This story originally appeared in The Centre County Gazette.
On Saturday, Oct. 12, Pop Up Ave will return to downtown State College on South Fraser Street between College and Beaver Avenues. The New York City inspired flea market has over 25 vendors and food.
Brad Groznik and his wife Andrea co-founded Pop Up Ave. The Penn State Alumni previously lived in New York and wanted to create a New York style flea market scene for people in State College.
“State College didn’t really have anything exactly like that. They have Arts Fest, which is amazing,” Brad Groznik said. “But not this urban makers kind of market which we wanted to go to.”
The couple started the flea market in 2016 just a year after moving back to State College. Despite having taken a few years off due to the pandemic, they usually put on Pop Up Ave twice a year.
“We started it in a parking lot and that parking lot is now the Maxxen,” he said.
Although the flea market takes place in State College, makers from everywhere will be selling their products. Groznik discussed how there will be makers from Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia selling all different types of goods.
With items from jewelry to vintage clothing to florists and different types of ceramics, Pop Up Ave picks vendors so that all locals can find something they love.
“I think we are really trying to target that intersection between students and the community,” Groznik said. “So one of the things I love most about Pop Up Ave is just the kind of crowd that shows up.”
One of the vendors, Jillia Ceramics, is from Williamsport. She creates different ceramic pieces, and now she has some seasonal pieces out for Halloween.
Along with the event, there will be a new coffee stand coming to Pop Up Ave. Sunny Cup Coffee just had its launch event Saturday, Sept. 14.
Pop Up Ave allows people to sign up to be vendors on their website. However, they do try to keep a common theme with most of its vendors.
“We have a kind of boho or bohemian or hipster aesthetic,” Groznik said. “So we’re trying to differentiate ourselves from the great craft fairs and stuff that are in the area.”
Pop Up Ave allows the community to be involved with the event even if they are not vendors. Although sign-ups have closed, Pop Up Ave has a team of volunteers to come and help out during the event.
“When we first did this, we thought we’d never put on an event, we weren’t professional flea market organizers,” Groznik said. “It’s been the community and the support we have gotten that has been so tremendous through all the hard times with the organizing process and getting through all the hurdles.”
Pop Up Ave will return to downtown State College from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct.12. The full list of vendors can be found at popupave.com.
