‘Like a ghost town’: Sacramento flea markets open, but coronavirus order slows business
Coronavirus concerns and a California public health order kept many people away from one of the Sacramento area’s oldest and largest flea markets this weekend, but not everyone.
The Folsom Boulevard Flea Market was open Saturday and Sunday, even if it wasn’t business as usual. On a normal day, the market is bustling with more than 200 vendors and several hundred shoppers, but Sunday there were only a couple of dozen merchants serving 50 to 100 customers, according to estimates.
“It’s like a ghost town,” said Monica Chavez, a 52-year-old merchant. “Sunday is one of the flea market’s busiest days. Right now it would be packed. The parking lot would be packed. I usually make five times the amount of money I made today.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an order Thursday legally requiring almost 40 million California residents to stay home and many businesses to close in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Residents are required to stay home except to get food, care for a relative or friend, get necessary health care or go to an essential job. The order forced bars, movie theaters, gyms and other businesses to close, but there are exemptions for businesses and agencies that provide essential services, including grocery stores, gas stations and pharmacies.
Owner Suzanna Berger said the Folsom Boulevard Flea Market, which opened in 1965 and serves more than 200,000 people a year, meets the criteria. The market offers everything from fresh produce and groceries to clothing, jewelry, toys, tools and video games.
“The only reason we’re still open is because we have the produce and other essentials such as paper towels, toilet paper and laundry detergent, and they’ve sold a lot of toilet paper out here today,” Berger said. “One vendor came in with a big huge truckload. They say if you sell the essentials, you’re able to stay open, and we sell the essentials.”
Denio’s Roseville Farmers Market and Swap Meet remained open as well, but operations manager Eric Denio posted a video on Facebook explaining only the farmers market and vendors selling essential items would be available.
“With the coronavirus and the shelter-in-place mandate form the governor, we understand how important it is to stay home, shelter in place and be safe,” Denio said. “We will only have our farmers market open for individuals to come out and shop and get their food. From our family to yours, we want you to remain safe and we hope the best for whatever you’re going through right now.”
The market announced Monday that it will now be open seven days a week, up from its usual Friday-to-Sunday schedule. The market’s hours will stay the same, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
While Denio’s was expanding its hours, Berger said she didn’t know how much longer the Folsom flea market would remain open.
“I think everybody eventually will have to stay in their homes for the greater good,” she said, “because how can anything get resolved if people are out and about?”
Despite concerns, some need to continue sales
The coronavirus had infected more than 367,000 people worldwide and killed nearly 16,400 as of noon Monday, including more than 400 deaths in the United States, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Taqiyy Akhtab, a 67-year-old vendor, said he wasn’t worried about contracting the illness at the flea market.
“I’m old and folks gotta watch out, but (Walmart is open) and that’s enclosed,” Akhtab said. “This is outside, so the risk factor is less here than it is there.”
Others were more concerned. That was evident by the sparse crowd, the number of shoppers and merchants wearing protective masks and all the empty tables usually occupied by vendors who chose to stay home instead.
“It’s a little scary, but I keep my hands sanitized and I keep my distance from people,” Chavez said. “It’s sad that we’re going through this and it’s scary to die, but we all have to make a living.”
James Church, a 35-year-old vendor who offers a variety of electronics, video games and other items, agreed, saying the flea market is his primary source of income.
“I’ve still got to live my life and I’ve still got to be able to make money to make a living,” he said. “This is what I do for a living and you have to be able to make ends meet.”
