Vendors are working to save the Escondido Swap Meet, which filed for bankruptcy on Oct. 7, after 40 years of operation. The market failed to emerge from bankruptcy proceedings, and a person who answered the market’s phone told FleaMarketZone that it was now shuttered. Once a chain of three California markets in Oceanside, Escondido, and Santee, now only the Santee market remains.
However, according to a report on San Diego’s 10news.com, the market’s vendors are appealing to the owner of the land, who foreclosed on the market’s owners:
Dozens of local vendors gathered outside the entrance to the Escondido Swap Meet Monday morning in hopes of finding a way to continue to do business there. The vendors are petitioning the owner of the land to work out an agreement with the operator so they can keep selling their merchandise.
The 12-acre flea market employs 500 vendors, who have collected 2,000 signatures in support of keeping the market open. The former market owner is reportedly hoping to play a role in keeping the market alive. The market’s last session, at least for now, was last Saturday. However, the North County Times reports that the local city council has already approved a zoning change that will make it easy to redevelop the land for other uses.
Photo credit, with thanks, 10news.com.
April 19 Update: The North County Times reports that the swap meet will reopen under new management on May 11. The report says that the market’s name will change to Escondido World Marketplace, and it will be operated by Vilicus Management, which operates the Oceanside Swap Meet.