DeKalb Back Alley Market featured creative goods

DeKALB –­ Back by popular demand, the DeKalb Alley Market, a flea market featuring repurposed, vintage and artisan finds, returned for the second time to Palmer Court on Saturday.

Dozens of vendors set up shop in Frank Van Buer Plaza to showcase their offerings. Items for sale included everything from jewelry and artwork to dream catchers and plants.

“It’s a fun market,” said Rock City resident Rene Houghton, who was manning a vendor booth at the show. “I did the market in the spring, and I really liked it. People seem very nice here.”

Houghton had a number of items on display, including several antique cameras. She said that while hunting for vintage items, she tends to look for old clocks and cameras.

“I think a lot of people now like to decorate with them,” she said.

Bonnie Carlson said she was glad she decided to drop in. She said she came out to help support her daughter and her friend as they ran a booth at the DeKalb Back Alley Market.

“I was just enjoying the day because of the casual walk-through, [seeing] what people have talents for and how they are expressing them,” Carlson said. “It gives us an opportunity to mingle with people.”

Carlson took time to browse through the various booths at the event.

“The creativity of the plants over here are really nice,” she said. “They grow plants and put them in different containers.

Lou Lonteville, who works for Yaeger’s Farm Market, sat waiting for shoppers to approach her booth. She said the little pumpkin gourds and the homemade popcorn appeared to be the most popular items.

Lonteville said she is pleased by the turnout for the DeKalb Back Alley Market.

“There’s been quite a few wandering through all day,” Lonteville said. “About half [who] stop by would stay. There’s definitely a nice traffic flow through here.”

Lonteville said that attending the DeKalb Back Alley Market can be considered a success for Yaeger’s Farm Market.

“Some have asked actually where it was located, so they could go get bigger pumpkins,” she said, referring to Yaeger’s Farm Market. “I think this is really nice. I think it’s been a nice event.”

DeKalb resident Jen Gontarek said she’s been looking forward to running a booth at the DeKalb Back Alley Market.

“I created all of the jewelry, as well as the crochet items and the dream catchers,” she said. “I did not create the crystals because I am not a wizard.”

Gontarek said the jewelry appeared to be drawing a lot of attention from shoppers.

“I feel like it’s a little bit different than jewelry you would usually see,” she said. “A lot is electro-formed jewelry, which is the process of growing copper on different items.”