On the Hunt for a Bargain

Wendy Dietzel sells handmade soaps, incense and all the ingredients that a practicing Wiccan uses for magic potions.

That could come in handy, because in this economy, she may need to cast a spell that convinces people to part with their money.

"These aren't necessities," she says, gesturing to the table full of candles and herbs at her booth, The Three Wise Cats Magickal Shoppe, which she opened last month at the Fantastic Indoor Swapmeet. "People are spending less on things they don't need. I may have to push the impulse buy."

Despite swap meets serving as the purveyor of affordable goods, they still feel the pinch during tough times, says Doug Kays, an owner of Fantastic Indoor Swapmeet.

But this economic downturn has some squeezed consumers looking to the flea market as the answer to their money problems, not only the spending of it but the earning, too.

"I thought it would be a good way to branch out," says Dietzel, who started her new age business online but has seen a 50 percent decrease in sales since December. "I didn't pick a real good month to start in, but it's one of those situations where, if I don't do it now, I'm never going to do it."

Swap meets are encountering a lot of people like Dietzel, managers say. They see all the booths and merchandise and think they've stumbled upon an easy way to earn money.

"You get people who walk in the door and immediately think, wow, I could sell whatever," Kays says.

Even the valley's outdoor swap meet, Broadacres, is experiencing an increase in new vendors who want to earn a quick buck, says Greg Danz, the swap meet's co-owner. They pay a $25 day fee and set out their goods in an area reserved for single day vendors, he explains.

But turning a profit at a booth isn't as easy as it seems.

Though they still get about 8,000 visitors each weekend, Danz says, vendors are reporting sluggish sales.

Overall, retail has been hit hard by the economy, Kays says. About 10,000 shoppers visit Fantastic each weekend, but they're doing more browsing than buying. Shoppers are even staying longer, an average of five hours, but they're using the swap meet as an inexpensive form of entertainment, bringing their families and hanging out.

"We just came to look around," says Jonathan, a local who declined to give his last name. He and his wife were looking at jewelry at Fantastic Swapmeet on a recent Sunday, but they had no intentions of buying. They used to be avid swap meet shoppers, but now, purchases are rare. "We'll buy something if it's a great deal, but if it's not, I'd rather have my cash."

That's the typical attitude of shoppers, says Brandon Dillard, co-owner of Vegas Girl Wigs at Fantastic.

"Everyone's looking for a deal. We're trying to accommodate them by offering lower prices, but there's only so much you can do," he says.

During a strong economy, Fantastic loses about four vendors a week, Kays says. In the past few months, that number has doubled to eight. Even established vendors have struggled, and the rows of empty booths at Fantastic serve as evidence. The swap meet has a capacity of 560 booths, but currently 512 are rented out.

"I've seen people come in, pay for a month and leave after two weeks," Dillard says. "We've been lucky because we have a following. It's been a lot harder for others, not only new vendors but people who have been here for years."

People like Lori Brown. For eight years, she has operated Four Seasons Collectibles at Fantastic. It's long provided a decent income for her, but these days, she's struggling to stay in business.

People aren't buying her toys and knick knacks like they once did; they're going for the $2 and $3 toys instead of the $8 or $10 ones, she says.

Phillip Ellis opened a booth, Fresh Made, at the Rancho Swapmeet in December. He sells spray-painted T-shirts, license plates and other customized items. He thought it would be a good way to stay ahead of the faltering economy, but so far, it's been tough, he says.

"I just take it day by day," Ellis says. "But if you wake up everyday thinking you're in the doghouse, you're already there."

Contact reporter Sonya Padgett at spadgett@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4564.