Suitcase Rummage Melbourne Iconic Sunday Pop-Up Flea Market

Last Sunday, while walking around the city, I stumbled upon Suitcase Rummage. It’s one iconic Melbourne market, regularly at Federation Square. Even though I have been to several markets before, I had never seen anything like the Suitcase Rummage. The exciting thing about the bazaar was the shops’ “stands” were suitcases, hence the name.

There were more than a couple dozen suitcases stalls on that day. Most of them sold either clothes, fashion accessories or handmade crafts. There were also a few zine stalls and one suitcase filled with Harry Potter trinkets.

I spent some time hanging out at the Suitcase Rummage pop upmarket. Again, most people were watching, but the sellers caught my attention more than the visitors this time. People who have a knack for crafts are usually a tad bit quirky.

Suitcase Rummage at Melbourne Federation Square

Federation Square during the Suitcase Rummage looked like an explosion of unique patterns, vibe, and colours. The energy was fun, fun, fun!

You would think that these items would be considerably cheaper as it’s essentially a flea market. It’s not. But it’s interesting, and according to the website, we can barter. Maybe we can bring some of the no-longer-loved stuff from our homes to exchange with fellow suitcases next time. Nonetheless, it’s an excellent opportunity to show our support for local artists and crafters by purchasing their handmade arts.

The pop-up market reminds me of the Jakarta shopping culture. I spent many weekends at Jakarta’s biggest wholesale market, Mangga Dua. My family would spend hours looking through piles and piles of bargain clothes and fake goods. We picked our favourite, bargained hard and only went back if we couldn’t carry any more plastic bags.

Some suitcases were freaking interesting! If it’s up to me above suitcase would be the featured stall of the month.

The only thing I bought from the Suitcase Rummage that day was a Harry Potter crystal prism for $5, which I plan to turn into a pendant.

When you visit Melbourne, do stop by at the Suitcase Rummage. It will be worth your while, even if it’s only for people watching. Check out their full schedule here and happy suitcase rummaging!

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