IronTiger Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 This spring break I was planning to go to Houston for a day or so. I don't know why, but I want to visit a good flea market in the area. An seemingly obvious choice would be Traders Village: it's big and just off of 290. Unfortunately, the reviews I've read indicates that it's mostly cheap imports. And for all intents and purposes, that's what flea markets at least partially consist of. But it was sorely lacking in antiques and vintage items (or so I heard).I kind of tend to gravitate toward video game related stuff and the occasional vintage item. Does anyone know of any relatively good flea markets in Houston? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 I like the ones on Airline, but you have to be comfortable in an environment where not so much English is spoken. Good food, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 This spring break I was planning to go to Houston for a day or so. I don't know why, but I want to visit a good flea market in the area. An seemingly obvious choice would be Traders Village: it's big and just off of 290. Unfortunately, the reviews I've read indicates that it's mostly cheap imports. And for all intents and purposes, that's what flea markets at least partially consist of. But it was sorely lacking in antiques and vintage items (or so I heard).I kind of tend to gravitate toward video game related stuff and the occasional vintage item. Does anyone know of any relatively good flea markets in Houston?There's near Hillcroft and Westpark that has more of a Central American feel to it than the one on Airline, which is mostly Mexican. But I don't think that the online reviewers of Traders Village would be anywhere near as comfortable in those kinds of places. Those folks just need to start going to estate sales if they want antiques or collectibles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 There is also one on telephone in pareland. All flea markets are just cheap imports and low quality garbage. Just be careful and dont stick out like a sore thumb or you might get mugged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevfiv Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Ack! I was stuck in major traffic on Telephone/35 one Saturday - I think the flea market was just opening. Draws a huge crowd but from the street it looked fairly bleak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 I used to hit quite a number of flea markets around town, and the only advice I can give you is that you have to try them all. You'll come across some of the same crap (Pirated videos, Games, resold computers), but if you are persistent enough, you might actually find something kinda' cool. Generally I have to agree with LTAWACS is that most of it is garbage, but one man's trash... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 (edited) Just be careful and dont stick out like a sore thumb or you might get mugged.Where personal safety is concerned, I've always felt much safer being the sole white guy in the company of poor illegal immigrants than I have in the company of poor white people. This is why I can't recommend flea markets in places like Channelview or Baytown.Think about it. An illegal immigrant will most likely target another illegal immigrant because they're less likely to squeal to the cops. Whereas poor white people (on the whole) are just so plainly and obviously dumb that they don't have the ability to discriminate between good choices and bad...and you don't want to be one of their bad choices. Edited February 19, 2010 by TheNiche Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted February 19, 2010 Author Share Posted February 19, 2010 I read an article in Waco about how the flea market (at least a few years ago) was good because it attracted many people in different wealth segments. What's the most reputable flea market (or in some cases, least unreputable flea market) in the area? For the shady ones, I have a serious feeling that most of the things stolen in the region (including College Station) end up there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 For the shady ones, I have a serious feeling that most of the things stolen in the region (including College Station) end up there...Uh...yeah, you're way off base. You really ought to go to an authentic flea market and look at what is being sold before you come to that kind of conclusion. Think about its business model, and think about how burglars would fit into it.(Pawn shops are another story, obviously.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronTiger Posted February 20, 2010 Author Share Posted February 20, 2010 Uh...yeah, you're way off base. You really ought to go to an authentic flea market and look at what is being sold before you come to that kind of conclusion. Think about its business model, and think about how burglars would fit into it. (Pawn shops are another story, obviously.) Good point! About counterfeit/pirate goods, though: 1) Most counterfeits are blatantly obvious ("Du-Bang" BandAid knockoffs I remember) 2) Other counterfeits are a bit sneakier (Hengbad Sharpies) 3) Counterfeits are often en masse 4) Anyone advertising cheap DVDs are pirated or stolen. Pirate Chinese movies that are recorded in a movie theater are of hilariously poor quality. 5) If I find one of those pirate NES-on-a-chip type devices at a reasonable price: I'm totally buying it and tear it apart for a project that would allow me to run NES games on a portable system. True story: these things were sold in malls a little more than five years ago. I'm also leaning toward flea markets not too far away from the freeways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 I almost bought a pair of "Air Nice" at a market before. Love the "alternate" names to the knock offs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
august948 Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 I almost bought a pair of "Air Nice" at a market before. Love the "alternate" names to the knock offs.For the "alternate" shopping experience, just spend the day on Harwin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Houstonian in Iraq Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 I almost bought a pair of "Air Nice" at a market before. Love the "alternate" names to the knock offs.Reminds me of when I was in Kuwait before the Iraq War started. We were able to go into the city all the time. There was a market area called Fah hah hill(Mispelled). Anyways, They had a crap load of knock off stuff there just about anything you ca imagine. Watches, DVDs PS2s so on. Well I went to this one stand where this one dude was selling cologne. I asked if he had Chrome, he did but it was a bit pricey. So he then offered me" Chromes little brother....Aluminum" I couldn't help but bust out laughing 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTAWACS Posted February 24, 2010 Share Posted February 24, 2010 lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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