Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 4, 1993 TAG: 9306030309
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: SETH WILLIAMSON SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: DUBLIN LENGTH: Long
"We've gotten just about as big as we can get without more room for vendors and parking," says the Lions' Dwight Fralin of the club's twice-yearly extravaganza. "We've got no objection to more growth, but it's just the room available that's the limiting factor."
The flea market, which ranks as the second-biggest in the commonwealth of Virginia, is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at the Dublin fairgrounds. An estimated 18,000 to 20,000 customers from Virginia and surrounding states will view the wares of more than 600 vendors during the two-day event.
Fralin, a Dublin transportation broker and past president of the Dublin Lions Club, says his club's event is surpassed in size only by the annual Labor Day gun show and flea market in Hillsville down in Carroll County. The Dublin Lions stage another flea market on the third weekend in September which, Fralin estimates, is slightly larger than the June version.
"We may not be quite as big as the Hillsville flea market, but except for that, there's just no comparison to anything in the state of Virginia, and that goes for both dates," said Fralin.
"We've got something like 650 vendors who come from the local area, the entire state of Virginia, and from Ohio, Pennsylvania, both Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee. In fact, this thing has gotten so big that starting the Monday night before it opens there will be vendors parked in the parking lot of the fairgrounds waiting to get in."
Such early birds will still have to wait until 9 a.m. today before being allowed to set up. The Lions stopped taking vendor reservations two weeks ago, but there will be space for a limited number of walk-in vendors.
"We will serve the walk-ins till we run out of spaces," said Fralin, who expects about 100 last-minute dealers.
It's quite a different picture from the first day of the Lions' first flea market in 1976, when about 100 customers came through the gate to see only 20 dealers.
"The first five years it was sorta gradual," said Fralin. "Then, as flea markets got more popular at the beginning of the '80s, it just grew by leaps and bounds. It gets bigger and bigger every year; we turn away vendors because we don't have space. There are vendors who reserve their space a year in advance."
Years ago the flea market outgrew the Lions' ability to handle everything by themselves. They now farm out several tasks to other local groups. The Pulaski Junior Woman's Club handles ticket sales, and members of Radford United Methodist Church are in charge of parking.
Part of the secret to a successful flea market, says Fralin, is keeping the dealers happy. The Lions provide a security guard on Friday and Saturday nights, and all 50 club members turn out to help vendors quickly load and unload their wares.
If Mary Lee Campbell of Dublin and Grover and Betty Crank of Charlotte, N.C., are typical dealers, the Lions are doing a good job.
"This is the nicest and best-organized flea market that I've ever seen," said Betty Crank, who, with her husband, has a regular spot selling folk-art paintings, wooden items, handmade wirecraft jewelry and bolo ties made from Saharan fossils.
"We used to go to some flea market somewhere almost every weekend, but so many of the places are dirty and hot and the restrooms aren't clean, not at all like what the Dublin Lions provide," she said. The Cranks have traveled to Dublin for the past 15 or 16 years.
Dubliner Mary Lee Campbell sells handmade Christmas wreaths and homemade fudge which, according to Dwight Fralin, draw regular customers from all over Virginia. "This fair has grown so much because the Lions Club has done such a wonderful job of organizing," Campbell said. "I've been coming here for 10 or 12 years, and the traffic has increased manyfold in that time."
What is it that draws people to a flea market? Fralin says much of the appeal is the convivial, carnival-like atmosphere.
"It's an opportunity to visit, because with this many people through the gates, you're gonna see everybody in the country that you know. And people have the idea they're gonna find a bargain - and they do.
"Plus there's the food. We farm out food vendors. The Ruritan Club will serve breakfast biscuits and gravy, hamburgers and hot dogs. And there'll be homemade donuts, funnel cakes, Polish sausage, barbecued chicken," said Fralin.
A staple flea-market food is what Fralin calls "the famous Lion Dog," a corn dog that he claims has become known "throughout the state." The Lions Club will serve from 250 to 300 pounds of hot dogs on a good weekend, according to Fralin.
In addition to dealers and customers, the Dublin flea market draws another possibly less welcome type of visitor: Virginia state sales-tax officials. The Lions Club provides each vendor with a state envelope in which taxes due may be mailed in. "It's an honor system," says Fralin. "It's a cash business and you have to take a vendor's word on how much he sold."
No alcohol is sold or permitted on the fairgrounds during the flea market. Admission is $1 per person, with children under 6 admitted free; parking also is free.
From exit 98 off Interstate 81, the New River Valley Fairgrounds are three miles north on Virginia 100. Flea-market hours Saturday and Sunday are from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
by CNB