By Outside Long Beach State’s bookstore, the campus flea market offers a collection of clothes, decals and rings to students looking to collect and style.
These vendors offer a variety of items to students such as anime, Hello Kitty stickers, holographic posters, sunglasses, beanies, jewelry and more.
Melvin Ercia, the owner of his anime booth, sells stickers and holographic posters at his vendor for all who like anime.
“They [customers] have watched at least one anime they like and hopefully we have that type of selection for them,” Ercia said.
Vivian Ngo sells anime and Hello Kitty designs. She designs all her work from her iPad.
“When I have downtime, I like to draw on my iPad when I come up with more designs,” Ngo continued. “When I’m not selling and I’m bored, I just bring out my iPad and then draw.”
Her most popular design are her “Warning” stickers.
Hello Kitty Warning stickers sold by Vivian Ngo at the campus flea market outside the Bookstore. Ngo makes all of her stickers right off her iPad and laminates them all, ready to be sold. Photo credit: Maverick Marcellana
Jose Fernando Melquiades is a vendor selling jewelry from around the world. He has worldwide connections to a number of stones shipped from places like Brazil and Belize.
Melquiades and his family have been in the jewelry business for over 20 years and they all manufacture it in the comfort of their home.
“We try to have a variety of them from different places,” Melquiades said.
The rings are his best selling item. Students are offered a great deal on them and they can even adjust them to get the right fit.
Jose Fernando Melquiades restocks necklaces at his jewelry vendor in the campus flea market outside the bookstore. Photo credit: Maverick Marcellana
Second year pre-nursing major Bella Villegas says that “the rings are a really cute option.” She even thinks the Hello Kitty stickers are “really cute.”
(left to right) Second year pre-nursing majors Angie Nguyen and Bella Villegas checking out some sunglasses at the campus flea market outside the bookstore. Photo credit: Maverick Marcellana
Vendors of any kind can have a pop-up shop anytime they please. They come on campus to support each other and be independent above all else.
“We’re not doing it for some company. We are all small businesses,” Ercia said.
Vendors like Ercia started their businesses as a way to make work for themselves and provide students merchandise from their interests in pop culture to fashion.
I’m doing this out of my own time,” Ercia said. “It’s fun, it’s chill, and I’m happy doing this rather than working for a regular job.”
