What is your opinion on flea markets? How often do you shop there? Do you bring cash, or do you rely on payment apps?

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Consistent_Damage885@reddit

Love them, go mostly in summer a few times, and I bring cash.

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The nice stuff is all gone, kind off. Now most stuff is just the crap from 10-5 years ago, it used to be from 30-20 years ago. In general there are still nice things to be found but way less than 10 years ago.

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Lickthorne@reddit

I go to every flea market or thriftstore I come across, and search the vinyl records. I found loads of nice still perfectly playable records. And I never ever buy ac adapters in a normal shop. Or cables, lightbulbs, sometimes clothing, comic books, books, dvd’s, cd’s, drinking glasses, plates, that sort of stuff. Its like 0.50 or 1.00 for stuff that costs at least 10-20 x the price in normal shops.

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Number-2-Sis@reddit

I love flea markets... It's a great place to find antiques or other hard to find items.... I aways bring cash.

You do have to learn which ones are true "flea markets " and which ones are just "junk markets"

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curlyhead2320@reddit

And which ones are “way overpriced resellers markets”

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Number-2-Sis@reddit

Exactly!!!

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FletcherBeasley@reddit

use your phone. What is a genuine Freddy Mercury tour t-shirt worth? Go to ebay and find out.

Bargain, haggle, leave and come back

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Number-2-Sis@reddit

Absolutely

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ProfessionalAir445@reddit

Once a guy was selling miniature store display tents for $5 each because he had no idea what that shit could sell for.

I wasn’t there, my roommate bought one for me and I absolutely lost my fucking mind. I’ve been wanting one for DECADES.

Anyway yeah so sometimes there’s some good stuff.

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TheJokersChild@reddit

I wass practically raised on 'em. Regular staple of my adolescent weekends. There's a HUGE one in New Jersey - it's like going to literally a thousand different yard sales all at once. Best part is when the vendors start packing up and you get stuff super-cheap.

Or if you stay long enough, like until 2 or 3, you'll find tables full of stuff that the vendors just didn't want to take back home with them. Every trip you can plan on piling up a few books, board games, records or other random stuff. I once found a gorgeous Sears Typewriter in its case just lying on the ground - saved it just before it got picked apart. And a 30-year-old bread maker still in its box, complete with the still-sealed VHS instruction video. One particular Sunday I was lucky enough to find 500 45s and about 50 albums...all about to get the dumpster if I hadn't swooped in and swiped 'em up.

Kinda wish I'd been able to pick up one of those two Kirby vacuum cleaners and attachments.

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Phil_ODendron@reddit

There's a HUGE one in New Jersey - it's like going to literally a thousand different yard sales all at once.

Which one? I frequent Englishtown, New Egypt, Collingswood, and sometimes Columbus. If you haven't been in a few years, a lot has changed.

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Express_Leading_4840@reddit

I didn't know Collingswood had one. I grew up going to Pennsauken, Berlin, and one at a drive in.

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Phil_ODendron@reddit

The flea market is not actually in Collingswood! It's on Rt 34 in Wall. And actually it's just "Collingwood" not "Collingswood," I always get it mixed up

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TheJokersChild@reddit

Columbus. Englishtown and Collingwood I don’t go to as often, and while they’re decent, they don’t pack quite the punch for me that Columbus does.

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BullfrogPersonal@reddit

Which is the huge one?

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QuesoDelDiablos@reddit

A junk market. But sometimes you might find a rare gem amongst the junk.

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Express_Leading_4840@reddit

Our local one runs from September to May. It has both new and old. Crafts and food items included.

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qu33nof5pad35@reddit

I love them! I want to go to the rose bowl one so bad. I’ve only been to small ones and they suck.

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FoundationAny7601@reddit

They have changed over the years. I used to go and help family members back in the 70s when it was selling crafts. Nowadays it's just a junk sale. Basically Craigslist in person.

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SevenSixOne@reddit

I used to live near a "flea market" that was clearly just people offloading the junk their dead relatives left behind, which I found SUPER depressing.

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padofpie@reddit

One person’s trash…

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Mountain_Air1544@reddit

I love flea markets I have a local farmers market/flea market every week I go to whenever I am able I make sure to have cash with me not all the vendors take card or payment through apps

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iconsumemyown@reddit

Cash is king at the flea market.

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Quenzayne@reddit

I don’t like them, personally. I don’t like the idea of buying something that someone else has already used and had their hands all over. Everything there feels dirty.

I have issues with stuff like shaking hands, touching doorknobs, etc. though, so it’s probably just me.

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biggcb@reddit

I'm a fan of them. Don't go as often as I used to. I would have cash for them.

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Fillmore_the_Puppy@reddit

The most time I have spent in flea markets is working a voter registration table. That market was a huge one at one of the few remaining drive-in movie theaters in California and it was a great place to do that work (so much foot traffic! People who aren't really in a hurry).

Shopping at them isn't really my thing because I am not a "stuff" person. I enjoy a browse very occasionally, but I don't think I have ever bought anything. I assume cash is the smarter way to go.

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Rhomya@reddit

My area has a big flea market on the 4th of July every year, and it’s usually a big hit.

Definitely a cash only kind of place.

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HippoProject@reddit

Flea markets are cool. You never know what you’ll find. I always bring cash because it’s easier to haggle on prices that way.

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NewtOk4840@reddit

We have 3 flea markets in my city Central Valley CA one is an old drive in theatre,one at the fairgrounds and huge one in an open field they sell literally everything you can think of food,cars,live stock, jewelry, antiques,crap and more crap lol cash rules

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WrongJohnSilver@reddit

Central Valley flea markets are something else. Culture mishmash and just that added level of chaos that's mostly good-natured.

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OldSnaps@reddit

Where in the Central Valley? I’m in SoCal and would love to know. Thx

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taniamorse85@reddit

When I was a kid, we went to the Limestone Flea Market in Alabama probably once a month, at least. It was a huge indoor flea market with a great variety of food and non-food vendors. I'm pretty sure we had to bring cash because not all of the vendors had the ability to do card transactions. This was over 25 years ago, so of course no app transactions.

We got some pretty incredible homemade items there. Jams and jellies, toys, and many other items.

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Hatweed@reddit

Rogers Flea Market in Ohio about five miles southwest of East Palestine. Outdoor food stalls, farmer’s markets, Amish homemade goods, professional and amateur made crafts, livestock auctions, gun and ammo sales, discount car parts, obscure hobby enthusiasts swapping stuff I don’t recognize, people selling literal junk, vintage electronic dealers, antique dealers, coin and bullion traders, etc.

It’s a Mecca for just about everything.

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Ancient0wl@reddit

Rogers Flea Market in Ohio about five miles southwest of East Palestine. Outdoor food stalls, farmer’s markets, Amish homemade goods, professional and amateur made crafts, livestock auctions, gun and ammo sales, discount car parts, obscure hobby enthusiasts swapping stuff I don’t recognize, people selling literal junk, vintage electronic dealers, antique dealers, coin and bullion traders, etc.

It’s a Mecca for just about everything.

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Current_Poster@reddit

I don't get down there every week or anything, but there's some really great things like the "Grand Bazaar" in NYC (on Sundays).

We had them in NH and MA too, of course. :)

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BullfrogPersonal@reddit

I've been part of the dawn patrol for many years looking for old guitars. Known as pickers in the trade.

A friend of mine that is retirement age said that flea markets have probably peaked. There is less of the cool old stuff available and younger people aren't into collecting. A lot of closed down manufacturing sell off stuff is gone.

What I see are a lot of the house cleanout people selling. They sell the good stuff on fleabay and then take what's left to the flea market. I'm sure there is a lot of swag from the back of a truck being sold there too. Used modern household stuff that is made in China is all over but has little appeal.

I've met some nice people at flea markets. You can learn a lot by seeing what people are after and the mindset of people that are there before dawn hunting around. I imagine there are some hipper flea markets in some areas with cooler stuff and higher prices. It helps to pay cash, observe the unwritten rules and act in a respectable way. If you are more of a retail buyer just do whatever.

In the Northeast USA you could probably go to flea markets 4-5 days per week. I would go 2-3 days but they just are producing. Sellers hold back good stuff and advertise it on fleabay. If you really know your stuff you can find deals but you have to go all the time.

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Worldly-Kitchen-9749@reddit

I've found a few really cool things at the local fairgrounds flea market, about 100 tables. It's held monthly and I'm cash and carry.

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425565@reddit

I hate the kind of flea market where most of the tables are of goods from Dollar Tree, or odd lots from area Goodwills

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OldSnaps@reddit

That’s a swap meet.

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theamathamhour@reddit

Ebay/internet slowly but surely made them almost pointless.

Now they are just overpriced Temu shopping experiences.

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OldSnaps@reddit

Uh, that sounds like a swap meet, not a flea market.

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Figarila@reddit

At least here on the West Coast we consider flea markets to be exclusively antiques. Were talking very expensive and somewhat rare. There's two that I know and they're both in Pasadena. One at the Rose bowl and the other is at Pasadena City College.

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FairyGodmothersUnion@reddit

Flea markets are fun. I go to them with zero expectations, and often come away with useful treasures. Cash only.

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PsychoFaerie@reddit

I go as often as I can and I carry cash because its easier to haggle and the sellers like cold hard cash in their hand more than numbers on a screen.

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Eff-Bee-Exx@reddit

They can be fun to browse, but I’m more in the mode of getting rid of stuff than acquiring more. Much of what I see in them is cheap imported junk, expired packaged food, impractical knives, and a bunch of other categories that I’d never want to buy. It’s really rare to find any kind of overlooked treasure.

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Sufficient_Cod1948@reddit

I haven't been to one in years. My mom and grandparents used to love going to them, and it was hours and hours of sorting through junk in order to find something that was sort of okay.

If I were to go to one today I would not assume that a person selling stuff out of the back of their van would accept apple pay. I'd bring some cash.

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NeverMind_ThatShit@reddit

The "Flea Markets" in my city are stores that have spots you can rent out and sell your stuff. Not so much the parking lot with tables set up that people mostly think of. Those rarely come by.

But I love the two major flea market stores near me, they're dumpy as hell, but they're really the only places left I feel like you can find good deals on things.

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twxf@reddit

Like the legendary Flea Market Montgomery? I didn't know that was a thing beyond this one store. Here in California we have something similar(?) but they're called consignment shops and usually sell secondhand antiques, knick-knacks, clothing, etc.

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whtevrnichole@reddit

we have a fairly large one nearby only open on weekends. i don’t go often but always like going and seeing all the different things there. they have food as well. in my experience most vendors take cards, but good to take cash just in case anyway.

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TipsyBaker_@reddit

Mostly over priced junk in my area. Last weekend someone had glasses from Dollar Tree marked $4 each. No, thanks.

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stellalunawitchbaby@reddit

I love flea markets, but I’ve grown up going to them with my dad and grandparents (and my grandparents used to have a little space at some local ones).

I go to Melrose Trading Post and the Pasadena City College flea market often, and the Rose Bowl Flea Market usually a few times a year. The Rose Bowl Flea market is one of the biggest in the U.S. and I highly recommend it. You can find everything from the expected (junk, antiques, etc) to the bizarre (cat skulls, artisan furniture) to unique fashion (and some celebrity spotting).

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7yearlurkernowposter@reddit

Over in Illinois there is a fun flea market once per month, some vendors do accept mobile but most want cash above all.
I used to go every month in years passed but at the very least it's a fun way to spend a quick hour on the weekend.

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pigsarecooool@reddit

I love flea markets! In the warmer months there are several near me (by near me, I mean within a 1.5 hour drive, it's kind of rural here). I like to go with my dad who's really into cars and often finds old random parts. There are also a couple of yearly flea markets at the church and the firehall in my town. Anyone can chip in a bit of money and get a table. This is fun too!

Sometimes you see great stuff, sometimes you don't, but it is fun either way!

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CrowSucker@reddit

Was the only place I could get ninja stars as a kid.

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sgfklm@reddit

I love flea markets. I am very picky, so I don't buy much. I always take cash.

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Responsible-Fun4303@reddit

I’ve never been to one but see signs for them. I don’t have an opinion honestly I assume they can be fun to browse!

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FletcherBeasley@reddit

bring cash. Make it easy. Put a fixed amount of money in your front pocket. "Hey, I only have $20. Could you let it go for 20?" Show the cash.

Go twice. Once early in the day for anything you 'must have.' Go again at the end of the day for anything you might think is useful but only at a reduced price.

No one at a flea market or garage sale wants to pack things up and take them home

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5432198@reddit

The only okay one's are antique flea markets nowadays. The others seem like they're just full of cheap mass produced Chinese shit.

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Significant-Owl-2980@reddit

Love flea markets. They are different from craft fairs where artisans sell their crafts.

There is a huge one near me called Rietta Ranch in Massachusetts. Tons of vendors. There is a lot of junk but my husband and I always find great treasures. Old Lego sets, vintage Pyrex, cool costume jewelry, holiday blow molds.

We keep some of it but also resell some of what we find on eBay. It is fun.

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kade_v01d@reddit

the flea market comes every weekend in my city and i absolutely love it. the food and interesting stuff i find there is worth it. i actually have a piece of a meteorite that i bought from the flea market

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Horangi1987@reddit

I love flea markets. Especially now that people sell things like video games and toys that weren’t necessarily sold as much back in the 90’s so it’s way more fun. Depending where you go you can find some really weird stuff too…my husband and I have a morbid fascination with weird antiques, and in Florida where I live there’s plenty of stuff to be seen that might be considered offensive elsewhere.

Also I’m into 80s and 90s pro wrestling, and I’ve run into one of the Nasty Boys at a flea market near my house, so that was awesome.

Also I have never been to a flea market that didn’t have mini donuts. A piping hot bag of cinnamon sugar mini donuts is the most delicious treat on the planet.

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shelwood46@reddit

There's a flea market about half a mile from me, in an old open air shopping mall, so there are tents, some stores inside shops, and a little food court of food trucks. It's open every weekend 9-5 (tourist area). I used to go more often when they had a couple vendors and food trucks I liked, but apparently since they could stay open during covid lockdowns they started price gouging everyone on rent so all the best vendors & food trucks left so I haven't been going there very often lately. They did used to be a good source for cheap and/or lightly used goods, and the food trucks were a nice stepping stone -- many of the truck people now have brick-and-mortar restaurants locally. I always paid cash, but I never made any particularly large purchases, and as I said, I haven't been there much in the last few years when payment apps have improved lately. (My bank has an ATM right there, anyway.)

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blue_abyss_@reddit

I’m not a fan, everything there is usually junk that no one wants. Every flea market is different though, they’re not all of the same quality.

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LLM_54@reddit

Love them. There’s a big one monthly near me from the spring to the fall that has lots of cool stuff at a local park. I get things there all the time from clothing to home decor.

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Chzncna2112@reddit

Always cash and I go whenever there's one nearby

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HorseFeathersFur@reddit

I find pretty good wood furniture for good prices at these, I always look for dovetail joints and real wood

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devnullopinions@reddit

I don’t go to them.

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freeze45@reddit

We have a few around and tend to go once a month in the summer. Mainly, my son, who is 8, is looking for old toys. Sometimes I find vinyl records or food that I'll buy (Like local produce or weird candy or kettlecorn).

The flea markets have atms as most stands only take cash but sometimes they will take venmo. Many craft fairs are similar and take credit cards. But flea markets are filled with people that are only there for the weekend trying to sell junk that was in their garage, so it is not worth it for them to buy a credit card machine for just a weekend.

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No-Conversation1940@reddit

Shoutout to STD Flea Market in Springfield, MO

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aigheadish@reddit

Our entire house is decorated in flea market junk, but it's tasteful and looks nice, usually the rule is 20 bucks for nice stuff is about the limit. We've started a few neat collections that couldn't have been found otherwise. Always a few 20s in my pocket but a few hundred bucks in my wallet in case there's anything real cool.

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rattlehead44@reddit

The flea market is awesome. My mother-in-law makes dolls and sells them at the one nearest us. Used to go a lot growing up and only go maybe a few times a year now.

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Pensacouple@reddit

It’s a very mixed bag. Some mainly have cheesy cheap stuff at a not so cheap price. Others are basically no-frills shopping malls. Sometimes you get lucky and find a couple of stalls of interesting stuff. Always make an offer, often they price something high but if they don’t have much money in it, they will bargain.

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Real-Psychology-4261@reddit

I’ve only been to one in Florida once. They are few and far between in my state.

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minnick27@reddit

I go to yard sales occasionally. Good for cheap books, sometimes you get some good furniture deals. Used to be awesome for vinyl, but now that it’s in fashion you never see $.25 records anymore

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frawgster@reddit

We visit local fleas when we’re looking for something sorta niche or uncommon. Like if we want old games for our NES, or Xbox. Or if we’re looking for a specific sort of kitchen item that isn’t readily available.

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therealjerseytom@reddit

I think I went to a flea market like, once, in the 90's. No motivation or interest to go to one since.

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Shot-Artichoke-4106@reddit

I haven't been to the flea market in years. Our flea market is mostly made up of vendors who are more or less permanently there and sell cheap stuff.

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FireRescue3@reddit

They aren’t my thing, so I don’t go often. If I were to go, I would use cash.

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ShipComprehensive543@reddit

I love a good flea market and when I was collecting specific things or furnishing my apartment at the time, I went quite often. I assume most places take payment electronically now. Also some flea markets are better than others. Some are just crap, literally ripped up or broken items, whereas some have things of value and quality.

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Rolenalong@reddit

They were great before ebay and the internet. Good chance to find hidden gems. Lots of normal folk just renting a spot for a weekend to clean out the house. after the internet they became just dealers and everyone knew what things were worth online so no real good finds and not alot of haggling since they could sell it online.

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KaiserGustafson@reddit

In my part od Texas there are a few flea markets around, most notable being First Monday. I've been to a few a number of times over the years, though I mostly browse rather than buy things.

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CautiousMessage3433@reddit

I go occasionally and always carry cash

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tcrhs@reddit

It’s just junk nobody really wants. I don’t care for them.

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JimBones31@reddit

I've never been but there's a few items I know I would search for and probably buy if I did.

That's probably why I don't go.

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Sadimal@reddit

There was one I used to go to back when I lived in Maryland.

It was really good for collectibles and niche items. My dad would occasionally rent a table and sell things there. He would bring me and my brothers along.

There were booths for computer parts, knives, video games, trading card games, collectible figures, coins, historical military items etc. Along with the tables of people selling things they don't need or want anymore.

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Guapplebock@reddit

Love them but there is mostly junk. They occasional treasure found keeps me coming back.

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iamnotdoctordoom@reddit

There’s a huge flea market that’s open every Saturday and Sunday in my town and I love it. Outside a lot of people sell produce and small livestock and all kinds of junk you can imagine lol inside is about the same minus the produce and livestock. A lot of people don’t mind wading through it all in case they find a hidden gem.

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jjmawaken@reddit

I've gone to very few in my life.

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TheBimpo@reddit

Growing increasingly hard to find. Most of the time it’s just a bunch of junk anyway.

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ALoungerAtTheClubs@reddit

My opinion is that they're a vastly worse version of thriftinf that I avoid.

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PrivateImaho@reddit

Adore them. Used to go to them very often when I lived in the US (most of my life) and I still go to car boot sales here in the UK sometimes. If it was more of an outdoor swap meet kind of flea market then definitely bring cash, but if it’s like the antique mall kind of flea market then cards are fine.

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danhm@reddit

They are kinda neat every now and then but I find them to mostly be junk or, if the item is actually cool, overpriced. I go to one maybe once or twice a year. The one near me is in a field that doesn't have good cell service so it's a cash affair.

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OhThrowed@reddit

I've been to a few, but never found anything that made me reach for my wallet. I did have some cash on hand, just in case.