NEW GLASGOW – George Peters is confident he will be able to offer something new and of benefit to other Pictou County businesses when he opens the Giant Flea Market in New Glasgow next month.
Peters is converting the 72,000-square-foot building that used to house Central Supplies behind the Aberdeen Shopping Centre into a flea market.
While it will have some smaller vendors you’d typically see in this area with crafts and baked goods, he said he’s also targeting commercial vendors and big box stores by offering them an option to get rid of their used goods and returns that might ordinarily be taken to the dump.
Peters operates similar markets in Sydney and New Brunswick and said they can draw thousands of buyers on the weekend.
“We’re hoping to really get this going well,” he said. “I really think it’s going to benefit the businesses in New Glasgow on Sundays. My aim is to bring people in from other areas – not just vendors but buyers.”
The Pictou County Scotians Hockey Club has expressed concern that the new market could draw business away from the market they hold every Sunday and take away needed resources from the team. Their executive said that 60 per cent of their money comes from the market and they fear this could be detrimental to them.
Peters said he hopes that’s not the case.
“I hope it doesn’t have an adverse effect on the team,” he said. “I don’t want it to, but I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
While he admits there will be some vendors who will likely switch to his business, he said the people who come to his market will also probably stop at the Scotians’ market, which is held at the Pictou County Co-op. “Flea market goers are creatures of habit,” he said. “If they’re going to shop at one they’ll shop at another.”
The Giant Flea Market will open starting July 15 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and will remain open year round.
For bookings and info call 695-5631.
