Mega Market, Vanishing Vintage

Never having been to a large flea market in PNW, we set aside the Memorial Day weekend for Packwood, Washington, which is claimed to be the largest in the region. The drive is more than two and a half hours from Portland. Once off I-5, the idyllic scenery, especially around Riffe Lake, put us in a good mood.

Once we were close to Packwood, the one-lane road was near a complete stall. It would have been better if we had arrived at 10 instead of 11. The town has less than 500 people. But during the Memorial (and Labor) Day weekend, it lives up to its name:  Pack(ed)wood.

The ten-dollar parking signs were the first sign of a small-town carnival experience. There is no vendor list, no map, just sections of booths and thousands of visitors roaming the street.

Unfortunately, the bulk of the stuff is either new (commonly made in China or Ecuador) tools, t-shirts, political signs, common household items or used stuff you typically see in a yard sale or find from an online marketplace. The antiques and art dealers were well hidden if they were there.

With cars passing through several times to find an available space and shoppers spilling out onto the roadway, the town struggles to handle the onslaught of visitors. The brewery, open at noon time, had a huge line. The same story with most food carts. The traffic, from either side of Route 12, halted with families zigzagging the street from all angles.

Here are some winners and losers if you are interested in Packwood in the fall:

Winners:

·  Teams managing parking lot: Because there is limited free parking to accommodate such a huge crowd in a remote area, it is likely the best way of making money here.

·  Family with kids for a gateway: Funnel cake, elephant ears, float, popcorn, and ice cream seem to be the right recipe for a leisure outing.

·  Garden decor shoppers: Many hand-made or repurposed garden decor, from metal sheets to driftwood. And a great bargain from a tree nursery if you are looking for a Japanese Maple Tree.

Losers:

·  Vintage and Antique shoppers: This is NOT Scott Antiques Market or Round Top. Maybe there are a few good vendors but the amount of time required to comb through it all is not worth it. We did see a few vendors with used furniture and small vintage stuff. You are better off going to an antique mall.

·  Vegetarians: There are not many vegetarian options from the food vendors. The mediocre food comes with a premium price and a long wait. You better pack your own lunch box before you go.

·  Daily hikers: Packwood Lake is highly recommended for its scenery. However, it is still 30 minutes drive to the best parts and Seattle/Portland visitors must go through the traffic jam again (easily another 45 minutes sitting in the traffic). So if you plan to visit the lake, make it a multi-day trip. Or consider visiting it when there is no flea market.

·  Cardholders: Almost everything is cash only – from food vendors to dealers. Cash is king.

We ended up with a small yard decor owl ($5 bucks) home, after spending 10 dollars parking and $50 for sandwiches, but found a great deal on some hostas at a greenhouse on the return trip.