Hello tourists, and welcome to Crown Heights, where woodworker/designer/furniture-maker Kellam Clark has rented out three trailers in a pretty unattractive vacant lot on Dean Street to Airbnb guests willing to shell out $80/night for the privilege of bunking in authentically grungy, gentrifying Brooklyn. Spotted by the Post and dubbed a great option for aspiring starving artists (is that a contradiction in terms?), Clark's offerings included the silver vintage Avion trailer pictured above. Though all of Clark's listings are now unavailable, cached versions still exist, and the Airbnb-babble for the Avion trailer describes it as "very large and lovingly decorated, nestled amongst the sculpture, princess trees, barn wood and fire pits of our gated courtyard." Hm, based on the photos, "courtyard" might be an overstatement. But hey, Clark and his warehouse-cum-junkyard were profiled by Vice.
Before Clark took down his listings, a visitor could have stayed in the 1968 Shasta camper pictured in the gallery above. And though "original from when it came off the assembly line," he tricked it out with fancy amenities like A/C and heat, and it can sleep up to eight, which seems like it would be a tight squeeze.
Then there's this Shasta Daisy trailer from 1954, touted as "cute and cozy with a twin bed to sleep one" but that could fit as many as three. (How his math works, we're not sure...)
The three campers sit alongside a kookily decorated converted industrial warehouse, which also housed beds that were also available to Airbnb customers till recently. All guests in the makeshift trailer park had access to the "expansive kitchen, bathroom, parlor, rooftop, [and] darkroom." Naturally, because this is an artists' studio, would-be renters were warmly welcomed to "dinner parties, bonfires, impromptu music concerts, cocktails and conversation" in the warehouse. They were also warned: "A certain amount of noise goes along with that, and a little bit of nudity!"
Oh, and the reviews? They were, um, mixed. An Airbnb user named Sophia wrote, "This place is in the worst section of Brooklyn," while others enjoyed the hippie-ish, commune-like vibe. "This place is like no other place we have ever stayed or have ever been. It is full of fun stuff, unusual items, art pieces, books, music instruments and very warm, and open people. We loved the place and our stay. It is definitely not for everybody. ... But if you want a real adventure, go for it?I am sure you will love it!" So, Kellam, with such rave reviews... why aren't the campers up for grabs anymore?
· Brooklyn artist rents out grungy trailers to tourists [NYP]
· Woodworker Renting Out Campers For Authentic Brooklyn Trailer Park Experience [Gothamist]
· All Airbnb coverage [Curbed]
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