Flea Markets

I have a long history with flea markets. I've been going to them since I was nine, maybe younger. Many a holiday gift was purchased from the vendors at these often muddy, crowded markets. The selection was generally good, to my recollection. When I was in college, a few friends and I checked out the local flea market, only to find row after row of disappointment. Overpriced toys, a poor selection of movies, and a lack of acceptable board games were a problem. Additionally, the few things we did purchase were of poor quality (I bought a 24-pack of Sharpie (c) markers, only half of which were not dried out and useless).

This past weekend, my husband and I decided to check out the local flea market, as we had not yet been since we've lived here. We found an odd menagerie of items, but found a nice, wooden mortar & pestle, a shoe horn, and a set of wooden spoons. I imagine we'll go back, as many booths were not open yet (snowbirds aren't quite in town yet).

We have a friend whose mother frequents flea markets and festivals as a vendor. She sells beach bags, water bottle holders, and other similar items that her husband sews. I have a green and blue bag they made, and it's lovely. They use canvas umbrella material, so it's waterproof as well. I'd never thought about the fees to sell at a flea market, but they are rather absurd. I checked out the website for our local flea market, and not only is the cost dependent upon where in the market your space is and its size, but there are so many odd charges. First, there's a difference in rental cost depending on whether you are selling new or second-hand items. There's a charge for an electrical outlet, security (a whopping fifty cents), having an ad and being listed on the map, leaving items overnight (covered, locked, or in a trailer/shed) on weekends, and even an application fee to be considered! Glad I'm not an entrepreneur, LoL.