The Big Cypress Market Place Flea Market in East Naples, FL is on track to reopen in January under new ownership, according to a report in the Marco Eagle. Closed in August of 2010 after the former owners fell behind in their payments to the bank, new owner Mark Hintz seeks to turn the facility back into more of a traditional flea market, noting that he believes the demise of the former Market Place was in part from trying to add too many extraneous destinations such as a dinner theatre, winery, atrium, and expo hall.
Initially featuring more than 200 vendor booths, the new Big Cypress market will soon add 30,000 additional square feet of retail space to the facility, as well as an football-themed sports bar that will donate a portion of its proceeds to the charitable foundation of former NFL player Cedric Killings, who was paralyzed from a helmet-to-helmet hit in 2007. A number of prominent football stars will visit the restaurant, the owner notes.
Hintz, who has been running flea markets in different roles for 25 years, is initially leasing the facility, but has an option to buy it in the future. The market will be a destination for shoppers of all kinds. “There will always be a reason to come back,” he told the Eagle. “You will always find something here at bargain prices. That’s what a flea market is all about.”
Information for Vendors
The new Big Cypress Market Place Flea Market will be open seven days a week. A website is under construction at the moment, but prospective vendors can call 954-330-5778 or email markhintz@hotmail.com for more information.