For 50 years, the San Jose Flea Market has been bringing deals to the South Bay and keeping vendors in business.
This 120 acre lot is the biggest open air market in the country, and has everything from cars, to produce.
The flea market started in 1960, when businessman George Bumb had seen how swap meets were taking off in southern California, and decided to do the same thing, but with individual merchants added to the mix. He purchased the lot that the flea market still stands on today, on Berryessa Road.
The flea market has about 6,000 sellers each week, with nearly 4 million visitors a year. The flea market is open Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from dawn till dusk. This isn’t a typical flea market – it literally has everything. The huge lot is somewhat organized, but organization is a difficult task when you have to put couches and corn on the same lot. The flea market is most popular on Saturday and Sunday, where most of the vendors come to sell. The other two days typically are held for the food market and car auctions.
The busiest areas of the flea market tend to be for clothing, accessories, electronics, and the food market. You can see row after row of vendors selling all types of clothing, from bridal gowns, to leather jackets, to packs of underwear. Electronics, cell phones, DVDs, and video games take up a significant portion of the flea market, as well as covered rental spaces that house all types of furniture, artwork and kitchenware.
The crafts portion of the flea market is particularly interesting, with hand made dolls, jewelry, and other various knick knacks that showcase vendor’s talent and culture. From Peruvian hand-woven necklaces to Mexican Dia De Los Muertos sculptures, each item tells a story.
This flea market does have the typical knock-offs, like fake Loius Vuitton purses and $1 fake Ray Bans. Most of these products are easily dismissible as imitators, but once in awhile you’ll be able to find some fake designer duds that can fool even the most fashionable person.
With nearly 100 food stations, the flea market can turn into a full day of snacking and shopping. With a vast Mexican population, San Jose is home to some of the Bay Area’s best Mexican food, and some of these vendors set up shop in the Flea Market every week. At the back entrance of the flea market, sometimes you will be lucky enough to find the churro cart, which serves up 2 foot long, freshly fried churros.
Of course, there is the typical American street fare, like corn dogs and hamburgers. There are also some food options not typical of a flea market setting, like sourdough baguettes and delicious home made barbecue.
San Jose’s flea market has been serving the public for fifty years, and has stayed around due to its uniqueness and variety of goods. Let’s hope it stays another 50.