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A culture on its way out

By MARYAN PELLAND
Published September 24, 2006

BROOKSVILLE

Airport Flea Market will likely bite the dust in May.

Vendors, many of whom have operated in the same spot for more than 20 years, said owner Robert Darst of St. Petersburg has pulled the rug out from under them.

But Darst, who leases the commercial property from the airport, said the closing was inevitable. The "flea market culture" is slumping everywhere, and this one isn't covering its expenses, property manager Nico Stuermer said.

Does it boil down to an unprofitable business sucking up space on a profitable piece of commercial land? Darst, airport management said, is reconsidering his options and mulling over the idea of razing the flea market in favor of another business.

There's nothing on paper. I have ideas, but no concrete plan," Darst said. "I'll probably do something like warehousing that uses the whole property."

Airport director Don Silvernell said Darst came to him in June. They discussed land use options, but Silvernell said no changes can be made without a written proposal that includes detailed drawings.

Silvernell said the lease is out of date, but valid, and allows uses approved in the 1980s, including clean, light manufacturing; assembly; general warehouse; warehouse direct marketing; and auction house.

Some of the vendors think the county precipitated Darst's planned closure. But Silvernell said that isn't so.

"We have no preference," he said. "The land is being used. We collect revenue. We have no issue."

Gloria Watson, 73, of Spring Hill has sold new and used clothing and accessories out of booth B93 since 1984.

"I'll be okay, but there are sellers who depend on this for their livelihood, and it's a shame," Watson said.

She talked of a vendor whose husband's ashes are buried on the property. Another, a Vietnam War veteran in shaky health, might not be able to find a way to make a living. Still others are too old to go anywhere else.

Georgia McErlean, a widow and the owner of the Little Shed lunch-wagon restaurant, built the business with her husband.

McErlean said people come from Brooksville for her cooking, even if they're not shopping. She has no clue what to do next; flea markets, as a rule, aren't looking for food vendors.

Tom Steuart, who's also been around more than a decade, is upset, too.

"A lot of people here are retired. They pay bills from what they make," he said.

But some other merchants, like Randy Kasberg of Sew & Save sewing machines, are more philosophical.

"I went to Spring Hill outlet mall and signed up. You have to have some stability, and I jumped on that," Kasberg said. "I'm committed, so no matter what happens here, I'll be leaving."

The longtime vendors make the airport site one of the last old-time markets, where shoppers might find the right pipe to fix a kitchen sink or a light fixture to match a vintage front porch.

It has bargains, one-of-a-kinds and real characters. But last weekend, it had so few customers that by 11 a.m., some vendors called it a day. Stuermer spent most of his time fielding questions and dealing with rumors.

A coalition of vendors met with Darst later and were told that the market will remain open through the winter season.

"We'll probably talk again as the season goes on, but for all concerned, it seems like it's time to move on to something else," Darst said. "I know sellers and customers have a social culture at the market, and I feel bad. But time changes things."

[Last modified September 24, 2006, 08:40:49]