Shoppers browsing the Flea-Ji vintage clothing market pop-up at Tennessee Tech University, partnered with Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and EZ-A Finds. Credit: Courtesy of Eric Harp
Vintage market Flea-Ji will host its first-ever event at Ohio State Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the South Oval, partnering with fraternity Phi Gamma Delta to raise money for the nonprofit Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence, supporting victims of domestic violence.?
Twenty percent of all proceeds raised at the event will be donated to the alliance, also known as OAESV.?
Flea-Ji brings secondhand, vintage clothing pop-ups to campuses across the country with vendors from surrounding areas to help raise money for the fraternity’s nonprofit and national chapter fees, co-founder Eric Harp said.
Harp, also the co-founder of EZ-A Finds — his personal vintage clothing company — and a Phi Gamma Delta alum, said he knew EZ-A Finds could be more when he was asked to host an event at the College of Charleston, his alma mater.?
“I formed a vintage clothing company with two of my fraternity brothers, where basically we just do a lot of secondhand clothing and selling at, you know, markets and pop-ups across the country,” Harp said. “Around the same time that we were kind of getting the ball rolling in our business and everything like that, our fraternity, Phi Gamma Delta, at the College of Charleston reached out to us.”?
Harp said it is rewarding to work with Phi Gamma Delta chapters at colleges across the country supporting a variety of nonprofit organizations.?
“Every single college that we work with has a different philanthropy that they do so it’s just, it’s so many different non profit organizations that we’re able to help raise money for [and] raise awareness towards,” Harp said.?
Luke Lesterhuis, a second year in finance and real estate, and president of Phi Gamma Delta, said he wants to change the direction of the fraternity.?
“We’re trying this semester more campus outreach stuff, you know, all the frats can be social, but we want to kind of go back to what makes a fraternity, a fraternity,” Lesterhuis said. “It’s more than a social club, you do stuff on campus, you do philanthropy [and] service events.”
Phi Gamma Delta, commonly known as FIJI, will donate a portion of the event’s proceeds to OAESV. Lesterhuis said the fraternity has been paired with the nonprofit since 2021 and gives roughly $2,000 annually.?
Harp said he hopes Flea-Ji offers a relaxing campus environment where people can enjoy being outdoors and take their mind off of midterm chaos.
“It’s like, ‘OK, yes, I did just bomb my exam that I had, but look, there’s some really cool outfits that I can buy outside so that’s really cool,’” Harp said.?
Harp said there were challenges getting in touch with Ohio State to finalize dates and locations for the event due to the large staff population.
“It’s been a long-winded process, getting this event, everything like that, just because we’ve had challenges going through [the] university, just speaking with people [and] finalizing dates,” Harp said. “There’s a lot of different people you gotta talk to to get something done.”?
Harp said the event also supports sustainability efforts through buying secondhand clothing, especially with the current rise of material waste.?
“It’s a way to kind of spread more awareness about sustainable fashion,” Harp said. “The whole pollution and you know, climate change, textiles and fashion [are] a huge contributor to that. [We’re] just spreading awareness and showing that thrifting and secondhand clothing is cool, but it’s also really good for the planet.”?
Lesterhuis said he was interested in partnering with Flea-Ji to emphasize sustainability, but also in hopes of showcasing Phi Gamma Delta and what it has to offer.?
“I just wanted to kind of get back to campus involvement, and especially after [recruitment], I just wanted to kind of put our name out there,” Lesterhuis said.?
Lesterhuis said he also wants to spark interest in those considering joining Greek life and create an inviting space for new members.??
“If I was a freshman who didn’t rush second semester and I saw something like this, I would definitely be interested in checking that group of guys out,” Lesterhuis said. “My hope is that for the future, [we can] get more people who just don’t know about Greek life [and] get them engaged.”?
Lesterhuis said a main focus during his presidency is to strengthen Phi Gamma Delta’s presence on campus and to create a more welcoming environment.
“I just want people to, you know, view fraternities and Greek life in general in a more positive light, while also bolstering our on campus presence,” Lesterhuis said.?
