TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — A beloved weekend tradition in Tallahassee is coming to an end after 41 years.
- Vendors were notified Saturday that Flea Market Tallahassee will close on July 27.
- More than 100 booths were damaged in the January snowstorm.
- Watch the video below to hear vendors and customers share the importance of the flea market in Tallahassee.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A community cornerstone is closing its gates for good after 41 years.
"Talking to the vendors, they were actually kinda taken aback. Some of them couldn't even say the words to us today," neighbor Schanen Anderson said.
I'm Lentheus Chaney in the southwest Tallahassee neighborhood, speaking with vendors and neighbors who say the loss of Flea Market Tallahassee runs deep.
For decades, Flea Market Tallahassee has been a Saturday and Sunday ritual—a place for entrepreneurs, families, and bargain hunters. But a letter sent to vendors this Saturday informed them that the market will permanently close on July 27.
Market managers also made a post on social media sharing the information. In the letter to vendors, managers for the flea market shared that the January snowstorm—a rare weather event for this area—left the facility damaged, with repair costs they cannot afford under current county building codes.
The market had 438 open-air booths. About 310 were damaged—causing months of lost business and income for vendors who depended on their stalls to survive.
Sandra Gaymon has been a vendor at the market for more than five years, selling Florida State and Florida A&M gear. She says she'll manage to continue selling on her own but feels disappointed in how the news was delivered—and worries about other vendors who don't have another outlet to sell.
"We just heard the news this morning. We heard something last week, but we heard that it wasn't true, so this morning we received this paper giving us the information that it will be closed down on the 27th of this month. It's sorta messed up because a lot of vendors out here, this is how they make their living," Gaymon said.
For neighbors like Schanen Anderson, the news was emotional. She's been coming to the market for years—and Saturday, she visited with her daughter Eryanna, who had traveled from out of state to spend time at a place they both loved.
"I think it's gonna impact the community, first of all with the jobs, the losses that they're gonna have, and then they've gotta figure out what they're gonna do. So, I'm praying that they stay in Tallahassee because I don't know whether the options they have that are gonna be local. So, it could have numerous impacts," Schanen Anderson said.
In that letter to vendors, the market's owners say they explored alternatives—and the decision to close was not one that was made lightly, saying they are grateful for the loyalty and support from vendors and customers.
I spoke with one vendor who didn't want to go on camera. He says fellow vendors have come to him throughout the day—crying, upset, and unsure of what comes next. He admits he's uncertain about his own future, too.
In southwest Tallahassee, I'm Lentheus Chaney, ABC27.
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