On an average weekend, San Anselmo goes at a leisurely pace, families brunching, cyclists criss-crossing the picturesque streets. But on a recent Sunday, the parking lot behind Convert Studios, an airy, white-walled workshop and event space was a verified scene, packed with stylish shoppers perusing cool-girl labels like Reformation, Ulla Johnson, and Ganni under the increasingly blazing sun.
The occasion was Bank St. Flea, (opens in new tab) a biannual second-hand market that, by Marin standards at least, goes extremely hard, with influencer vendors and price tags that don’t exactly scream bargain.
“It’s the busiest one yet,” said seller Anna-Alexia Basile (opens in new tab), a San Francisco photographer who participated in the first market in October 2025, as well as previous, less formal iterations held at Convert. Holding a paper umbrella to keep the UVs away, she was selling sculptural dresses by niche designers like Henrik Vibskov and Stine Goya, Loeffler Randall shoes, and whimsical hats to some of her 14,000 enthusiastic Instagram followers. “It’s been so special to see the community grow — last time there were girls from L.A.!”
Bank St. Flea is a passion project of prop stylist and creative director Kendra Smoot, (opens in new tab) who co-owns Covert Studios with her husband, photographer Seth Smoot, and Paige Block, the owner of the marketing and branding agency Here + West (opens in new tab). Block is a San Anselmo native, while Smoot moved to the town in 2014. They met in the aftermath of COVID, as Smoot started to roll out small community events at the studio. What began as a series of modest clothing sales in 2020 has become a recurring staple of the Bay Area fashion calendar. The magic of the Bank St. Fles comes from the curation, Block says, “a beautiful blend of our personal contacts from the styling and design world.”
At the last flea on May 17, 30 sellers hawked items from their closets and vintage collections — among them faces familiar to anyone with an Instagram algorithm tuned to local fashion: interior designer Jinah Spearman (opens in new tab), photographer Lisa Moir, (opens in new tab) Freda Salvador designer Addie Stohler, (opens in new tab) organizing guru Shira Gill (opens in new tab), and Gena Winter (opens in new tab), the co-owner of the San Francisco flower shop Marigold.
Pilates-honed Marin moms in linen dresses, gray-haired fashionistas in artisanal jewelry, and Gen Z girls in baggy pants and cropped tops were zigzagging the stalls, piles of clothes and accessories in hand, seemingly unfazed by the prices, ranging from $40 to $300. Supportive husbands filled the line for coffee and carbs at the nearby parked Johnny Doughnuts cart. Kids, in photoshoot-ready attire, ran about everywhere.
Attendance has grown steadily since the first official Bank St. Flea in October 2025. While entry is free, Block and Smoot introduced a $10-fee “Early Bird Hour” and saw the number of first-hour attendees more than double this time around — about 150 people, with overall attendance estimated at about 500,.
“At first I thought, it’s not in the city even, will people show up?” said Basile, but she has been consistently proven wrong; shoppers descended from San Francisco, the East Bay, and even farther. “Once we launched our Instagram in September 2025 we immediately saw this event take off to a new level,” Block said.
“The thing that brings me joy is people coming together — plus the component of a circular economy,” says Smoot. She has hopes of replicating Bank St. Flea in Los Angeles and New York, while sticking to the formula refined in Marin. “Online shopping is becoming a drag,” she said, looking around at the sunny, second-hand frenzy. “This is thrilling.”
Stylist Kaede Matsumoto, a return shopper, came from Fairfax to support local vendors, wearing Havaianas, a vintage T-shirt, and workwear pants. “I love buying vintage and recycling. I’m actually trying to reduce my closet, but maybe something will stand out!”
Addie and Kim Wight, a mother-daughter duo, joined forces, Addie flying in from New Orleans to visit her mom, a San Anselmo local. “The curation is great and everyone seems excited to be here,” Kim said.
Celeste Illescas drove over from San Francisco in a “little dress” from Urban Outfitters. “One of my co-workers was talking about this event,” she said. “I’m looking for something unique, something you can’t find at stores right now.”
Sara Hess from San Anselmo came with her adorable 3-year-old daughter, in a handmade dress from Menorca. “My friend is selling clothes here, and we love to check it out — what a lovely gathering,” she said.
Erin Bass, a psychotherapist from Tiburon, took her Doen dress and Loewe bag out for a spin; “I love Kendra,” she said of Bank St. Flea co-founder Smoot. “There are some talented content creators here, and I’m happy to shop their closets,” she said.
Cindy Beck, wearing Citizen of Humanity Jeans and an Outerknown shirt, came all the way from Brentwood, having been to two previous events. “It’s gotten larger — it’s darling!” she said of the event.
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