Vintage Market Days outgrows venue, moves to Kansas Pavilions

Michelle Blackwill haunted flea markets long before she walked into one called Vintage Market Days in Tulsa. But that visit took her interest to a different level.

“I fell in love with it,” said Blackwill, a Peck native who now lives in northwest Oklahoma. “I always wanted to do that same kind of thing.”

And now she does as proprietor of Vintage Market Days-Wichita, an offshoot of the Tulsa operation. “I eat, sleep and drink Vintage Market,” Blackwill said.

Vintage Market Days-Wichita runs Friday through Sunday at the Kansas Pavilions in Park City. More than 100 vendors from nine states will offer original art, antiques, clothing, jewelry and repurposed items, many in colorful booths that reflect this year’s theme: “Gypsy Camp.”

This is the third year Blackwill has staged Vintage Market Days in the area, having outgrown a space in Derby she used previously. In addition to Tulsa and Wichita, franchisees such as Blackwill put on Vintage Market Days in six other cities, including Oklahoma City, Houston, St. Louis, Austin, Fort Worth and Bentonville, Ark.

“I picked the Wichita one because I am from here,” Blackwill said.

The brand “kind of exploded” after Country Living magazine named the market one of seven flea market and barn sales not to miss in 2014, Blackwill said.

“We’re known as a walking, live Pinterest board,” she said, referring to the website popular with arts and crafts enthusiasts.

Blackwill starts organizing each Vintage Market Days soon after the previous one ends. The market is a jurored event, meaning vendors must apply and be accepted by Blackwill, who says she looks for those offering items that are fun, unique and “not like everyday stuff.”

For instance, one Texas vendor sells “shabby chic” clothing and furniture for young girls, while another makes furniture out of old whiskey barrels.

“Some booths are more the rustic junky style, then you’ll see your upscale Victorian” setting in another, Blackwill said.

One local vendor that definitely qualifies is Mrs. O’Leary’s, an eclectic gift shop and crafts center in Old Town that’s owned by Joni and Mark Russell.

In addition to selling finished items, Joni Russell will be demonstrating several craft techniques over the weekend, from torched enamel beads and Chalk Paint to soldered “story” bottles.

“Chalk Paint is all the rage right now,” Russell said of the product that people use to create repurposed, “shabby chic” furniture.

The story bottles are created by soldering buttons, rings, knobs, lace and other items to old glass bottles.

“The reason they’re called story bottles is you can create one in memory of someone,” Russell said. (Russell, whose husband owns the Brickyard next door, noted that she has a virtually never-ending supply of bottles at her disposal.)

The beads are heated in a flame and then dipped in enamel powder to make delicately colored spheres for bracelets and other purposes. On Sunday, Mother’s Day, she’ll be giving away free beads that’s she’s just decorated on a first-come, first-served basis to visitors, although she notes that the supply will be limited.

To keep with the “Gypsy Camp” theme, Mrs. O’Leary’s will decorate its booth with sari bracelets and other trimmings made from the traditional silk garments.

While this is Russell’s first year to participate in Vintage Market Days, she said word of mouth about the event is good.

“I did have somebody say that’s the best show they’ve ever seen done in Wichita,” she said.

The Rusted Rooster in Andover is taking part for a third year. The shop offers repurposed items made by a group of women, said owner Lissa Hackney.

“It’s a large franchise, and when we heard it was coming to Wichita, we wanted to be in on the first one,” Hackney said. “You’re with people from seven or eight states. This one’s a lot bigger and better; that’s why I really wanted to be part of it.”

Each Vintage Market Days donates a portion of its proceeds to a charity, Blackwill said. This year’s Wichita event will benefit TFI Family Services, a nonprofit that provides foster care and other services.

Several vendors will sell food and drink, from barbecue and pizza to tacos, kettle corn, funnel cake and old-fashioned root beer.

“It’s just a fun day with family and friends,” Blackwilll said. “Mother’s Day weekend is going to be great. It’s neat seeing a lot of the old stuff. When you see something, it brings back a certain type of memory.”

This story was originally published May 7, 2015 at 2:57 PM with the headline "Vintage Market Days outgrows venue, moves to Kansas Pavilions."