“Mangos, mangos here! Cherries,
99 cents a pound!” yells a fruit vendor as shoppers browse through Produce Row at the San Jose Flea Market on a Sunday morning. The aromas of ripe strawberries, fresh-cut mango and pungent spices tickle your nostrils as you pass stalls brimming with everything from locally grown fruits and vegetables to spices, fish, delicatessen meats and more.
Workers bustle around the stalls, rearranging fruit and trimming cactus paddles for sale, chatting with customers stopping to sample their wares. Lively mariachi music and 80s pop songs float through the air as you follow the buzzing crowd winding its way through the shaded row of vendors. It’s only when you reach the end of the quarter-mile long row, with a belly full of samples and arms laden down with bags, that it dawns on you: You’ve only scratched the surface of the largest outdoor bazaar in America.
“When people first discover the flea market, they usually come back several weekends in a row,” says John Detar, director of marketing for the San Jose Flea Market, adding that visitors usually can’t cover the astonishing 8 miles of vendor alleys and corridors in just one day.
Established in 1960 on a former rural cattle feed lot with only 20 sellers and about 100 curious weekend customers, the family-owned Flea Market has grown to include more than 1,500 vendors drawing some 50,000 to 70,000 visitors each weekend. And it’s no wonder why. With stalls offering everything including clothes, jewelry, toys, automotive parts, furniture, luggage, even garage-sale fodder, it’s easy to find virtually anything you might be searching for—and to pick up a mixed bag of other things you didn’t know you were looking for in the first place.
Founder George Bumb Sr. can be credited for setting the tone of this family-friendly market. A former appliance salesman, Bumb got into the landfill business and noticed that people were throwing away many perfectly good items—things he realized he could sell himself. Bumb visited some burgeoning swap meets in Southern California, as well as the famous Marché aux Puces in Paris, to get inspiration. He then added his own spin to the concept by allowing merchants to have their own permanent stalls as well as onsite product storage. The rest, as they say, is history.
But the wealth of treasures to be found here isn’t the only reason shoppers flock to the market in droves—there’s also the truly unique atmosphere that has been the market’s trademark for nearly 50 years. “It’s a joyful place for people,” Detar says. “They’re outdoors, there’s fresh air, and a lot of energy.”
For a first-timer visiting on a Sunday, the market’s busiest day, the experience is not one you’ll soon forget. The Flea Market is its own city, complete with street signs and stalls set up side by side like row houses. As customers stroll up and down the aisles, stopping to check out whatever strikes their fancy, you can hear children laughing as they ride the slides in the three playgrounds, people bargaining with sellers, and vendors yelling to tout their latest wares. You might even see Freddie the Flea, the market’s beloved mascot, mingling with guests and posing for pictures.
As you come in range of the main dining quad, the tantalizing aromas of sizzling, barbecued meats, mingled with the scents of roasted corn and cinnamony churros, beckon you to sit a while and feast. And with about 25 food vendors serving many different types of cuisines, including Chinese, Mexican and American, it’s easy to oblige.
By way of entertainment, there always seems to be something going on. Live mariachi bands stroll the dining area, serenading guests while they enjoy their food; the young and young-at-heart can play games in the video arcade or even ride an old-fashioned carousel. An array of special events each month, such as American Idol-inspired singing contests, dog shows and vintage car exhibitions, keeps visitors smiling.
With so much to offer each and every week, it’s no wonder why San Jose locals and out-of-towners alike continue to come back for more. After all these years, one thing is for sure: “The Flea Market is still going strong,” says Detar, with pride.
Open:
Dawn to dusk, Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun
Free admission
Weekday parking: $2
Weekend parking: $5
Where:
1590 Berryessa Rd.
San Jose
More info:
(408) 453-1110
www.sjfm.com
