BLK MKT Vintage
BLK MKT Vintage is a hip, little shop based in Bedford Stuyvesant, in Brooklyn, NY. Their shop specializes in unique, interesting items representing Black history and culture. BLK MKT Vintage places black culture and fashion in the spotlight and is a thriving community space.
The founders, Jannah Handy and Kiyanna Stewart, have truly curated an impressive collection of vintage and antique goods such as books, vinyl records, clothing, art, furniture, reflecting the black experience and aesthetics. They have fascinating threads and artifacts that you won’t find anywhere else.
BLK MKT Vintage is a warm, welcoming space.
Upon entering you are greeted by uplifting incense. The walls have colorful, striped wallpaper and are tastefully covered with posters featuring cultural figures from bygone eras and black art. There are bookshelves with 1950s radios, books, old photographs, and boomboxes from the 80s. Jannah is sweet and personable.
A masterfully crafted soundtrack features songs like “So Fresh, So Clean” from hiphop legends OutKast and soulful classics like “One Step Ahead” by the irreplaceable Aretha Franklin. Multiple, lively discussions were happening in all corners of this tiny space when Brooklynites.nyc paid a visit.
Incredible cultural finds.
One of their fascinating artifacts is an original pin from the 1970s that depicts a former member of the Black Liberation Army, Assata Shakur. It’s rare to come across original pieces with Shakur on them.
There is a mint copy of a Black Panther Party Newspaper describing the Oakland demonstrations for bail fund-raising, or the more colloquial term, legal fees. This was an historical black community newspaper. They have a few that are signed by Emory Douglas himself, who was the minister of culture for the Black Panther Party.
One featured item going back to African roots are Fulani wedding blankets. Obviously, they’re made by the Fulani people in Mali out of strips of woven cloth, and then are dyed with vegetable pigments. Traditionally, these are the first gift that a bride and groom receive and will be their first piece of co-owned property.
The rarest item they’ve found was a first edition of Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston. It sold for a whopping $7,000.
The BLK MKT Vintage story.
Jannah Handy gravitated toward Kiyanna Stewart, who had grown up thrifting. Handy and Stewart began thrift shopping together in 2014 while they were both students at Rutgers University. Funnily, the owners eventually realized that they grew up about a mile from each other in Prospect–Lefferts Gardens.
They started vending on Etsy and then created a website only to realize that the items rarely represented black history or culture. The antiques industry simply didn’t cater to African customers, so naturally Handy and Stewart decided to fill this niche.
At first, they struggled with not knowing what to sell. When business began catching up, they opened their current 900-square-foot store in Bed-Stuy. The 900-square-foot space was first a general store, then a dry cleaner, and now it’s one of the most interesting thrift shops in all of Brooklyn.
The founders wanted to create a space where people could engage with their collection in a unique way, and they truly have delivered. They are proud to have a diverse range of customers. Their highest goal is to communicate a message to black people that they are seen, loved, and important.
Filled with unique vintage digs, good vibes, and chill music, BLK MKT Vintage is a must-see.
If you want to check out their collection, you can visit their shop in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn or shop online. They also have select items available at some really cool places like the Brooklyn Museum, the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, and Ethel’s Club.
As always I, and the team at Brooklynites, thank you for reading. Click back soon. <3
Read more about BLK MKT Vintage:
https://greenbeanbookspdx.indielite.org/book/9780762484034
Check out our article about the awesome indie bookstores of Brooklyn:
https://brooklynites.nyc/brooklyns-indie-bookstores/
Read about Dorje Ling Temple in Vinegar Hill: