LDN - Family Life

Part 2

Experience the flea markets

Pointers for shoppers

[JULY 15, 2000] In the book, "Flea, the Definitive Guide to Hunting, Gathering, and Flaunting Superior Vintage Wares," the ultimate guide to flea market shopping, the authors claim that once you’re hooked, there’s no turning back.

"Whatever it is that lures us in, it is wildly contagious. Every weekend millions and millions of Americans flock to these transient Brigadoon-like cities to browse the entire twentieth century...they come to exercise their wits, their eye and turn the sport of pricing from spectator to participatory. The urge that pulls ‘junkers’ to dusty fields and even dustier sheds across the country could also be primal," they write.

Indeed, avid flea market shoppers say they get excited, laugh, get an adrenaline rush and experience intense emotions when they come across a great find. But for those who are more comfortable furnishing an entire living room from the Sears or Pottery Barn catalogs, or buying a perfectly matched set of furniture at retail, this kind of shopping may seem a little unusual and intimidating.

Flea market enthusiasts and experts suggest a few pointers to novice flea shoppers to make their experience a pleasant one.

Flea markets are usually held outdoors, rain or shine, so dress accordingly and be prepared. Wear comfortable shoes and layers of clothing, depending on the weather. Sales usually begin at the crack of dawn, so the earlier you get there, the more merchandise you will have to choose from. Addicted bargain-hunters have been known to camp out at the site of a good sale overnight in order to be first in line when the sun comes up. Wear a backpack or vest with many pockets to stash a measuring tape, cash, sunscreen and other important items, in order to keep your hands free to look at objects.

Some hard-core shoppers suggest taking a quick survey of the area to see which booths you want to come back to later and then strategically planning your shopping route so you won’t miss anything. Sometimes it’s hard to cover all the grounds of the larger flea markets in one day. If you see something you like, hang on to it until you decide if you want to buy it. Many times, someone across the aisle from you may pick up the item and buy it right out from under your nose if you hesitate or wait too long. Experts also advise buying something on the spot if you think you can’t live without it. It never fails – if you wait, it will be gone when you go back. It’s happened to everyone.

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Vendors and dealers are prepared to barter, and they expect customers to ask for a better price. Don’t expect to pay the sticker price, but don’t offer too little or you might offend the dealer. Cash speaks louder than checks or credit cards, and most dealers are willing to work with you on layaway plans if you fall in love with something that doesn’t fit into your current budget. Talk to the vendors and don’t be afraid to ask questions about the history of an item you’re interested in.

One of the most famous and first to start the love of secondhand-store decorating is California designer Rachel Ashwell, whose love of the old, wrinkled and faded made the words "shabby chic" part of our everyday vocabulary. The author of "Shabby Chic" and "Shabby Chic, Treasure Hunting and Decorating Guide" explains in her books how she turned her love of flea market shopping into a business and way of life. Her way of making faded, frayed fabric and peely-painted furniture seem casually elegant changed the way people decorate their homes.

She advises hitting the flea markets with a vision of what you’re looking for, and trying to stay focused so you won’t get overwhelmed. Another good thing about this way of decorating, she says, is that you can make a house a home for just pennies.

There are many reasons why people frequent flea markets – whether they are pinching pennies and want to furnish their home for a lot less than retail or just like the look of hand-me-downs and pieces of the past.

[Penny Zimmerman-Wills]

Part 1

Experience the flea markets

Home-decorating bargains are close to home

[JULY 12, 2000] Each month from April to November, hundreds of people flock to the Interstate Center in Bloomington with one thing on their mind – finding a bargain.

With the trend to recycle pieces of the past and the eclectic style of home decorating more popular than ever, this local flea market and antique show is one of the hottest tickets around. Rain or shine, people are waiting in line to pay the $4.50 admission price when the door opens at 8 a.m. – ready and eager to scour the grounds where nearly 450 dealers are displaying their wares in both indoor and outdoor booths.

People everywhere these days are decorating their homes with castoffs, garage sale finds and found treasures. This is a style that gives homeowners and decorators the right to place a battered and bruised $2 chair with peeling paint right next to a crystal lamp or sterling silver tray and feel good about it. And it’s obvious by looking through the racks of home design books and magazine layouts, most of which prominently feature vintage objects, that this trend is here to stay.

From the granddaddy of them all, the Brimfield, Mass., show with over 5,000 dealers, to the neighborhood garage sale, there are over 3,000 flea markets in the United States. And one of the best ones around is only a short drive from Lincoln, where local dealers set up shop next to dealers from across the country. And of course, part of the fun of shopping at flea markets instead of the shopping malls and discount stores is the atmosphere. Corn dogs, lemon shake-ups and strawberry shortcakes are sold from stands right alongside the oak rockers, garden chairs, antique quilts and graniteware, making it all the more fun to browse and shop.

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Local interior designers, home furnishing store owners and avid flea market shoppers all agree that this style of decorating is so popular because "anything goes." Dumpster digging, "junking" and "picking," (what antique dealers and those in the business call shopping for stuff), is all the rage. It’s fun, it’s challenging, it’s a creative and inexpensive way to personalize and furnish your home and – beware – it’s addictive.

Don’t leave home without these

Comfortable shoes

Bottled water

Newspaper and blankets for wrapping purchases

Measuring tape

Plenty of cash

A large, lightweight tote bag, backpack or shopping cart

Pickup truck

Fingerless gloves

Bungee cord, rope, flashlight

Writing materials

A healthy dose of good humor and spirit of adventure

Of course we’ve all heard the stories about people who find some dusty relic in their attic and it turns out to be a one-of-a-kind worth lots of money – like the Los Angeles photographer who found a Frank Lloyd Wright tea set in a pile of dusty junk at the Pasadena flea market and bought it for $80, only to have it appraised later for $30,000. But if you are shopping secondhand sources in hopes of becoming a millionaire, that's probably not going to happen and you’re missing the point. Of course you can usually get great deals and pay well below retail price for items, but it’s the many other aspects of the experience which keeps shoppers coming back for more.

[Penny Zimmerman-Wills]

A sampling of some of the country’s largest flea markets

Shipshewana Flea Market and Auction

A 5½-hour drive from Lincoln. 1,000 vendors display wares Tuesdays and Wednesdays from May to October in the heart of northern Indiana Amish/Mennonite country. 213-587-5100.

Brimfield Outdoor Antiques Shows, Massachusetts

The granddaddy of them all. Three times a year. 2000 show dates are July 11-16 and Sept. 5-10. Over 5000 dealers fill the quaint rural New England countryside to sell their goods in a carnival-like atmosphere. 413-283-6149.

Flea markets in Illinois

Third Sunday Market, the third Sunday of each month, April through November, at the Interstate Center in Bloomington. 450 dealers. 319-829-3976.

Kane County Antiques Flea Market, the first weekend of each month at the Kane County Fairgrounds. 708-377-2252. (within a three-hour drive from Lincoln)

Sandwich Antiques Market, at the fairgrounds, State Road 34, Sandwich. Dates vary. 312-227-4464. (within a three-hour drive from Lincoln)

Local flea markets, auctions, garage sales and estate sales are listed in the classified sections of local newspapers.

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