Flea Market Report: Columbus Farmers Market in NJ...
I know, say what you will, but my wife and I enjoy hitting garage sales and flea markets whenever we get a chance, even if it means doing so while we are on vacation with no reasonable ability to bring back any large purchases we might happen to make.
When my daughter described a market she had been to not far from her home in New Jersey, it sounded not only interesting, but simply too good to pass up. The Columbus Farmers Market was apparently started in 1929 and full of real "stuff", not the pre-packaged plastic crap you can find at any 99 cent store. Oh, and I should mention that we decided to go not more than a few hours before our flight back to San Antonio. That is dedication to the mission!
We really had no idea just how big the place was until we pulled in, and even then, we could only see a part of the market. If you are in San Antonio and familiar with the king of all flea markets, Bussey's, imagine a place that makes Bussey's look like a large garage sale. Oh, and if you are also familiar with the indoor flea market on Eisenhauer Road, they have you covered here too. Like the junky feel of what you get at the Fredericks Road flea market, fear not - they have a section of nothing but people selling crap from the back of their station wagon, which may or may not have belonged to an ex-wife or unsuspecting neighbor - not that I'm accusing anyone of anything.
When we first entered and were walking down one of the outer aisles, it looked close enough to be like one of the regular flea markets we are accustomed to, but then I hit a section where one of the salesman was interacting with the customers, trying to market the dresses he was selling like they had just come off of a fashion rack in a back alley in the shopping district of New York. Don't get me wrong; it wasn't that it seemed that the stuff was hot, but more that the guy was really trying to make a sale and it was all very entertaining.
Inside, there were numerous established stores but of a flea market nature - not a Macy's or Saks, but fashions, electronics and housewares for the more frugal in mind. I went into a book store and purchased a magazine that comes out twice yearly called, Weird NJ. And it was well worth the $4.00 I might add. Very entertaining.
And there was entertainment. Lots of interesting folks to enjoy. My wife had made mention of people dressed as Quakers or Amish - she wasn't sure. There were lots of folks running around in dresses with white bonnets on their heads. And the ladies were somewhat conservative as well, (rim shot, please).
At any rate, lots of really good stuff to see. 
Oh, and the food was plentiful. I only needed a snack when I spotted this guy at a stand selling these long twisted pretzel bread things. Imagine the bread sticks you get at Olive Garden but two of them twisted together, then topped with, I don't know, pizza, peppers, Philly cheese steak? The man offered us tastes of the PCS and it was so good, but I opted to just go with a cheese covered pretzel. Just call me an ambulance now because I can read myself getting fatter.
Unfortunately, there was just just too much to see and not enough time to see it. We didn't get to see even half of the place I'm certain. If you make the trip, get a little cart!
When my daughter described a market she had been to not far from her home in New Jersey, it sounded not only interesting, but simply too good to pass up. The Columbus Farmers Market was apparently started in 1929 and full of real "stuff", not the pre-packaged plastic crap you can find at any 99 cent store. Oh, and I should mention that we decided to go not more than a few hours before our flight back to San Antonio. That is dedication to the mission!
We really had no idea just how big the place was until we pulled in, and even then, we could only see a part of the market. If you are in San Antonio and familiar with the king of all flea markets, Bussey's, imagine a place that makes Bussey's look like a large garage sale. Oh, and if you are also familiar with the indoor flea market on Eisenhauer Road, they have you covered here too. Like the junky feel of what you get at the Fredericks Road flea market, fear not - they have a section of nothing but people selling crap from the back of their station wagon, which may or may not have belonged to an ex-wife or unsuspecting neighbor - not that I'm accusing anyone of anything.
When we first entered and were walking down one of the outer aisles, it looked close enough to be like one of the regular flea markets we are accustomed to, but then I hit a section where one of the salesman was interacting with the customers, trying to market the dresses he was selling like they had just come off of a fashion rack in a back alley in the shopping district of New York. Don't get me wrong; it wasn't that it seemed that the stuff was hot, but more that the guy was really trying to make a sale and it was all very entertaining.
Inside, there were numerous established stores but of a flea market nature - not a Macy's or Saks, but fashions, electronics and housewares for the more frugal in mind. I went into a book store and purchased a magazine that comes out twice yearly called, Weird NJ. And it was well worth the $4.00 I might add. Very entertaining.
And there was entertainment. Lots of interesting folks to enjoy. My wife had made mention of people dressed as Quakers or Amish - she wasn't sure. There were lots of folks running around in dresses with white bonnets on their heads. And the ladies were somewhat conservative as well, (rim shot, please).
At any rate, lots of really good stuff to see. 
Oh, and the food was plentiful. I only needed a snack when I spotted this guy at a stand selling these long twisted pretzel bread things. Imagine the bread sticks you get at Olive Garden but two of them twisted together, then topped with, I don't know, pizza, peppers, Philly cheese steak? The man offered us tastes of the PCS and it was so good, but I opted to just go with a cheese covered pretzel. Just call me an ambulance now because I can read myself getting fatter.
Unfortunately, there was just just too much to see and not enough time to see it. We didn't get to see even half of the place I'm certain. If you make the trip, get a little cart!
3 comments:
Thank you again for making me miss NJ! Those really are amish folks at the market. They are only there a few days a week so you are lucky to have caught them :) That flea market is a GREAT place to people watch...and EAT AND EAT! lol! You really got to see a LOT on your trip! Did you get over to the "shore" (NEVER call it the beach there lol)
No, we didn't make it to the shore. My wife had wanted to drive to Atlantic City but that would have jacked with my plans for the trip to NYC. Next time.
Oh, and you are so right about the people watching at the Columbus Market. I could have stayed there for hours had our flight not required otherwise.
Next time, you might also want to try Berlin Farmers Market in South Jersey. And also another classic place to go is CowTown in South Jersey. :)
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