What does everyone think of the chance that the Old Paris Flea Market might close

My wife and I went to the Old Paris flea market and the other one at 10th and Penn today. Old Paris by far had more merchants and a better selection of stuff. As I recall the flea market at 10th and Penn used to be called the AMC flea market but the name has changed to San Migual? or something.

I did notice a sign on the big knife merchants booth at Old Paris when you walk in the doors that said "don't listen to the rumors we are not closing".

personally i don't care because i don't frequent them. i do drive by the new "Plaza San Miguel" quite frequently. It was bought a few months back by I believe his name is Garcia (owner of the Chelino's chain) and two other guys. They said they spent 2 million fixing it up but I don't see 2 million worth of improvements. They did paint over the lime green exterior with tan. That looks better. I think the article was posted somewhere on this site about the transaction. It was an Oklahoman article.

No more velvet Elvis or his 8-Tracks

What would multiple Velvet Elvis's be?
Would that actually be Velvet Elvi?

We've been to Old Paris a few times. I personally like flea markets and such. I prefer the outdoors part of Old Paris as opposed to the inside. The outside is traditional garage sale out of the trunk of your car sort of thing. The inside is more of a low budget mall. If Dollar General had a super center, this would be it. Hard to find a treasure in that sort of environment.

When the weather is nice we go a couple of times a year to that outdoor flea market East of the city.

It's dirty and all, but you never know what you might find.

I wish the outdoor flea market on the south side of the fair grounds would come back in the summer. I got lots of deals there. There are several of those types of flea markets in Texas.

As for Old Paris closing - if they agree to sell then that's the owners business and the 10th street flea market will probably fill up fast (which would be a first in many years).

If however the city forces them out then I'm totally against it.

Okay, I'm dating myself here, but does anyone here remember when the Old Paris Flea Market was actually a retail membership store called "General Exchange," or GEX for short?

It was really a predecessor to the Sam's Club warehouse shopping format, though not quite on the same order of magnitude. You had to have a membership card to get in, and as I recall there was the burgeoning notion of buying in bulk to save money. It went out of business decades ago.

-SoonerDave

my dad and i would go to old paris or some sort of flea market almost every saturday morning when i was a kid. i'm too young to remember gex, but i do remember the gex signs still being on the building. wasn't amc, which also turned into a flea market, similar in concept to gex?

as for the topic at hand, i sorta feel that it's much harder to find anything worth buying at old paris these days. either the items for sale have gotten trashier or i've become more of a snob... either way, it's no big deal to me if the place goes. what i do care about, though, is a property owner being forced to sell via eminent domain when a school district could expand its facilities into undeveloped real estate... with the native american cultural center being developed within a mile north, it seems to me to be a heavy-handed government's way of clearing out owners that it deems undesireable. -M

Okay, I'm dating myself here, but does anyone here remember when the Old Paris Flea Market was actually a retail membership store called "General Exchange," or GEX for short?

It was really a predecessor to the Sam's Club warehouse shopping format, though not quite on the same order of magnitude. You had to have a membership card to get in, and as I recall there was the burgeoning notion of buying in bulk to save money. It went out of business decades ago.

-SoonerDave
I was wondering WHERE the Old Paris Flea Market is located ... you just told me! Yes, I do remember the old GEX building and being there in around 1965-68!

I think it is very likely that Old Paris will close soon is is because of the fact that the new Native American museam will open closeby and their is alot of pressure to expand crooked oak to where Old Paris currently sits. If the people who own Old Paris were to make a tremendous amount of investment in the building and parking, maybe it would be easier for them to keep it there. There are numerous potholes around the parking lot and a lack of security for the most part. By the way, when will there be a marketplace in downtown?

The San Miguel's has been undergoing only a few renovations currently and i've heard rumors that a full-fledged Chileno's Restaurant will be built inside the place.





Old Paris flea market is at SE 15th and Eastern.

mehh

What does everyone think of the chance that the Old Paris Flea Market might close
I sure hope that's not the case. I shop there at least three times a month. I love going there because they have a wide variety of everything, and it is the place I buy my cologne.

Their Stetson cologne is around $7.50 for 3 ounces...if you go to a retailer, you will pay $20 or more for the same thing...same size. Plus, I always go to the knife shop and have my Buck knife sharpened once a month.

The place is always busy...I usually have to park way out in the parking lot, if there are even any spaces available.

Man, if Old Paris closes I can't pretend to be parking there while I sneek into the adult book store in the parking lot.

Oh Geeez someone shut that eye sore down please!

i won't disagree that it's an eyesore... but just because some people think it is, does that make it an appropriate target for eminent domain? -M

When a flea market closes...thank you and good bye. I'm glad to see any of them go.

When a flea market closes...thank you and good bye. I'm glad to see any of them go.

Why? Seems like a pretty harsh blanket statement to me. They have a right to own and operate a profitable business just like anyone else. Looks to me like hard working individuals mostly.

I find much more satisfaction in a purchase from a flea market, thift store, second hand store, garage sale, GoodWill, etc. than from walking into the mall and buying some overpriced mass produced nick-nack.

I guess I'm opposite then because I'd much rather go to a store and buy something new rather than a 4 times owned throw away from someone else. Granted you can find some nice antiques some times, but mostly not.

I'd much rather go to a store and buy something new rather than a 4 times owned

Yes, and Macey's, Sears, JC Penny and millions of underpaid sweatshop workers applaud your diligence!

Who do you think made the products you are buying at the Flea Market. You can't get on a high horse and make me feel bad for buying corporate. Especially since A LOT of the stuff IS made in the good ole US of A. And unless I see you building your own furniture, growing your own animals, and whatnot, I believe you spend money the same as the rest of us.

I think I'll change my handle to "button pusher." I just love setting some of you off like little okie roman candles.

Don't get me wrong, I love those naked little 3rd world bastards that work for a dollar a week. I'm sure I'm wearing some of their sneakers, jeans and such right now.

I'm just saying, you never know the deals you may be missing at these "eyesoars."

Just last night I stopped by GoodWill and bought two Belkin FM transmitters that work great with Ipods (broadcast your music to your car's radio). At Target these little gems are $39 and $89 each (two different models). I picked one up for $8 and another for $15 and they were still in their retail packaging. You see, the Goodwill on Reno in MWC gets Target returns, overstocks and damaged boxes. Ipod cases (normally $19-$24) were only $1.99 each!

But damn those eyesoars! Burn them down, every single one! Yawn

Well let me ask you this about that little Goodwill trip you made. Do you think you could have afforded that item at Target? If so, then you shouldn't be going to Goodwill. There are people that honestly need the discounts because they are in economic hardship, not because they are looking for a bargain. If you had found it at a thrift store, then I wouldn't care, but a donation establishment like Goodwill, that bothers me that someone would do that.

umm... that's not how goodwill works. they use the revenue from selling donated items to help fund their charitable operations. -M

Bombermwc - WOW, you simply reek of ignorance.

As m3 said "that's not how Goodwill works." They don't sell at a discount to help the downtroden. They offer retail to liquidate their donations. Actually, dozens of Ebay resellers and those who operate booths at flea markets spend most of their day there buying merchandise to resell.

By the way - exactly how does your foot taste?

Bite me dude. So I got one point wrong. That still doesn't make you the all knowing hippey master or whatever. I'll still say I'm glad to see the Flea Market go. I'd like to see them all go and the people who have shops there either create a legit business or stop. If they want to sell stuff then as you said, do it on Ebay, and they'd probably make a lot more money because they would have a much larger base.