Patrons find junk and joy at new Park ‘n’ Swap

Think of it as a treasure hunt.

Buried beneath the pile of old tools and household knickknacks, hidden within the racks of tie-dye and used clothes, lost in that heap of trinkets and tchotchkes, is that one thing you just have to bring home.

For avid collectors, junk fiends and others in search of a deal, the lure of a flea market was just too much to resist. At least 1,000 people pulled off Highway 2 on Saturday to check out the goodies at the new Spokane Park ‘n’ Swap, the area’s largest outdoor flea and farmers’ market.

For an admission fee of $1, shoppers were able to check out the offerings of more than 70 vendors who set up booths and tents in a 16,000-square-foot parking lot at Highway 2 and Hawthorne Road.

In Spokane – a community where yard sales have become an unofficial pastime – the Park ‘n’ Swap has become a weekend destination since it first opened in mid-May. It’s a place where people not only can purchase organic vegetables, fresh-baked bread, flowers and homemade arts and crafts, but also new merchandise such as sunglasses, blankets and jewelry.

For the flea market fanatics, however, the best part was all the used stuff.

“You never know what you’ll find,” said Gary Higgins, of Spokane, who has traveled to San Diego, Fort Lauderdale and other cities specifically for the flea markets. “Once in a while, there’s a real gem in the junk.”

Kelly Brown, who has accompanied Higgins on these swap-meet shopping adventures, said the essence of a flea market is really the people. Sure, it’s great to discover a rare item or to find a good deal, he said, but it’s really the friendships that are forged at these gatherings that truly make flea markets worthwhile.

“It’s not about stuff,” Brown explained. “It’s about interaction and relationships.”

The Park ‘n’ Swap – which drew 130 vendors and more than 5,000 people when it opened May 19 – was created by Spokane native Doug Miller, who had always dreamed of opening a large-scale outdoor flea and farmers’ market in his hometown.

A former antiques dealer and an artist specializing in old windows and recycled material, Miller first pitched the idea of a market 20 years ago but wasn’t able to obtain the necessary city permits.

He moved away for many years then returned to Spokane two years ago. Along with business partner and fellow artist Adam Parker, Miller began planning the Park ‘n’ Swap last year after learning that the parking lot of the old Newport Cinemas was available.

Farmers can sell their produce at the Park ‘n’ Swap for free, but everyone else has to pay $27 a day or $48 a weekend for a 16-by-18-foot space.

Miller, 45, launched an advertising campaign last month to spread the word about the outdoor market. He wanted something on a large scale, he said, where people can sell just about anything. Some of the vendors include liquidators selling brand-name clothing and other merchandise as well as people who wanted to get rid of the junk in their attics and garages.

“Why do a yard sale? You can sell everything here,” said Cal Pethers, who sold a table full of old stuff in addition to Native American jewelry and other items from his business called Club Tropical.

In fact, it seemed that the items out of his garage – a table saw, an antique sewing machine, and a rusty old Schwinn unicycle, among other things – drew more inquiries than his new merchandise.

Despite the popularity of eBay and other online stores, flea markets and swap meets will continue to draw people, according to several shoppers Saturday.

Buyers want to be able to actually see an item and look it over, said Elizabeth Weyer, of Mead. That’s impossible on eBay, she said. It’s also fun to be able to talk to the seller, ask questions and establish a relationship, she said.

Flea markets also have an added bonus: You can haggle over the price.

On Saturday, Weyer was able to buy an unopened 1968 Elvis Presley doll for her husband, Douglas Younger, an Elvis tribute artist. The seller originally wanted $35, but Weyer got the price down to $30.

“Never pay the original price,” she advised. “Always dicker about the sticker.”