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New flea market in Huntington has opening day

Diana VanBuskirk (right), along with her assistants Holly Houser (left) and Kristy Moore, run the new Huntington County Flea Market, which had its opening day on Saturday, Aug. 4, in the First Federal Savings Bank Community Building at the Huntington County Fairgrounds. The market is planned to be open the first Saturday of each month.
Diana VanBuskirk (right), along with her assistants Holly Houser (left) and Kristy Moore, run the new Huntington County Flea Market, which had its opening day on Saturday, Aug. 4, in the First Federal Savings Bank Community Building at the Huntington County Fairgrounds. The market is planned to be open the first Saturday of each month. Photo by Rebecca Sandlin.

When Diana VanBuskirk started the Huntington County Auction Group on Facebook, she had in mind that she wanted to help people out. Now, that venture has become tangible with the opening of the new Huntington County Flea Market, which had its opening day on Saturday, Aug. 4.

“I’m excited. I’ve only had two weeks of putting this together, and I’m pretty happy about it,” she says.

The auction group, which has between 40 and 80 sellers each week, needed a place where they could meet with those who bought and sold items on Facebook. That gave VanBuskirk the idea to incorporate them with vendors in one spot together.

“Instead of meeting at Marsh, everybody meets here,” she explains. “They list their items online, people auction them off, then they close out their auctions by Friday night. Then we meet here on Saturday mornings, so the buyers can pick up their items.”

For the first day of the flea market 14 vendors set up shop under the shelter of the First Federal Savings Bank Community Building at the Huntington County Fairgrounds. VanBuskirk says there is room for a total of 35 booths.

Everything, including cellular phone service, glass yard décor, jewelry, personal items and garage sale items, is accepted for sale at the flea market, which meets the first Saturday of the month from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. A fee is charged for the booths.

VanBuskirk plans a special, additional “Christmas in October” day on Saturday, Oct. 20, and a holiday bazaar theme for the Dec. 1 market date.

She has some future plans, as well, including helping people who are struggling by giving away food.

“I get food every week,” she explains. “What food that I collect through the week from different people and different places I hand out on Saturdays. What we do is the buyers come in and the sellers, when they sign in they can fill out a little ticket … their name is put in a drawing.”

But Vanbuskirk doesn’t want to stop there. She envisions having a food pantry, perhaps starting as early as September. And in the future, she hopes to help people in the community pay for books, utilities and other needs.

“I’m trying to find a place where I can store the food for the pantry,” she says. “We’re looking for a place for us to have a permanent spot.”

The next flea market will be held Saturday, Sept. 1, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the fairgrounds located at 631 E. Taylor St., Huntington. For more information and to inquire about a vendor booth or a permanent market location, email VanBuskirk at huntington countyauctiongroup@gmail.com or visit the “Hunting ton County Flea Market” page on Facebook.