A flea market or swap meet is a type of bazaar where inexpensive or secondhand goods are sold or bartered. It may be indoors, such as in a warehouse or school gymnasium; or it may be outdoors, such as in a field or under a tent.[1] The flea market vendors may range from a family that is renting a table for the first time to sell a few unwanted household items to a commercial operation including a large variety of used merchandise, scouts who rove the region buying items for sale from garage sales and other flea markets, and several staff watching the stalls.
Many flea markets have food vendors who sell snacks and drinks to the patrons,[2] and may be associated with carnivals or concerts.[3] Some have become infamous as outlets for bootleg movies and music[4][5] or knockoff brand clothing, accessories, or fragrances.[6][7]
The origins of the term are disputed,[8][9] but some have observed that buyers and sellers may be as active as fleas,[10] or that the original people and goods were infested.[11] According to Word and Phrase Origins, the term was derived from the "Vallie Market" of Manhattan.[12]
The original flea market may be the Marché aux puces ("market with fleas" in French) of Saint-Ouen, Seine-Saint-Denis, in the northern suburbs of Paris. It is a large, long-established outdoor bazaar, one of four in Paris. From the late 17th century, the makeshift open-air market in the town of Saint-Ouen began as temporary stalls and benches among the fields and market gardens where ragpickers exchanged their findings for a small sum.[13]
Some television shows focus on the appraisal of second hand goods often found at flea markets that are worth far more than the buyer paid. The most popular of these shows is Antiques Roadshow in the United Kingdom, which led to American, Canadian, Swedish and Dutch versions of the show.
Some Flea Markets, such as Flea Market Montgomery in Montgomery Alabama have been likened to mini malls.
See also
- Car boot sale
- Farmers' market
- Gun show
- Hamfest
- Street vendor
- Thrift store
- Tianguis
- Yard sale
- San Jose Flea Market
References
- ^ Berman, Barry; Joel R. Evans (2000). "F Glossary". Retail Management: A Strategic Approach. Prentice-Hall, Inc.. http://www.prenhall.com/rm_student/html/glossary/f_gloss.html. Retrieved on 2008-09-13.
- ^ "How to Become a Flea Market Vendor". StyleCareer.com. Afton Institute, LLC. 2008. http://www.stylecareer.com/about_us.shtml. Retrieved on 2008-09-13.
- ^ Panizzi, Tawnya (July 3, 2008). "Residents flock to festivals, flea markets, concerts". YourFoxChapel.com (The Tribune-Review Publishing Co). http://www.yourfoxchapel.com/herald/article/residents-flock-festivals-flea-markets-concerts. Retrieved on 2008-09-13.
- ^ Mitchell, Bob (2008). "Police bust nets $800K in pirated DVDs". TheStar.com (Toronto Star). http://www.thestar.com/News/article/248396. Retrieved on 2008-09-13.
- ^ Roberts, Bob (December 17, 2005). "Swap-O-Rama Raid Spoils Christmas Shopping For Bootleg Recordings". WBBM Newsradio 780 (CBS Radio). http://www.wbbm780.com/pages/857.php. Retrieved on 2008-09-13.
- ^ Jonsson, Patrik (February 14, 2007). "Flood of knockoff merchandise triggers a wider crackdown across US". The Christian Science Monitor. http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0214/p02s01-usec.html. Retrieved on 2008-09-13.
- ^ Coleman, Toby (January 28, 2007). "Flea market busted for fakes". The News & Observer. http://www.newsobserver.com/news/story/537153.html. Retrieved on 2008-09-13.
- ^ Stokes, Jerry (2008). "Origin of the term flea market". Helium.com. Helium, Inc.. http://www.helium.com/items/676847-origin-of-the-term-flea-market. Retrieved on 2008-10-11.
- ^ Oliver, Margie and Richard (2006). "Origin Of The Term “Flea Market”". Antique Clock Guy. The Clock Guy Antique Brokerage. http://www.clockguy.com/SiteRelated/SiteReferencePages/FleaMarket.html. Retrieved on 2008-10-11.
- ^ "RL Glossary: F". RL Style Guide. Ralph Lauren. August 23, 2005. http://style.polo.com/glossary/default.asp?letter=F. Retrieved on 2008-09-13.
- ^ "What is a Flea Market?". wiseGEEK. Conjecture Corporation. 2008. http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-flea-market.htm. Retrieved on 2008-09-13.
- ^ "Flea Markets in Arkansas". Arkansas Arts and Crafts. Arkansas Department of Parks & Tourism. 2006. http://www.arkansas.com/arts-crafts/flea-markets/. Retrieved on 2008-10-11.
- ^ "Paris Flea Market Tips and Hints" (in English). ParisPerfect. http://www.parisperfect.com/paris-flea-markets/text/paris-flea-markets.html. Retrieved on 2008-09-13.