Today we’d like to introduce you to Sally Schwartz.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Sally. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started as a party planner who decorated theme parties with very elaborate, original vintage props and artifacts. I would drive miles out of the city to source props and it was annoying there was no market for these items inside the city. I started Randolph street market in 2003 as a 1 day on the street antique fair and it has morphed into a 2 day’s per month antiques-vintage-indie designer-foodie-music market festival! Children who came in strollers with their parents in 2004 are now happening college kids who are our most ardent flea market groupies. RSM is celebrating its 15th season in 2018 with our Memorial Day Weekend Garden Party!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
It has hardly been smooth! in fact, it could not have been any bumpier or I’d have a concussion! when I started there was no facebook, no twitter, just advertising via newspaper and radio advertising. the world has changed so much since this thing began and it has not been a simple process changing with the times. We have dealt with an economy that started out gangbusters in 2003 and then plummeted for at least 6 years from 2008-2014. The whole event had to change and become less about buying furniture and antiques and more about the experience of collecting memories, listening to live music, drinking a variety of spirits, eating lots of yummy foods and just being around really fun people — and still shopping because otherwise the vendors wouldn’t be able to stay in business. We haven’t raised the admission price in over 10 years and even though our costs have exploded, we are afraid we would lose customers if we bumped the price up even a couple dollars. We will see, the main thing is we offer a safe and secure environment and need to charge admission in order to have only motivated guests onsite with us.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Randolph Street Market story. Tell us more about the business.
Randolph Street Market is world renowned “fancy flea market” and the ‘largest and liveliest urban antiques market in the USA” I am very proud that people of all ages, genders, races, styles can come together and not be judged and feel at home in an intimate but largescale setting — and appreciate the beauty of creativity and each other. It’s a celebration of talent and fun!
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I think luck is always what you make it but you’re lucky if you start out with an advantage which I did. I play to win and I like to surround myself with people who are positive and don’t hold themselves back. I always say I aim for the fence, I try to hit a home run every time as you are only as good as your last event. Where I know that I have been lucky is that I was born to open caring and accepting parents who assumed I could do whatever I wanted. They allowed me the space to create my own business and didn’t discourage me in any way even when I was clueless, hedonistic, irresponsible and flat broke. I am lucky that I was born with a network of people who would care for me and about me and help me become successful.
Pricing:
- admission online is $8
- girlfriend package with mimosas and entrance for 4 is $40
- student throuples entrance for 3 is $10
- general admission with an exclusive RSM totebag is $13
Contact Info:
- Address: event address is
1340 W. Washington Blvd Chicago - Website: http://www.randolphstreetmarket.com
- Phone: 312-666-1200
- Email: info@randolphstreetmarket.com
- Instagram: @randolphmarket
- Facebook: facebook.com/randolphstreetmarket
- Twitter: @randolphmarket
Image Credit:
Steve Starr photographer
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