The Oldsmar Flea Market is pretty fascinating... if you like wandering the aisles and looking at all sorts of things they sell on late night TV, or staring at someone else's hand-me-downs, or you believe in the phrase "My trash is your treasure". Flea markets are clearly a deep South phenomenon, and the Oldsmar Flea Market has been cranking out the hits for over 30 years at the corner of Hillsborough Avenue and Race Track Road.
The exterior of this 20-acre complex looks a bit worn and dated. The parking lot is all dirt, but parking is free. From there you walk through the front gate (admission is free), past one of my favorite kitchen gadget stores, beyond the farmers' markets, and into the main part of the flea market. From here, it is row after row of covered merchandise stalls filled with some very nice people selling all sorts of things which you never thought that you needed. Do you have a hankering to shop for antiques, jewelry, parrots, scooters, knives, furniture, watches, sun glasses, luggage, paintings, Asian imports, kayaks, used books, golf clubs, coins and stamps, toys, DVDs, collectibles...? Yup, it's all in there.
I can't even begin to describe what's inside the market, but suffice it to say that they have over 1200 vendors selling just about everything. The shoppers are equally as diverse, with many looking like rejects from WalMart. This is a people-watching paradise, but just be careful that they don't mow you down on their motorized scooters. If you love watching people, then I suggest that you walk down towards the Information Desk, and stake out a spot on one of the nearby covered picnic tables. Buy yourself a soda, and have a great old time watching the world pass you by.
Why was I there, you might ask? Well, the used paperback bookstore is always a great place to browse for late-night reads which are about a buck each. There's no real organizational system to the books, so plan to spend some time searching for whatever you like.
On my way back to the car with an armful of paperbacks, I stopped inside the little kitchen gadgets store to see what looked interesting. This place is a hoot, and if you're looking for individual grapefruit spoons, or those little plastic push pin thingies that you stick into a hot ear of corn on the cob, or a pan for re-heating leftover pizza, or maybe some unusual dinner plates, or individual pieces of cutlery, then you really need to stop inside. Their selection is fabulous, and you're able to buy just one or two of any item for a heck of a lot cheaper than your neighborhood BBB.
The Flea Market also has a surprisingly good farmers market section, with all sorts of fresh produce, fruits, meats, seafood, sausages, cheeses, and sweets. If you're on this side of town, then you can pop in there to get your Plant City strawberries, or fresh corn on the cob, or bulk cheeses for a party at the retirement home.
The Oldsmar Flea Market is truly an experience, and you should definitely plan a visit on a rainy weekend afternoon. read more