The Flea House

It sounds like Hubert's was taken over by a bunch of Scrabble Enthusiasts.

"Primarily a New York phenomenon, gaming parlors like The International Chess Community of New York and the massive Chess City offered the chance to play chess, checkers, bridge, go, backgammon, dominoes, and, increasingly, SCRABBLE® .While SCRABBLE® took a backseat to chess and bridge, there were a growing number of players who took the game seriously.

The best of them converged at the Chess and Checker Club of New York, better known as the Flea House (supposedly because of flea circus that once existed downstairs)."

from

http://www.cross-tables.com/download/totalscrabble.pdf

See also:
Show History - Huberts
Hubert's Freaks: The Rare-Book Dealer, the Times Square Talker, and the Lost Photos of Diane Arbus

Halloween Fleas in New York City

Amongst other events in New York there is a flea circus in Brooklyn Botanic Gardens this weekend, Saturday 28th October.

Phydeaux's Flying Flea Circus of Fate will be performing two shows at 12:30 and 3pm. There will be plenty of other events for budding entomologists such as composting with worms and feeding carnivorous plants.

Red Hook Waterfront Arts Festival

The Acme Flea Circus will be performing SATURDAY JUNE 2 at 12:30 pm as part of the Red Hook Waterfront Arts Festival Brooklyn, NY, USA
http://www.dancetheatreetcetera.org/

The fleas will be at the Waterfront Museum & ShowBoat Barge.
http://www.waterfrontmuseum.org

For more details contact:
Professor A.G.Gertsacov
Flea Trainer and Psycho-Entomologist
Proprietor, Acme Miniature Circus
http://www.trainedfleas.com