I heard about the Bazaar just a few days prior via Daily Candy, and am totally psyched I stumbled upon it! As others have stated, it was hot and dimly lit. BUT I love the antiquity of the theater so somehow, for me, those things balanced one another out. I really tried to soak it up as an overall experience. I wish I'd brought more cash since that was the preferred method of payment. However I was very pleased that a few vendors were willing to accept a paypal payment later that day as well as credit cards via iphones. I scored a lovely antique fleur-de-lis pin for a Christmas gift for mom as well as an awesome 1960's turquoise velvet coat in pristine condition for myself! My partner brought home some antique cameras for her collection as well. I agree that sometimes it was hard to know who was in charge of the individual booths, so perhaps an identifying tag or badge would have been helpful. I felt the majority of the prices were appropriate, and was pleased overall by the friendliness and courtesy of folks in what could have been a tense situation with the cozy and hot atmosphere. read more

I had a great time, spent a ton of money which I had been saving just for this curated gathering of some of the regions best vintage offerings. I am stunned by the bad comments here. There must have been some strange expectations. This was not a bargain hunters paradise but more like having the best of the best all in one place. Some vendors are pricier than others. I got some business cards and intend to visit their full collections. I agree the lighting was terrible. I think even the Congress personnel were surprised what a power suck hundreds of hundred watt bulbs can be. Next time - FLORESCENTS I enjoyed watching the chaos with a cocktail from the perimeter. The rake of the floor was not that bad. I bet I can guess which booths had trouble keeping their stuff vertical. The makeshift rack your boyfriend made hoping you would clean out your closet wasn't sturdy enough for all of those dresses. However, I appreciate that entrepreneurial spirit. It was a big crowd. The house lights made it really warm and I didn't have a cocktail in my hand before the first purchase was made. We all had our challenges. The worst was the lady pushing her baby - slowly - through the crowd in this over sized pram. This event is better for strapping the baby to your body. Hands free. Even better leave it at home with yo' baby daddy. This bazaar is more of an event than a flea market. With bed bugs on the rise I am thankful for this curated gathering of dozens of purveyors of fine vintage goods with a few "garage" sale styled booths tossed in. I found a bargain pair of lamps - see photo!!! Can't wait for the next one. I do hope some of the vendors will use their Iphones to take PayPal payments on the floor - I would have spent that $95 on that bulbous lamp. read more

A few cool finds, a few that made me do a double take at the price tag and exchange "are they serious?" glances with my partner in crime. The vendors were packed in the space and it made me think that perhaps revenue took precedence over what actually made sense for the flow of the event. It was really hot but luckily it was pretty nice outside so it wasn't as awful as it could have been. The DJ was a nice addition but i'm sure a few vendors would have loved to use that huge space on stage for a little elbow room. As a venue, the Congress Theater made since for a vintage bazaar but i'm still not a huge fan of the place since it could use a little facelift to take away the creep factor. I didn't try the food and drinks but it was nice to know that if I were dehydrated and starving a snack and beverage were a few feet away. Overall, worth checking out, kudos to the vendors for some of the awesome stuff/crap/things/items/shizz you had! :) read more

I went to the Vintage Bazaar on 9/18/11 and was really disappointed. Like many vintage events that happen these days, it seemed like the vendors pulled out the items they couldn't sell and thus, everything was tacky as hell, teeny tiny or worn out. I understand vendors not wanting to bring their prized pieces out for the masses to muck up, but the inventory hit a particular low at this event. Returning to the Congress Theater reinforced my dislike of it. The place reeked of beer and vomit and the floor had that icky-sticky feel to it. Also lacking was lighting to see any of the products clearly. I'd highly recommend vendors to bring their own lamps. With all this said, I did find a simple black dress for $10 that luckily fit (since you can't try anything on here). Considering I had to pay admission, at least I found something. read more

It seems that everyone echo's the same statement: This event is GREAT, but the venue was not. It was more spacious than the previous event at the DANK Haus, but still not the best way to showcase the vendors and their beautiful wares. Like I said in my earlier review, a small entrance fee will afford a nicer venue and might be something worth considering. read more

This is a great idea and there was some awesome stuff there, but the organization was lacking. It was SO DARK. Both the vendors and customers were frustrated by the lack of lighting, it was ridiculously hard to see anything you might want to buy. Like Liz C. said, the lights were turned OFF at some point, much to the frustration of the vendors. I might have purchased some clothes but there were no mirrors or places to try on, and as it was about 100 degrees in there, I wasn't about to try on over my clothes. This would have been better outside somewhere. read more

The Vintage Bazaar at the Congress Theater combined excellent dealers and a wide array of merchandise from industrial to shabby chic in a seamless manner. The location was perfect...you could bike, walk, train or even hitch hike with the Kennedy down the street. And for the naysayers.... those of who don't like historic buildings with charm....shop at Walmart. read more

Love this event BUT I think Chicago needs to definitely do this more often! I walked it and pretty much freaked out at the amount of items I had to go through and the fact that I only had a few hours?! I did grab a few business cards but seeing vintage in person is a must. Great exposure for local vintage collectors and it's helps us purchase unique products without lookin' like everyone else! read more

I've been wanting to check out the Vintage Bazaar for a while now, but they always seem to hold it on weekends that I'm unavailable. Happily, I was unoccupied today and looking for a reason to get out of the house so I ventured down to Pilsen to check it out. Overall, it was pretty much what I expected: a good mix of clothing/accessories and housewares, and chock full of hipsters. I was in a browsing mood, so I didn't buy anything but I had a good time looking around. There were a couple pieces of furniture that caught my eye, but I didn't think I'd be able get them home on the Halsted bus/Blue Line combo that was getting me home. It was a bit on the crowded side, so I can't imagine how packed it would be if the weather were decent. It also seemed like some of the vendors could have used more room - it was hard to navigate through their areas. Still, it was fun to check out and I will likely check out the next one. read more

If this was the promoter's second show, then I would say that they did an outstanding job! They brought in an unbelievable numbers. I like the selection of the music that was played though I personally would have chosen some Rag-time and 50's to throw in the mix. It was a little too loud when asking and answering questions about merchandise but than maybe it was just for me. I would have loved to be able to visit this building in its hey-day because you can tell it was fab! Today, it is shabby in not a good way but it sure was large, able to house a large number of vendors and allowed a huge group of people to come in and shop! I have shopped and done plenty of shows and NEVER have I seen anything like this. Yes, I would have loved better lighting and it to be cleaner but it was wonderfully CRAZY and I LOVED it! read more

I'm basing my review on the May 14 event in Pilsen. I am SO glad that they brought it to the south side! Its only a 10 minute drive from my place and I was able to find parking near by. It was held in an old warehouse building, so it was a little musty, but so is everything that they are trying to sell. They seemed to use the space well since I didn't feel crowded, but boy was I overwhelmed! There's just too much junk to go through in one day! I did find a few things worth buying, including an ornate sterling silver ring, hand-painted shell necklace, small glass elephant (probably a cigarette holder), and a few vinyl records for the hubby. I even found a few items that I recognized from my grandma's house and my mom's basement. Maybe its time for a yard sale... With an event in May and not another one until September, I'm left wondering why The Vintage Bazaar won't take advantage of the summer to round up another sale. I enjoyed perusing the vast treasures and wish I didn't have to wait so long for another event. read more

Can't wait for Sunday's Vintage Bazaar at the Congress Theater. (9/18/11) What makes this so great and fun is the lethal combination of booze, food, & people watching combined with vendors of all different price ranges and styles. A lot of the reviews on here seem to focus on clothing, but if you are a housewares and furniture junkie like me, there is definitely something for everyone. Favorite vendors past & present include Manly Vintage, Cercis, Christophe Gauspohl, Cushion, and Backgarage. Everything from antiques to mid-century to industrial salvage is represented. Some of the vendors and attendees are really on the cusp of what is going on in terms of current vintage trends/design. Visit for inspiration and a cheap beer buzz. read more

Overall it was just a very odd experience. Location: The Congress theater should not be used for this type of event. Poor ventilation, lighting, and a lack of room were noticeable immediately. After about 20 minutes I went from "Well this looks promising" to "Dear Jesus, deliver my atheist ass from this hell!". As others have mentioned, the slanted floors were not fun. I'm kind of clumsy, and I'm amazed I didn't trip over some stack of 1980's workout VHS tapes and go ass over teakettle at some point. Vendors: As for the actual people working the booths, they were all very nice and helpful. My issue is that the booths bled into one another, and at some points you'd pick up something on a table and wonder who you should be handing the money to. The vendors REALLY needed badges or something to identify themselves, as any immoral individual with tattoos and hipster glasses could pose as the owner of a booth while the real owner is busy helping a customer. With the lack of places to try things on, I'm surprised that vendors even bought clothing to sell at all. Which brings me to my next topic... Merchandise: Sorry, but it was mostly junk. The few things that looked like they were in nice condition or that you might actually put up on your wall without irony were incredibly expensive. Small framed pictures and drawings for $80-100? Pop metal jewelry for $30? It kind of saddens me that people pay rent to keep storefronts stocked with stuff that absolutely wouldn't sell on Ebay. In the end I get the feeling that it's more about the experience of "treasure hunting" than finding good values for your money. I'm still of the opinion that you can't call it a flea market unless someone is selling exotic reptiles, throwing stars, and questionable Chinese fireworks. The pie ladies were making sales hand over fist though, that much is certain. I think they were the only ones who understood their clientele and the marketplace environment. Other Patrons: People were very polite, given that navigating some booths required you to engage in kama-sutra positions with strangers. And well, if you're interested in meeting attractive young ladies, this was the place to be. As an aside, my girlfriend's friend left us at one point to get food, but was apparently refused service by the food vendor in the front (the one selling tacos, pizza, etc). I don't know if that food vendor was associated with the bazaar or the Congress Theater, but I think that behavior is uncalled for. **** Hahaha thanks for giving me a laugh tonight, Knut! And I totally believe you that you're an unpaid volunteer who just happened to make an account to give this 5 stars and get defensive against some common criticisms. ;) read more

The latest venue, next to the Congress Theater, was easily accessible by El or bus and had an interesting synergy with the Family Thrift store across the street. By Sunday evening there was neither high energy nor alcohol at the Bazaar, though it was nice of them to label the free bowls of nuts "garam masala," so that we can reproduce the effect in our own kitchens. It was nicely curated, and the people selling old-school crocheted blankets for $20 sent me back to the thrift store to pick up a cheerful orange and yellow one there for $2. My exasperation at the prices being charged for mediocre clothes at the Vintage Bazaar caused me to spend more time than I had planned at the Family Thrift and thereby to luck into an exquisite rose pink mohair sweater from the 1950s that was languishing there with an asking price of around $4.00. So for a potpourri of reasons I'm glad I went. read more

Vintage Bazaar is a pop-up flea market in Chicago concentrating on vintage clothing, antique furniture, housewares, and other oddments. The Bazaar takes place in different locations infrequently, bringing together a wide variety of local and semi-distant vendors. I give five stars to the general idea of a huge pop-up vintage fair, and five stars to many of the the wonderful vendors I shopped with today, but would rate the location (The Congress Theater) less favorably. Unfortunately, the location really marred the experience for me, though I managed to still go on the whirlwind shopping spree of my dreams. First, props to the many great vendors who were there. Standouts included Knee Deep Vintage - Carlos found me across the cavernous theater to tell me he would give me a deal on a dress he had for me, that I hadn't seen. It fit perfectly and with a massive discount, it was the best find of a long day of shopping. Need I mention this is the first time I met him? Amazing service. Labrabbit optical had a nice selection of 80s and earlier frames, almost tempting me to look like my teenage self again. Agent Gallery had some great prints and architectural salvage. In terms of true vintage, Night and Day and Apparel from the Past brought the best to the scene. Sadly, the venue made enjoying a visit to these vendors difficult at best. At first glance, the Congress theater's large open floorplan and vintage grandeur would seem to be the perfect fit for the Vintage Bazaar. It was the first time I had been there and it was architecturally awe-inspiring. Retro grooves were spun by a pitch-perfect DJ to liven the mood, and Hoosier Mama pie provided refreshments. Once on the floor, though, in the throes of a shopping frenzy, the venue's weaknesses became literally stifling. It was a lovely day outside but inside it was as sticky and hot as any other day this summer in Chicago. Most booths were without dressing rooms so inveterate shoppers were tossing things on over their clothes. The bathrooms were too disgusting to serve as dressing rooms. Worst of all, the lighting was more suitable for a romantically lit dinner out than a flea market. It was nearly impossible to see the vintage wares and I know the vendors were missing out on sales because of it. At one point the lights went up and the vendors sighed with relief, only to have them turned down again to "mood lighting" level. Whoever arranged this needs to be told it was a terrible idea - vintage shoppers need light! I can't say I would have done more damage to my pocketbook if they had the lights up, but I would have had a vastly less frustrating experience. I also heard that there was a concert there the night before, and that cigarette butts were being hosed down in the early am. Cigarettes and vintage clothing should not go together (at least, not anymore). I would rate the venue a 2 or less, for these reasons, but I wish it could work better there as it is beautiful. Lastly, I say this to the venue and the vendors - please, provide mirrors! And provide somewhere to change! The booths are small and people are throwing things crazily, bumping into eacother. If i were a vendor I would have gone a bit insane trying to keep track of everything. As it is, I think only the hardiest shoppers were really buying. Most of my friends would have ran out of there after half an hour, exhausted. I want this to work well for everyone and I hope some improvements can be made. read more

I definitely recommend a trip to The Vintage Bazaar for anyone who likes vintage shopping and/or people watching. What a neat idea bringing together all these great vendors! They always have an interesting and varied selection of clothing, housewares, and jewelry -- I have never walked away empty handed. Prices tend to be a bit on the high-side (don't expect Goodwill rates here) and the last two that I attended (one at the Congress and one in Pilsen) suffered a bit from overcrowding and lack of air conditioning, but all in all, The Vintage Bazaar is a fun Sunday out! read more