There’s a treasure hunter in all of us. With decorating trends leaning toward all things eclectic, mismatched, and one-of-a-kind, the most convenient place to start digging is the St. Augustine Flea Market. It’s an old-fashioned swap meet combined with a yard sale on steroids. But it’s also a place where dreamers and entrepreneurs can get their start.
St. Augustine locals Kelley Glenn and her daughter Kate recently launched their home-made fudge business there. As dozens of shoppers cruise by their booth, they offer free samples of their pecan, chocolate and peanut butter fudge.
“Business is wonderful! It’s a lot better than I thought it would be. I’m selling quite a bit,” said Kelley. She is using the venue as her business test-kitchen, to see what sells best and at what price. As a bonus, she’s meeting a lot of her vendor neighbors.
“All the vendors are extremely nice here. We all purchase from each other,” she said.
This sentiment was echoed by Audrey Martin and Barbara Summers who run a nearby booth. “Everybody here looks out for each other. We’ve met a lot of cool people and we have a lot of fun,” said Barbara. She used to come to the market as a shopper, so starting this booth gives her a chance to make enough money to let her continue spending “without remorse.”
Audrey and Barbara’s booth is full of knick-knacks, antiques, hand-made jewelry and “a little bit of everything.” One of her most popular sellers is tacky flamingo memorabilia. They fly off the shelves, so to speak.
These booths are just two among approximately 500 others in this massive structure. From crab traps to motorcycle memorabilia to giant wooden E.T. statues to cheap sunglasses, if you’ve got the time to seek, you shall find. Because vendors can rent by the day, the weekend or the month, the variety is constantly shifting and changing. No two weekends are the same, nor two booths. A food court, Farmer’s Market and a small beer joint round out this marvelous menagerie.
The St. Augustine Flea Market is located 2495 State Road 207 (by I-95) Open 9-4 on Saturdays and Sundays, rain or shine. Visit them online or call 904-824-4210.
