For many Hyderabadis, a weekend trip to the mall is no longer the default outing. Curated flea markets are quickly taking over, offering an experience where shopping is just part of the draw. With live music, artisan demonstrations, food stalls and independent brands, events such as Sunday Soul Sante, La La Land Flea, The Artisans Flea and Wink The Flea are evolving into creative community spaces. Hyderabad Times explores the mechanics of this growing trend, speaking with the minds behind the stalls and the crowds flocking to them.
‘I go for the experience, not the shopping’What keeps people returning isn’t necessarily what’s in their shopping bags. “I might buy a few things, but that’s never the main reason I go,” says Ananya Reddy, 28, a product designer. “I spend hours listening to live music, trying different food stalls, watching pottery demonstrations, meeting local creators and discovering brands I wouldn’t have found otherwise. It feels less like a shopping event and more like a festival.” For Rohit Agarwal, a data analyst, flea markets offer a break from screen-led routines. “Instead of scrolling through products, I’m talking to the people who made them. It’s a refreshing break from how transactional everything else has become.”
When we started, people came expecting a shopping event. Today, they come expecting an experience. Families spend hours attending workshops and performances without necessarily buying anything
– Rohan Mehta, organiser
By the numbers
- 250+ independent brands and artisans participate in Hyderabad’s major curated flea markets.
- US$2 trillion: India’s retail market is projected to reach this value by 2032, with experiential retail among its fastest-growing segments.
- From flea to famous: Brands such as Chumbak and Alicia Souza first built visibility through curated flea markets before expanding nationally.
‘Every handmade purchase comes with a story’Visitors say flea markets have changed how they shop by putting faces and stories behind every purchase. “A few years ago, my weekends meant going to a mall and buying from brands I already knew,” says Priyanka Reddy, 33, a software engineer. “Today, I’d much rather spend my money on something handmade because there’s a story behind every purchase.” She adds, “I don’t remember the last thing I bought at a mall, but I can still tell you who made the pottery mug sitting on my desk.” Regular visitor Niharika Rayapu, an interior designer, says, “You start recognising the same artists, musicians and homegrown brands at different editions. It feels like Hyderabad has created a space where people genuinely support local creators.”
I might buy a few things, but that’s never the main reason I go. I spend hours listening to live music, trying different food stalls and meeting local creators. It feels less like a shopping event and more like a festival where there’s always something happening
– Ananya Reddy, product designer
Flea market bingo:
- Tick off if you’ve…
- Bought something on impulse
- Caught a live band
- Pet a friendly dog
- Tried a new food stall
- Chatted with an artist or maker
- Found a home-grown brand
‘People don’t come with a shopping list anymore’Organisers say visitor expectations have shifted beyond shopping. “When we started, people came expecting a shopping event. Today, they come expecting an experience,” says Rohan Mehta, a member of the organising team at a Hyderabad flea market. “Families spend six to eight hours, young professionals plan weekends around the market, pet parents bring their dogs and many attend workshops or live performances without necessarily buying anything.” Echoing that shift, Harish Rao, co-founder of Sunday Soul Sante, says, “Visitors don’tjust come to shop anymore, they come to discover new creators, spend time with friends and be part of a community that celebrates creativity.”
Every handmade purchase comes with a story. I don’t remember the last thing I bought at a mall, but I still know who made my pottery mug
– Priyanka Reddy, software engineer
– Sanjana Pulugurtha
