Brooklyn’s Meeker Avenue Flea Market has been open less than a year, but this young market has just the right look for a movie that needs old scenery. According to market owner Michael Ricatto, “They needed an antique and vintage flea market backdrop, and that fits us perfectly.”
Shooting for the film took place Aug. 10 at the indoor market. At first, Ricatto intended to remain open during filming, but then changed his mind. “Originally they were just going to shoot while we were open, but it got to be too cumbersome, with wires going in every direction,” he says. “I thought it would be smarter, from an insurance standpoint, to close.” Ricatto let customers know about the closing through a Craigslist posting. The market will reopen tomorrow, Aug. 11, as usual.
Ricatto was unable to say more. “I’m not permitted to talk about the shoot at all.”
The film, “Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life,” is based on the young adult novel of the same name. In the book, Jeremy scours flea markets for old keys. The film reportedly will star Maxwell Beer as Jeremy Fink and Ryan Simpkins as Lizzy Muldoun, according to Wikipedia. Simpkins, a 12-year-old veteran of 13 TV and film productions, posted on her Facebook page on Aug. 9 that she was filming in New York City.
The Meeker Avenue Flea Market opened Sept. 3, 2009, in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn. “It’s all indoors, 90,000 square feet on two floors,” says Michael Ricatto, “and for the most part we have vintage and antique goods. We have some new goods, but they are interesting new goods.” The market has impressed some reviewers. It operates as both a market and an antiques mall. “We’re more of a consignment operation. We have some vendors on site as well.” It is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week, and stays open until 9 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays.
Photo credits, with thanks: Time Out New York and I.A. from Yelp.com.