtown scene with another local event. It’s not a big sponsored event; it’s a small little element that adds to the rich flavor of downtown. Not everything has to be a big, giant event. This is very organic. It is commercial in nature, but it is not “Budweiser Presents: The Bazaar.” It was created with a modest, casual feel and I think that it has kept that.”
Nuevo Bazaar takes places Saturday, February 7th, 9am-5pm at 126 E. 7th St. Learn by following the event on Facebook.
Category: Community, DOWNTOWN / UNIVERSITY / 4TH AVE, Entertainment, Events, Shopping
