Long Beach Antique Market Tips

As an avid vintage curator, I always look forward to my monthly trips to the Long Beach Antique Market.

Some months I’ve had amazing luck scoring solid vintage treasures, and some months I’ve met great vendors but walked out with absolutely nothing. Nonetheless, it’s always a fun experience and I totally encourage everyone to attend at least once if they’re in the area.

Throughout my many visits, I’ve learned what not to do and how to make my treasure hunting smoother. In partnership with the Long Beach Antique Market, I put together a few tips that could be helpful for your next trip!

Let’s dive in:

long-beach-antique-market-tips_gabriela-peregrina_vintage-denim

Wear a mask: There’s no room for Karens at the market. If you care about society, be a decent person, and wear one—or you’ll get kicked out because they’re mandatory.
Don’t forget your water: The market tends to get HOT! Make sure to bring water to keep you hydrated, unless you want to drop money on an overpriced water bottle at the market.
Make a wish list: Creating a list of items you’re wanting to purchase will help you be more strategic amongst all the options.
Do your research: Research prices and descriptions of the items before your trip. At times you might be getting a good deal, but you could also be getting ripped off—it’s a market after all. When it comes to the vendors, the Long Beach Antique Market Instagram account is always spotlighting great pieces and booths.

long-beach-antique-market-tips_gabriela-peregrina_vinyls-records

Create a strategy: Come with a budget and stick to it because items tend to add up when you’re having fun. When it comes to navigating the market, I prefer to tackle the vendor booths I already know instead of following the crowd and starting at the front.

Arrive early: The one I always tend to fail at because I just love sleep way too much, but try to get to the market as early as possible to get first dibs on everything.
Document your faves: When you’re new to the whole market thing, taking photos of your favorites will make your next trip way easier! If you really love a vendor, I recommend collecting their business cards or following them on Instagram, they might also have a website where you could purchase their inventory.

Bring a snack or eat before: If you’re on a vintage mission and know you’ll be there for a long period of time, make sure to keep your energy up by fueling yourself.

long-beach-antique-market-tips_gabriela-peregrina_vintage-pins

Bring cash: While Venmo could come in handy, some sellers only accept cash. They do have an ATM but it comes with a fee. Skip the hassle and just carry some cash with you.
Be mindful of your company: Second opinions are great, specially coming from people you trust. If you’re planning on buying furniture or big vintage pieces, extra helping hands will ease the loading process.
Bring wheels: Since we are on the topic of furniture, a wagon or some sort of additional wheels to help you load big buys are a must—specially if you parked very far and tend to forget where your car is because I am personally a pro at that.
Check the weather app: If you know the weather, you’ll know how to dress… I’ve learned the hard way!
Don’t let a vendor rush you: No one likes feeling pressured to make a decision, if you feel like a vendor is trying to hurry you into buying their pieces, more times than not they’re not worth it. Make sure to inspect every item before buying it, and don’t get distracted by the vendor. I’ve purchased a couple of t-shirts with stains on them because I gave in to feeling rushed!

Bring your own bag: Since it is a vintage market you never really know what you can stumble upon! Make sure to bring a bag to carry all of your purchases so you can have arm room available.