While my wife was at a quilt guild meeting this weekend, I went around to a few places with my daughter. We went to what will probably be the last flea market this year in our town. (Next month might be too cold.)
We hit the flea market right at the very end. I think three of the sellers there gave my daughter something. One gave her a couple of small toys from the quarter bin. Another gave her a Beanie-Baby-type snail (we bought $20 worth of stuff from them) and still another let her pick through a box of books and toys for whatever she wanted. (I knew this person from work.)
I think people were willing to just give their stuff away for a few reasons:
- They wouldn't have to load it back up into their vehicle if we just took it. It was a little bit hot outside and many of them had already been there four hours, so they wanted to get out of there ASAP.
- They had already decided to give away what they didn't sell. So why not give it away a little earlier?
The early bird catches the worm but there are plenty of worms for the late birds too, apparently.
Also, a nice aside: I forgot a box of stuff I had bought at the sale, and the seller had the honesty and presence of mind to take the box into the community center where the sale was. It was there when I remembered that I had left it there.
You are right that there is something to be said about being late! Other places you can find great deals at the end of the day are at bakeries and farmer’s markets.
That sounds really interesting. And it’s a shame that there are so few of these flea markets in the area where I live. I believe that for the kids, and maybe even for some adults, it can be a great adventure.