Big Flea Hauls in $25,665!!!

MV Big Flea & The Fleaview are THIS WEEKEND!!!

After months of planning, collecting, cajoling, begging and pleading the BIG day is just 48 hours away!!

We hope you will join us on Saturday, April 24 for the 4th annual MV Big Flea and on Friday for our special preview event called The Fleaview.

The MV Big Flea will be held at the Mount Vernon Community Center, 2701 Commonwealth Avenue, Alexandria, VA 22305.  The event is indoors and it will be held Rain or Shine!  Here are our hours of operation:

8:00am – Early Admission ($10 entry fee)
9:00am – General Admission (free)
12noon – Everything 50% off
2:00pm – Everything FREE

Please note that we do not accept credit cards and only accept checks from individuals that we know.

If you want a sneak peek at our items for sale, then come to the Fleaview on Friday between 7 and 8pm.  Also held at the MV Rec Center, the Fleaview is also a party with food, beverages and entertainment.

Remember, MV Big Flea and Fleaview proceeds benefit the Mount Vernon Community School PTA’s enrichment and education programs.  We hope to see you this weekend!

5 Gems Hidden Among the Junque….

Looking for a great bargain?  We’ve got them!  And to make things even more interesting, we’ve decided to offer ridiculously low prices on 5 great items at the MV Big Flea!  We call them our “gems among the junque.”

We’ll place these items in plain view with all our other treasures.  If you’re the first one to find it, it’s yours!  What better incentive to come to The Fleaview or early admission to the MV Big Flea!

Here’s our super duper bargains:

1. Sex in the City DVDs (Seasons 1-6) – $9 (retail value $100+)

2. Vintage Longaberger Basket – $19 (retail value of $100+)

3. Vintage Coach Shoulder Bag – $9 (retail value $65)

4. French Crystal Bowl (w/tag) – $9 (retail value $59)

5. Lego Bionicle (Battle of Metru Nui) – $9 (retail value $59)

Of course, we’ll have many other gems among the junque.  So don’t miss The Fleaview this Friday for a sneak peek at everything that’s for sale and, of course, the Big Flea on Saturday morning!

We Don’t Even Know What We Have!

You know what I like best about the MV Big Flea?  We never know what’s going to be for sale until the day of the event!

For the last few months, we’ve been collecting great items.  We’ve posted many photos, and sold a fair number of things too.  But we have 10X as many things in storage, many of which we have not even examined ourselves.

How many things?  How about a 10′ x 10′ x 20′ room completely filled with boxes?  How about another space, the size of a family garage, crammed with boxes and other items?

On Friday, April 23 all these boxes will be unloaded for the very first time.  Their contents will be spread throughout the MV Rec Center and offered for sale on Saturday morning.  Don’t miss your chance for a wonderful bargain!

OMG…The MV Big Flea is This Weekend!!

Get ready for Northern Virginia’s biggest flea market fundraiser, the MV Big Flea!!!

For the last three months, parents at the Mount Vernon Community School have collected thousands of treasures.  On Saturday, April 24, everything will be sold at the MV Big Flea.

All the proceeds will be used to support education and enrichment programs at the school.  We have hundreds of great bargains on everything you need and want!  Click here to see items from last year’s event.

And don’t miss The Fleaview on Friday, April 23 from 7-8pm.  The Fleaview gives you a sneak peek at all the items that will be for sale on Saturday morning.  But it’s also a party with food from the Evening Star restaurant and others, and special entertainment!  All proceeds benefit the MV Community School.

The MV Big Flea opens for early admission at 8am on Saturday, April 24 ($10).  General admission (free) begins at 9am.  At noon, everything is 50% off its marked price and at 2pm everything is FREE!!!

For the Alexandria Patriot

This item, and many more, will be available for sale at the MV Big Flea on April 24th!  We hope to see you there!

Evening Star to Headline The Fleaview!

Get ready for The Fleaview, a junkyard hoe-down with food and drink to match!

Thanks to the generosity of MVCS parent Christi Hart, she and the Evening Star restaurant group, along with dedicated Kindergarten parents,  will be providing food and beverages for The Fleaview.

So not only can you get a sneak peek at all our wonderful items for sale at The Fleaview, you can chow down on some tasty food!

Plans are for a “junk yard” theme with corn dogs, pigs in a blanket, Chex mix, fresh vegetables, homemade cookies and a variety of sodas and more.  Christi and Kindergarten parents also plan to decorate the MV Rec Center with checkered tablecloths and other festive items. Sounds like a hoot!

We even have entertainment!  A group of MVCS students from the drama club will perform a selection from their upcoming performance of Peter Pan.  All proceeds from The Fleaview and the MV Big Flea support programs like the drama club, so what better place to showcase their talent!

Tickets to The Fleaview are just $25 per person and kids are FREE!  No advance purchase is necessary…just come to the MV Rec Center at 7pm on Friday night and get ready for a great time.  And don’t forget that by coming to the Fleaview you get FREE early admission to the Big Flea on Saturday morning.

Two Antique Chairs Added to the Mix

In the last ten days, the MV Big Flea has received two really nice antique chairs!

Both will be offered for sale at the MV Big Flea on Saturday, April 24.  That is, unless someone doesn’t snatch them up at our final donation/sales event this Saturday, April 17, at 1219 First Street in Alexandria!

The first is a mission-style armchair from the 1920s (left) in the style of Gustav Stickley.  The chair includes its original finish and its original wood and cane seat.  The remnants of a label on the lower leg indicate that it was made by the Hubbard and Eldredge company of Rochester, New York.

The second chair comes from the Sabbathday Shaker center near New Gloucester, Maine (right).  Hand manufactured in the 19th century, this Shaker-style rocking chair was a very popular style.  It retains its original finish and the cane seating is in remarkably good condition.

If you are interested in either chair, please contact Joe LaMountain at joseph.lamountain@gmail.com or visit us on Saturday between 2-4pm.  Or better yet, come to The Fleaview on Friday, April 23 from 7-8pm to get a sneak peek at the other items we have for sale!

Kids Festival Lineup Announced!

Everyone knows about the MV Big Flea on Saturday, April 24th.  But did you know that there’s a Kids Festival right next door at Duncan Library?  Why not make Saturday a day of it in Del Ray?

Sponsored the Friends of Duncan Library, the Kids Festival includes an incredible lineup of kids performers, food and books of course.  All proceeds benefit the important programs of Del Ray’s community library.

“We have a great lineup for the kids,” said Friends spokesperson and event organizer Thom Downing.  “After you’re done shopping at the Big Flea, come to the library for lunch and some fun time for the kids.”

Here’s the lineup of performances:
10:00  The Great Zucchini (NoVa’s #1 kid’s performer)
11:00  Sport & Health Club’s Kids-N-Motion (Kid exercising)
12:00  Buford The Bear (Singing, dancing & playing!)
1:00   Hooray For Books Storytime
2:00  Arts on the Horizon (interactive storytelling)

Please note that seating is limited for all performances, so please arrive early.  In addition to the performers, Sweet Cheeks will do face painting for the children from 10am until 2pm!  You can also get your nosh on in style with great eats from Rockland’s  BBQ, Rita’s Ice & Buzz Bakery.

The Friends of Duncan Library Book Blast & Kid Fun Fest children’s activities are underwritten by Realtor Christine Garner.

Please patronize our fantastic sponsors: Extra Space Storage, Rita’s Water Ice, Rockland’s BBQ, Trader Joe’s, Sport & Health Club, Buzz Bakery, Vocelli Pizza, Hard Times Cafe, Taqueria Poblano, California Tortilla, The Great Zucchini, Arts on the Horizon, Sweet Cheeks, Artfully Paper, Artfully Chocolate, Hooray For Books! and Buford the Bear.

Joggers, Strollers and Toys (Oh, My!)

Ladies and Moms of all stripes and colors!  Pay heed!

Over the last few months, we’ve waxed rhapsodic about the wonderful furniture and household items we’ve received as donations.  But during that same period of time, we’ve been collecting tons of items that every baby, child and kid needs.

From a Moses basket and bassinet, to Maclaren baby strollers and joggers, car seats, bicycles, kids furniture, toys and games…we’ve got it all!  And every last item we’ve collected will be sold on April 24th at the MV Big Flea.

Why spend $89 on a brand new bike when you can get a gently used version for $39??  Why spend $199 or more on a jogger stroller when you can get one at the Big Flea for $79?  And talk about deals, most of our toys, games and other items are in the $5-10 range.  You can really save a bundle!

To get the best deals, come to The Fleaview on Friday and get a sneak peek at everything that’s for sale.  All Fleaview attendees receive FREE early admission to the Big Flea on Saturday and first crack at all our great deals.  If you can’t make the Fleaview, make sure to come to the Big Flea on Saturday morning at 9am.

The images below represent a fraction of the items that will be for sale at the MV Big Flea.

Our Most Valuable Donation Ever!!!

The MV Big Flea is excited to report that it sold a commercial-grade nut roaster for $1,500.

This nearly triples our previous record for the most valuable item we’ve received, a rare 19th century Audubon print we sold for more than $500.

The nut roaster was donated by Amanda Lenk, whose daughter attended the Mount Vernon Community School.  Lenk obtained the nut roaster last year in an auction of commercial grade kitchen supplies.

“I really wanted the Hobart commercial grade mixing machine,” Amanda said, “but the nut roaster came with it in a package deal.”  Since Amanda didn’t have any interest in opening a nut shop, or whatever, she donated the nut roaster to the MV Big Flea.

The roaster, which sells for $3,200 when new, was manufactured by The Nutty Bavarian.  It was purchased through an online auction on Ebay by Mr. Ken Miller of Ellisville, Missouri.

“We can’t express enough our appreciation for Amanda’s incredible donation,” said MV Big Flea spokesperson Joseph LaMountain. “Thanks to her generosity, we’ve topped $10,000 in sales for this year’s event. We’re also poised to break our all-time record of $18,226 in sales (2008).”

Buff Your Car AND Massage Your Wife

We received this item a couple weeks ago.  I’ve been meaning to write about it, but never seemed to find the time.  Without a doubt it’s one of the more “interesting” items we’ve received for this year’s Big Flea.

At first, I thought it was something you use to buff and polish your car.  But then I looked a little more closely at the label.  “The Jeanie Rub: Variable Speed Massager.”  Wow.  Let’s give it a whirl.

Against her strong objections, I made Mimi try it out on me.  I suppose it was OK, but it really didn’t feel like a massage.  I felt more like a 1967 Chevy Nova being lovingly tended to by its owner.

Don’t miss the Big Flea on April 24th for this and many more fantastic items.  And don’t forget the Fleaview on April 23 when you can get a sneak peek at all our wonderful goodies in advance of Saturday’s crowds.

Alexandria Bans Yard Sales in April

The Alexandria City Council passed unanimously an ordinance prohibiting yard sales in the city limits for the month of April, 2010.

The decision was widely seen as an effort to increase donations of items to the MV Big Flea, Alexandria’s premier charity flea market fundraising event.

“The educational success of our children is paramount,” said one member during Council deliberations.  “It’s imperative that Council do everything it can to support schools, PTAs and parents.  This new policy is one small way we can help.”

The ordinance, which takes effect on April 1, will be in effect for the entire month. It was originally proposed by the city’s Youth Policy Commission as a way to improve the lives of Youth in Alexandria.  Those found in violation of the law face a summons and a fine not to exceed $100.

“We’re thrilled with the Council’s action,” said Big Flea Prankster Joseph LaMountain.  “As we’ve said all along, yard sales are a big waste of time.  It’s so much easier to donate items to the MV Big Flea, and take a tax deduction, than organize a sale.  We’re glad Council agrees and has taken this important action.”

The MV Big Flea will be held on April 24, 2010.  A special preview will be held on Friday, April 23.  Donations are being accepted from 2-4pm on Saturday April 3, 10 and 17 at our storage facility at 1219 First Street in Alexandria; donations can also be made from 9am – 3pm on Friday, April 23 at the MV Rec Center.