I went to a flea market and all I got was this doughnut…and it wasn’t even Amish-made
In 2014 a reader who signs her emails “Tweety Bird” mentioned that some Amish vendors had set up a small booth at a flea market near my home. I filed the tip away mentally, intending to investigate someday. With the local Amish population growing in nearby Highland County, the idea of running into an Amish booth in my part of Ohio felt plausible and interesting. Who were these vendors? Were they Amish or Mennonite? What goods were they offering?
This past Saturday morning provided the opportunity. Rachel had a “girls gathering” at a friend’s house not far from the flea market, so I dropped her off and set out to find the elusive Amish stall and answer the questions that had been lingering for years.
Tweety had described “a small trailer with an awning where tables were set up.” When I arrived I noticed a distinct lack of outdoor vendors. A few dealers had set up small displays, but there were no stalls selling produce, baked goods, or other typical outdoor market fare. With temperatures hovering around 30 degrees, it seemed likely seasonal vendors were staying home. Hoping the Amish might have moved indoors for the winter, I entered the large indoor flea market.
The flea market building is shaped like a railroad track: a wide central hallway acting as the “track,” with many smaller corridors branching off as the “ties” where individual vendors are located. The facility was formerly called Turtle Creek Flea Market, but after a major fire and subsequent reconstruction it reopened as Treasure Aisles, now decorated with a pirate motif—complete with themed signage. The atmosphere in and around the mall is eclectic: the immediate highway exit area mixes unexpected sights, which only adds to the character of the place.
Flea markets often stir mixed emotions for me. I spent part of my childhood in the Middle East, where bazaars and souks are social hubs full of bargaining and diverse goods. While American flea markets tend to be less focused on haggling, the concept is similar: a single place where you can find nearly anything—from tools and clothing to household items and specialty goods. On this visit, the interior held a steady trickle of shoppers. Some booths were intriguing, such as one offering used computers—tempting given my own aging machine—while others sold hair products, brand-name jeans, and cigarettes.
I wandered the aisles for about 45 minutes searching for any sign of the Amish vendors Tweety had described. I passed booths selling wigs and hair supplies, a clothing stall overflowing with racks, and a table stacked with power tools. Despite the variety, I never found the Amish trailer or tables that had been mentioned. It’s possible that the vendor was a seasonal presence who only attends during warmer months, or that they had been at a different market that day. For now, my search came up empty and I decided to try again in summer.
Visiting flea markets can be worthwhile whether or not you find the exact stall you hoped for. They are places of discovery: unexpected bargains, oddities, and the kind of local character you won’t find in a big-box store. Even when a specific vendor is absent, the experience of walking through the aisles and seeing what’s on offer can be entertaining and occasionally productive. Next time I’ll plan for a longer visit and perhaps reach out to the flea market managers in advance to confirm which vendors are scheduled, especially if I’m chasing a tip from a reader.
Below are images from my Saturday morning walk through Treasure Aisles. They capture some of the variety and atmosphere at the market—the wigs, clothing racks, and tools that make flea market browsing an unpredictable adventure.
A booth selling wigs and hair products
A clothing emporium inside Treasure Aisles
Power tools and hardware stalls
Treasure Aisles, the flea market off I-75 in Monroe, Ohio
I’ll return in warmer weather and keep readers posted if I finally catch up with Tweety Bird’s Amish vendors. For now, the market remains a small, local ecosystem worth exploring when you have the time and patience for a good hunt.