“Oh, look at that, ... I just have to

“Oh, look at that, ... I just have to have it,” said Grace Butler of Warrenton, grapping the little one-eyed stuffed donkey off the table. “I’m going to take him home and give him an eye.”

Butler is one of the hundreds of people who have visited the Flint Hill Flea Market since its opening two weeks ago.

The flea market is the project of Bruce and Vi Vierling, who own the old packing house that serves as its home. “We’d thought about this for a long time,” said Bruce. “When this space became vacant, we decided to do it.”

By that time, Bruce said, Peggy and Arthur Smith had opened the Sperrvville Antique Flea Market and the couple didn’t want to compete with them. “After we went to see them, we realized they were doing something different,” he said. “We had more of a yard sale operation in mind. They have mostly antiques. They encouraged us to get going. And we did!”

The Vierlings have fixed up the warehouse, which also rents space to Aunt Jane Sewing, (operated by Vi) Lakewood Stoves, and Red Hawk Harness, constructing tables, putting in a snack bar, providing ample parking for the more than 300 cars that stopped by the first weekend of business.

Above the loading dock Bruce has just hung a two decker sign by Linda Heimstra announcing the new business.

“This is a great place for a business like this,” Bruce said. “People can come, unload and stay set up all weekend.” The Vierlings are hoping to increase the number of dealers, but want to have mostly yard sale merchandise. “Some people are so isolated,” he said. “They have a much better chance of selling unwanted items here.” Besides the yard sale items, Bruce would like to see maybe one tool seller and one ceramics vendor. “I don’t want to compete with any local businesses,” he said. “I want to be very certain of that." He added that he would accept farmers wanting to sell produce or to display farm machinery for sale.

Anyone who wants to make use of this very visible space in Flint Hill to hold

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