Nov 30, 2008 1:00 pm US/Eastern
Christmas Shoppers Turn To Flea Markets
FORT WORTH, Texas (CBS) ―
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Flea markets and garage sales are becoming a booming businesses. (File)
CW50
Not all the holiday sales are happening in malls and stores. The troubled economy means flea markets and garage sales have becoming booming businesses, CBS station KTVT-TV in Dallas reports.
Treasure Island Trade Days, an outdoor weekend flea market in south Fort Worth, opened just as the economy nose dived. The flea market is seeing a large amount of business, including holiday shoppers and even people who come to sell off family antiques.
For one young couple, its a huge saving for a thrifty start on a new life.
Sharon Steels spent the day looking for items for her upcoming wedding, including her gown.
"You can look at cutting at least a hundred dollars off the top of items I've been looking at at stores," Steels said. "You can find it here for half, more than half."
For many of the sellers, the flea market a way to pay for the basics in a hard economy.
"Some water bill or gas bill might get left unpaid for the month," said vendor Karen Jackson. "So this sure does help make ends meet here and help us get by."
The people who run markets like this say they hear such stories more often than ever before. And, as the money gets tighter, they're seeing people parting with some of their most prized posesions just to get by.
"I mean, my gosh," said Bill Heroff a collector, "I've bought things from Germany, antique cuckoo clocks, paintings, jewelry. They needed the money."
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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