Get Lost in the Racks at FOUND Vintage Markets

On an unseasonably warm weekend in October, FOUND’s latest pop-up is bustling with activity as folks funnel onto the pier in search of fabulous vintage finds. Dozens of vendors have set up shop at Tall Ship, a 245-foot vessel moored at Pier One in East Boston. People of all ages mingle among the racks of clothing as they haggle with vendors to score unique vintage and upcycled garments. In addition to stalls packed with apparel and homegoods, FOUND at Tall Ship bounces along to an up-tempo playlist from a live DJ, while visitors enjoy tacos, lobster rolls, cocktails, milkshakes, and a variety of other food and drink options from surrounding food trucks. If you’re looking for a fun way to spend an afternoon while shopping sustainably, FOUND at Tall Ship is the place to be.

FOUND began in February 2023 and is the latest project from Original Markets, a Boston-based organization specializing in creating engaging, curated events that bring together consumers and local vendors of vintage clothing and goods, upcycled clothing and objects, art, jewelry, vinyl, home goods, plants, and more. Before FOUND, Original Markets gained recognition with the Fenway Flea at The Station — a weekly outdoor flea market that launched in September 2022. Both FOUND and the Fenway Flea have seen great success as they’ve continued to generate hype around the city and on social media.

“With social media, we’re showcasing what we’re doing and why we’re doing it,” says Megan Fehling, the 21-year old co-founder and CEO of Original Markets. “People in younger age groups resonate not only with having a good reason to shop secondhand, but also just having something cool and fun to do in Boston.” 

Fehling is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music and is currently working towards her MBA at Emerson College in their Business of Creative Enterprises program. The Original Markets team is surprisingly small, considering the scale of its operations. In addition to Fehling, the team includes Rob Singh, co-founder and Creative Director, and Sam Murray, Content and Social Media Manager.

“I’ve always loved fashion, ever since I was a kid,” Fehling says. Before starting Original Markets, Fehling worked in open-air markets that featured vintage clothing vendors. There, she learned the difference between vintage and secondhand goods. She had a desire to become her own boss, and as the city began to open up after the shut-downs of COVID-19, she saw an opportunity to create fun events that encouraged sustainable shopping in unique outdoor venues.

Fast Fashion and Accessibility

“With FOUND, we really wanted to highlight the importance of sustainability,” Fehling says. “With the fast fashion machine, there are all kinds of awful things happening — most landfills are overflowing with clothing. We want to encourage people to shop sustainably, but also to be able to still find things they want. It can be a little tough, because with vintage, a lot of people like it or they don’t — or they can feel like it’s price gouging.”

Fehling has seen that price can often be a barrier when it comes to shopping sustainably. She hopes that FOUND can be an accessible entrypoint for people looking to start shopping vintage: “We came up with a series of events — “Fits Under 50” — where everything is $50 or less. Most things are around $10-$20, with the idea being that you should be able to build an entire outfit.”

In addition to creating fun and welcoming spaces for shopping sustainably, the social media accounts for both FOUND and Fenway Flea always promote using public transit by posting quick video guides that show how to arrive at the market venue by walking from the nearest T-stop.

FOUND markets pop up in different neighborhoods and at a variety of venues. In addition to Tall Ship in East Boston, FOUND has hosted markets at the Urban Park Roof Garden in Cambridge’s Kendall Square and at Artists for Humanity in South Boston. Fehling hopes to continue to find new venues, with the goal of creating enthusiasm around shopping vintage all across Boston. 

“When I came here in 2019 as a college student, I felt like there was nothing cool to do. I may not have done enough research, but people would always say ‘New York is better than Boston,’” Fehling recalls. “I’m trying to show people that there are fun events that you can come to with your friends. I think that’s why FOUND resonates with a lot of people, especially young people.”

What’s Next for FOUND?

The Original Markets team is always planning new events and scouting out new, bigger venues. They also hope to bring their concept to new cities and continue trying to meet the consumer demand for accessible, sustainable shopping options.

FOUND recently announced that they are hosting a Holiday Pop Up Shop at Arsenal Yards in Watertown that will be open from November 12th through December 23rd. Their goal with this pop up is to encourage conscious gift-buying. In addition to vintage and upcycled goods, the FOUND Holiday Pop Up will feature candles, soaps, records, jewelry, home decor, and more — all from sustainability-minded small businesses.

FOUND Holiday Pop Up Shop 11/12–12/23
116 Arsenal Yards Boulevard, Watertown, MA 02472
Monday–Wednesday CLOSED
Thursday–Saturday 11am–7pm
Sunday 12pm–5pm

Megan Fehling’s Tips for Shopping Sustainably

• Be realistic with your budget: “When you’re starting to transition into the vintage fashion world, be realistic. No one is saying to start shopping vintage and dropping hundreds of dollars. There are obviously cool, curated pieces, but the majority of people aren’t looking for that.”
• Start local and think long-term: “Go to markets near you, like Boomerang or Goodwill, and try to find something you’re looking for — like a small, black top. It’s likely going to be better quality [than something affordable bought new]. The appeal of fast fashion is that it’s quick and it’s cheap, but clothes like that don’t last long, because they’re made from cheap materials, and the craftsmanship is poor.”
• Enjoy the process: “It can be fun — the search to find something and having the feeling of, ‘Wow, I worked for this.’ Yes, it’s really easy to go online to Amazon and get something in the mail the next day, but it’s a bit more fun to find something that’s one of a kind that you can’t find anywhere else. It’s like a treasure.”

To stay up-to-date with the latest FOUND events, you can follow them on Instagram and TikTok, or sign up for their email newsletter.