11 indoor flea markets in Pennsylvania to visit this winter

Spend a winter’s day sorting through treasures at Pennsylvania’s indoor flea markets.

With its rich history and strong legacy of manufacturing and craftsmanship, Pennsylvania is home to a thriving antique mall and flea market scene. In fact, Lancaster County’s Adamstown is known as “Antiques Capital USA” because its thousands of antique dealers attract “pickers” (skilled antique shoppers) and collectors from across the country.

But you can find more than just antiques at Pennsylvania’s flea markets, which tend to be less expensive — and less discerning — than antique malls. At flea markets, there are treasures galore like antiques, but also salvaged goods, crafts, and even food. While most flea markets operate in the open air, and therefore are only open in the warmer months, some markets in Pa. are hosted indoors and thus open year-round. We’ve put together a list of indoor markets that are worth a winter’s visit, whether you’re shopping for gifts or for yourself.

1. Renninger’s Antique and Farmer’s Market – Kutztown (Berks County) 

Each weekend, Renninger’s Antique and Farmer’s Market hosts farmers, antique dealers, and flea market vendors selling their wares. While the farmers market is on Fridays and Saturdays, the antique market and flea market are both held only on Saturdays. The antique market hosts dealers who rent their booths by the month, while flea market vendors—in true flea market fashion—will often change week by week. Renninger’s also has an Adamstown market location, which is open on Sundays.

Early morning shopping at Renninger’s Flea Market In Adamstown, Pennsylvania, February 2018. (Joe Haupt/CC BY-SA 2.0)

2. Miller’s Crossing Fleatique – Pittsburgh and Irwin (Allegheny County and Westmoreland County)

The two locations of Miller’s Crossing Fleatique—one in Pittsburgh proper and one in nearby Irwin—host more than 100 vendors selling various items ranging from vintage décor and antique collectibles to unique oddities you won’t find anywhere else. The indoor shops are both open seven days a week.

3. Founders Crossing – Bedford (Bedford County)

Founders Crossing, an artisan and antique market in historic downtown Bedford, does not label itself a flea market. However, the variety of items at the indoor market, sold at affordable prices, suggests an upscale sort of flea market. The vendors at Founders Crossing sell antiques, home décor, jewelry, apparel, homemade items, and more. The market is open seven days a week. 

4. Jonnet Flea Market – Blairsville (Westmoreland County)

Jonnet Flea Market, located just west of Blairsville, is a true flea market. The vendors do not limit themselves to antiques or vintage items (though you will certainly find them), as you can also buy all sorts of household goods, crafts, and odds and ends. There are also vendors selling homemade snacks and food. You can find the market operating in an old car dealership on Route 22. It’s open each weekend, year-round.

5. The Stuff Store – Curwensville (Clearfield County)

The Stuff Store is 8,000 square feet of unique finds in Curwensville. Part antique gallery, part flea market, the aisles of the Stuff Store are filled with antiques, secondhand knickknacks, collectibles, and more — in short, stuff! If you’re overwhelmed by all the shopping you can do, you can take a break and play the store’s cocktail arcade machine, which has over 3,000 games.

6. The Green Dragon Market – Ephrata (Lancaster County)

Located on 60 acres, the Green Dragon Market is one of the largest Amish markets in the eastern U.S. It’s also been around nearly a century, having first opened its doors in 1932! While a portion of the market is a farmer’s market, you can also find dozens of secondhand vendors and crafts dealers across the seven market buildings. Maybe you’re searching for Amish-made furniture, or perhaps you just want to sift through another person’s trash to find your treasure. The market is open on Fridays.

Indoor booths at the Green Dragon Farmer’s Market in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. (Brian/CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

7. Fensty’s Indoor Flea Market – Bally (Berks County)

Fensty’s Indoor Flea Market, as you might expect, is entirely indoors, so the market is easily open year-round. You can find 30,000 square feet of home décor, collectibles, arts and crafts, and more. It’s a flea market — you won’t know what you’ll find until you visit! Fensty’s also has a small lunch counter where you can buy small meals and snacks to help power your shopping trip. The market is open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

8. Street of Shops – Lewisburg (Union County)

Street of Shops is a unique institution in Lewisburg. The massive shopping center, located in a historic woolen mill, houses 375 shops in an old-timey atmosphere reminiscent of a downtown retail district of yesteryear. While most of the shops in the “indoor country village” present a more upscale experience for shoppers looking for items like antiques and handcrafted gifts, the lower level is dedicated to an indoor flea market! Here, you can find a variety of things you never knew you needed, all at affordable prices. Street of Shops is open seven days a week.

9. Gem City Flea – Erie (Erie County)

Flea markets don’t always operate at the same time each day or even each weekend. Gem City Flea in Erie is a flea market featuring vendors from Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York that operates each month, one day at a time. The market’s Facebook page announces its upcoming plans. For instance, the next iteration of Gem City Flea will feature more than 50 vendors selling crafts, secondhand items, collectibles, and more at the Saga Club this Sunday, Jan. 12.

10. Forrest Street Marketplace – Wilkes-Barre (Luzerne County)

The Forrest Street Marketplace is a NEPA indoor flea market that sells a wide variety of items from local vendors. You’ll find vendors offering handmade arts and crafts, old collectibles, salvaged goods, and much more. The market is open on Sundays.

11. Wysox Merchant Center – Towanda (Bradford County)

Wysox Merchant Center is a year-round indoor market in NEPA with vendors renting space to sell, well, whatever! You can choose from numerous unique gifts, used and new goods, handmade crafts, antiques, electronics, and more — with new items appearing daily. The merchant center is open seven days a week.

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.