Local flea market Dollhouse & Co to host back-to-school pop-up this Sunday

Helena Hennessy
Tue, 25 Aug 2026 02:51:55 +0000
Arts & Life, Instagram Page, News, 2000s fashion, 2000s nostalgia, back-to-school market, back-to-school shopping, Bratz dolls, Bratz-inspired, Bratz-themed flea market, Columbus arts and culture, columbus events, Columbus events 2026, Columbus fashion events, Columbus flea market, Columbus flea market pop-up, Columbus pop-up market, Columbus shopping, columbus small businesses, Columbus vintage shopping, Dollhouse & Co, flea market Columbus, Gen Z Columbus, handmade jewelry Columbus, local vendors Columbus, Passion 4 Fashion, Secondhand shopping Columbus, Strongwater Events, sustainable shopping, vintage clothing columbus, women-owned businesses Columbus, Y2K fashion [and 1 more]

An attendee shopping pochettely at Dollhouse & Co’s Kitty’s Sweetheart Market in Feb. 2026. Credit: Courtesy of Lonnie Le

A local flea market pop-up hosting more than 35 vendors is coming to Columbus, and it’s Bratz dolls inspired.

Dollhouse & Co, a local small business that hosts pop-up shop flea markets, will host its second annual back-to-school market Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Strongwater Events — located at 401 W. Town St. in downtown Columbus. The one-day-only “Passion 4 Fashion” festival– is themed around the tagline and aesthetic of Bratz dolls from the 2000s.

“It definitely is a great opportunity to find some cute pieces for the back-to-school season in a more ethical way,” Sania Mohamed, the founder and owner of Dollhouse & Co, said, “It’ll be shopping secondhand and supporting small businesses, which is super important for our community.”

The flea market will host vendors selling goods such as vintage and 2000s-inspired clothing, handmade jewelry, art, drinks and more, Mohamed said.

Specialty vendors will include flash tattoos from Groovy Jo Tattoo, a Columbus-based tattoo artist, a pop-up photo studio from Femme Foto, an Italian charm bracelet making bar from local brand pochettely — located at 1589 N. High St. — and matcha and chai lattes from maani’s, a Pakistani-inspired café, according to a Dollhouse & Co Instagram post.

A vendor from Dollhouse & Co’s Gimme More Market in May 2026. Credit: Courtesy of Lonnie Le

The flea market will take place on one floor of Strongwater Events, and will split vendors and entertainment acts into different areas of the venue, including the outdoor courtyard, Mohamed said.

Mohamed said she is particularly excited for guests to experience a photo studio experience from Femme Foto.

“It’s a back-to-school shopping experience, so keeping that in mind, [Femme Foto] was like, ‘We should do a yearbook backdrop, because I feel like that’s so cute and nostalgic,’” Mohamed said. “She got the backdrop. It’s awesome. I’m just so excited to see people do that.”

In addition to retail vendors, Mohamed said the flea market will also host two DJs — ENVY and DJ Ballzy.

Abi Hartzell, an Ohio State graduate of the Class of 2026 and a Cincinnati-based DJ who goes by the stage name ENVY, said she has been playing at Dollhouse & Co flea markets for two years.

At the “Passion 4 Fashion” market, Hartzell said she will play nostalgic, 2000s pop artists such as Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Destiny’s Child, along with music from new age artists like Zara Larsson and PinkPantheress.

“I think the ‘Passion 4 Fashion’ fest gives Bratz vibes, so I’m definitely going for something more Y2K [inspired],” Hartzell said. “It’s mostly music for the girls.”

While the Bratz-inspired market and its vendors will lean toward more feminine styles and aesthetics, Mohamed said she prioritizes curating an inclusive environment for all attendees by incorporating vendors selling more masculine and androgynous clothing.

We obviously like to create the most inclusive environment as we can, and we do highlight local [person of color], queer and woman-owned businesses,” Mohamed said.“All the vendors that we work with, you’ll see they’re within these marginalized groups, which is really cool to highlight.”

Mohamed said the market’s themes of diversity and inclusivity also tie into the Bratz theme, as the dolls showcase women and girls of differing backgrounds.

“Everything is intentional about our market, and I feel like customers really do see that,” Mohamed said.

The event will not only serve as a sustainable shopping experience, but as an opportunity for attendees to mingle and interact with others in the Columbus community, Mohamed said.

Through founding her own small business, Mohamed said she was able to find her community — now, she hopes to provide the same opportunity for others.

“I saw that there was an opportunity where there were so many people here in Columbus, where I feel like we do lack that space for Gen Z — a younger crowd who you know wants more of that 2000s nostalgia,” Mohamed said. “It is a community that we are building.”

The “Passion 4 Fashion” market is one of the largest that Dollhouse & Co has hosted to date, and Mohamed said she credits her markets’ success to her community.

“We’re able to create a type of space where people feel comfortable trying our market out, and then they come back again,” Mohamed said. “Each theme is different, so you’re gonna expect something new each time.”

Entry tickets for the flea market can be purchased for $5 at the door, or on the website.