Frison Flea Market

I give this a 5 star rating because I am sure it was heaven on earth while it was open. I can only imagine the wonders of its wares, the beauty of the goods, the charm of the vendors. Because it is now closed, never to be opened again. Didn’t know this before I drove the 45 minutes it took me to get there. A family member had gone a year before and said it was FAB U LOUS and I needed to go see for myself. Waited too long…

Sadly, this place isn’t what it used to be. About ²⁄₃ of the place is empty with no vendors. Still, it’s only a buck to get inside, and relatively free of rachetry.
The vendors are hit and miss, and it seems to be that the best vendors are those located closet to the entrance. Maybe it’s just coincidence (I’ve been there 4 or 5x now over the last few years), but it seems like the further back I go, the more crochety the vendors get, and the less willing they were to negotiate. My favorite vendor, who sold all sorts of old things right next to the entrance on the right side, passed away, and his daughter has overtaken things (and they now sell food, if you get the munchies while you’re there). They are good people. As a forewarning, the guy in charge of the «Chicken Coop» (as he’s labeled it) in the back is, erm, a bit of an asshole and very overpriced. The guys/​girls selling purses, glasses, perfume, «tobacco novelties,» and knives near the front are great. Also, Sunday is the best day to come, since many vendors aren’t there on Saturdays (and have signs saying «I’m only here on Sundays!»). Never been there on a Friday.

This place is pretty addictive. I drove by here the first 30 years of my life and couldn’t believe people would come here. Then someone brought me a bootleg movie and said they got it at Frison. I went… thinking I would be murdered in the parking lot. But it was so much fun to peruse the aisles for weathered antiques, knockoff purses and belts, and of course bootleg movies. I know I shouldn’t support these black market industry’s, but what the hell. It’s fun. The people watching is priceless and the sounds and smells are fantastic. In fact today there was a burning smell that was something in the nature of blazing trash or maybe the roasted chestnuts I kept inhaling on the streets of Paris last year. My friends scored some T**y Birch bags and a few flicks. If your a insence oil person you will be in hog heaven here. There are many trance infusing fragrances to choose from. And on many Saturday I see vans full of mongrel puppy’s waiting to be rescued (adopted) in the parking lot. As far as the lot is concerned. Watch your surroundings and watch your tires. The place has more potholes than Beirut. $ 1 gets you in. And the clerks are very friendly, kind of like Mexico t shirt hawkers in Cancun.