I love this idea. Love love love love it.
According to this news report in The Saratogian, the Malta Drive-In will host a flea market on select Saturdays in 2018. It will start this coming May 12th, and then appear three more times during the summer. There’s even an upcoming “Malta Flea” website.
This, plus the returning Troy Flea in downtown Troy, makes me very happy.
I enjoy visiting flea markets – especially those that are set up for a single day, with vendors offering treasures and tchochkes from their car trunks and fold-up card table stands. In the past, I’ve found crate art projects at the Troy Flea; so maybe I’ll find some nice goodies at the upcoming Malta Flea as well.
Plus, it’s an opportunity for me to reconnect with my past.
In my early years, I would spend time in Boston, visiting with my Grandma Betty in summers (essentially to stay somewhere normal and to get away from my toxic, abusive parents). There were many Saturdays when she would take me yard saleing and flea marketing, and some of my favorite flea market visits were at the drive-ins.
There were several drive-ins in the greater 617 area code, and on Saturdays they were filled with antiques and junk dealers. You could walk up and down the drive-in grounds, and there would be plenty of goodies to purchase. Grandma Betty would look for items that my Aunt Elaine could sell at her antique shop in New Hampshire; and I would look for toys and comic books.
It was at these events where Grandma Betty taught me the ancient language of haggle.
See, at first I thought that if a person put a price tag on an item, that was the price you paid if you wanted it. But at flea marekts, Grandma Betty told me that it was possible to negotiate prices. If the dealer didn’t negotiate, then you could either pay the sticker price or walk away. But if you made a reasonable counteroffer, then negotiation could work in your favor. You know, like when you watch an episode of Pawn Stars and Rick Harrison and the customer negotiate over the price until Rick says, “Write him up, Chum.” Stuff like that.
I watched Grandma Betty negotiate a $25 item down to $20. Seemed simple enough.
Apparently I was too eager a student. A few minutes later, she watched as I tried to (and somehow did) negotiate getting a Hot Wheels toy car for five cents – down from the original price of ten cents.
She then explained that I didn’t have to negotiate EVERY price at the flea market.
Ah, smile.
So yeah, I’m kinda excited to hear that the Malta Drive-In will host an open-air flea market. And as long as the dates don’t conflict with the Troy Flea … I’ll feel really good about it.
Plus, if the dates DO coordinate, I could also visit the Ballston Spa Farmer’s Market and pick up some nice produce for a home-cooked weekend meal.
That will be fun as well. 😀
Chuck The Writer 
Ahhh.. my favorite was/is the Wellfleet Drive In Flea Market on Cape Cod. Always looked forward to it every year (for our one week there). My kids brought me to the big one in Brooklyn, which was really cool. Occasionally there is one here in Grand Junction, but I haven’t made it over. It doesn’t hold the charm of Wellfleet or Brooklyn.
Hope you find some treasures! I’m terrible at haggling..
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