An antiques auction veteran and a businessman who owned an unused building have teamed up to launch a new flea market at 2744 Old 30W in Warsaw, Ind.
Roger Gaff, who put 38 years in at the Warsaw Post Office before he retired recently, has been an antiques dealer for the last ten years. After leaving the post office, he went to work for Dave Cesaretti, owner of Fast Cabs in Warsaw and of a building he had free to use for a market.
Gaff was telling Cesaretti about his interest in vintage items, “He knew I’d been an antiques dealer for 10 years,” recounts Gaff. “He said, ‘Do you think you could give a flea market a go?’ I said ‘only one way to find out. I’ll make you a deal. I’ll fill one end up with antiques, you put a flea market at the other end, and we’ll see what’s going on.’ ”
The Old 30 West Antique and Flea Market launched in early April, and “what’s going on” so far is a success. Says Gaff, now the general manager of the market, “It’s been going really well. We had over 1,000 at our grand opening.” He not only manages the market, but has his own booth as well, and despite rain on about half the weekends so far, he is very pleased with his sales.
The market features 18 to 19 spaces inside and a few more outside. A few regular vendors are selling woodcrafts, brand-new discount summer items, vintage barbies. Amish baked goods and candles, antique, and some garage sale stuff. A restaurant on site sells pizza, hot dogs, and barbecue.
The flea market is open Friday through Sunday, 10 am to 6 pm. For more information, call (800) 662-8294.