Courtesy of Todd Julian and Old Brick Studios
Ice Rider co-owners Jet Thomason (l.) and David Burdick are joining the LIC Flea Food, set to open in June. The duo uses a customized bicycle to shave the ice.
An artisans’ flea and food market is coming to the Long Island City waterfront, designed to lure shoppers to what’s quickly becoming one of the borough’s trendiest neighborhoods.
Local media magnate Josh Schneps, of Schneps Communications, is set to launch the LIC Flea Food on June 15 on the corner of 5th St. and 46th Ave. It will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday into November.
“We’re trying to find a mix between food and fashion and collectibles and antiques,” Schneps said. “Long Island City could use a destination that can give people a reason to spend the entire day in the neighborhood.”
Schneps said he is hoping an upscale market can capitalize on the success of similar ventures, such as the Brooklyn Flea. And he’s banking that the influx of young families and professionals to the area, close proximity to Manhattan and good public transportation, including the East River Ferry, will make the venture a success.
Rob MacKay, who oversees marketing and tourism at the Queens Economic Development Corp., said the neighborhood “has been waiting for something like this for a long time.”
“I expect that this market will bring in people from Manhattan and Brooklyn,” he said. “I’m happy to take Brooklyn’s mojo.”
The market has attracted entrepreneurs like Jet Thomason, who co-owns the eco-friendly shaved ice stand Ice Riders.
Thomason, who pedals a customized bicycle to shave the ice, said there are long waiting lists to get into some of the city’s other premier markets and this was an opportunity to be a part of something on the ground floor.
“We need each other,” he said.
LIC Flea Food has also attracted more established local businesses, such as the ice cream and treats shop Malu.
“It’s a great thing for the neighborhood,” said Malu co-owner Jennifer Dudek, who plans to create a special ice cream flavor for the market with her husband.
Instead of taking business away from her brick-and-mortar store, Dudek said, it will broaden the shop’s customer and networking base. “It’s another way for people to taste what we do,” she said.
City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer (D-Sunnyside) said the market will be “good for the bottom line of Long Island City.”
“It’s going to keep local folks local and give people something to do on a Saturday afternoon,” he said. “You’re going to see more people spending money a our local small businesses.”
