Amish Country. Just the phrase gets the imagination rolling. You can see the little black wagons on the road. Clothing drying on a line outdoors. Can you smell the home cooked meal wafting in from the kitchen? Taste the Apple Butter? Yeah, me too. And that is exactly what I found. But that is as far as my expectations took me.
I will be the first to admit that I am not a frequent visitor of Shipshewana, Indiana. I’m a very infrequent visitor, actually. In particular, to the Shipshewana Auction & Flea Market but I have been before. The main reason I decided to write a post about it now is because I know a lot of Michigan residents make the trek there and I know a lot of Michigan residents who have not been but are planning to go soon. So, I decided to go and give my opinion of what I found to help those in the latter group figure out if it’s worth the trip.
Making the Trek Through Amish Country
If you have read any of my posts or follow me on social media (which I highly recommend), then you already know where I’m from. For those who don’t know, I live in Jackson, Michigan. To drive to Shipshewana from Jackson is a nearly two hour drive – one way. It’s just long enough to make your backside numb but not long enough to stop and stretch your legs!
And don’t forget, it’s not summer in Michigan without road construction every few miles! Luckily, we went on Monday July 5th and the road construction was still stopped for the holidays. I can deal with a few slow areas.
The Auction & Flea Market is normally only open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays so if you go now, plan on extra time and no halted road work.
Also, something else to keep in mind…while you’re driving and once you get past LaGrange, you may feel like you’re out in the middle of nowhere and that you’re probably lost. Don’t cuss out your GPS. It’s not wrong and you’re not lost.
When You Get There
There is no admission charge but there is a parking fee of $5. You will be given a “ticket” to place in your front window. Actually, I don’t really know that. I wasn’t told anything about it. Once parked, you will most likely walk a ways to actually get into the venue. The walk itself isn’t too bad, but you need to watch for other vehicles as you walk across the lanes and for people swinging their doors open without a single look. I was nailed so I know what I’m talking about.
Here! Take My Money…Never Mind
Ok! I took my money. I had it easily accessible and I was ready to spend! Unfortunately, I only spent $1.28…on postcards. Yep, you read that correctly. There were a ton of vendors here. There is absolutely no lie in that statement. What they don’t say is that every third row is nearly identical to one of them before it. I literally turned the corner, stopped and asked my daughter if we hadn’t already been down that one. No lie. Same type of vendors throughout the entire place. Kitchen gadget vendors. A multitude of perfume vendors. Paper/scrapbook vendors. There are vendors for dogs scarves. Vendors for “new-old” antique-like items at really high prices. A metric-ton of vendors selling artificial flowers. Clothings vendors in every single row. Anyhow, I think you get the idea.
If you notice in the pictures, there aren’t a lot of people carrying goodies so I wasn’t the only one…
Good to Know…
If you are heading to the Shipshewana Flea Market and find yourself unprepared or you just dont want to haul these items, here is a little information to help you out: Booth 1018 rents motorized scooters, carts and wagons. The prices seems reasonable to me but you be the judge of works for you.
The Booths and Venue Layout
There were a couple of booths that I found interesting and different from the rest.
One was a booth selling self-defense items. He was selling Mace spray, pepper spray. metal batons, stun guns and more. I remember this booth because A) He was the only one I saw selling these things B) I am always looking for ways to keep me and my family safe and C) Some of the items he was selling I cannot buy here in Michigan or order and have delivered to me here. I didn’t buy anything but this is a good thing to keep in the back of my noodle. And I will remember. I always say…no one is more responsible for me than me.
I also noticed that rather than the typical flea market where vendors come in, set up for the day or weekend and then dismantle and haul their wares off with them, this looked like a series of storefronts. The outsides of some of the buildings were decorated and you could tell it was part of the interior’s decor spilling outward. This kind of jumbles what the term flea market means in my head. Probably just me though.
The Grounds
The only thing I can say about the grounds is that if you like it sunny…here you go! Barely a tree anywhere and it isn’t all that inviting either. Thank Heavens there were large food pavillions at each end of every other row!
Speaking of Food
There are several food pavillions throughout the flea market and it seemed like they were located at each end of a row, every two to three rows. This was good because it provided a little bit of shade from the sweltering sun. If you were hungry, there was plenty of food to choose from but be prepared, they are at “fair” prices. For example, a pulled pork sandwich is $8.00 and a meal deal makes it $12.50. The meal deal is the entree, a bag of chips, a pickle and a 20 ounce drink. All the sandwiches/chicken tenders were priced from $5 – $8, meals $9.50 – $12.50.
Ice cream cones or cups are also available and are $3.50. Pepsi products are $2 – $3.50. Bottled water is $2 each.
Tip to Get The Most From Your Visit
- Bring small bills, a backpack/cart/wagon to carry your treasures, and plenty of fluids unless you plan to purchase them there
- Make sure you grab a Vendor Directory as you walk through the gate
- Do NOT have high expectations for the day. I know that sounds terrible but I think that may have been an issue for me
- Have a plan with your party on time to meet and a place to meet. This is a large venue and a lot of people visit it each time so getting separated is not a stretch
- Make sure you stop and rest in some shade periodically. As I have said multiple times, this is a huge place and there is no shade so take advantage of the food pavillions when you need to
- There are several restrooms throughout the rows and located near the food pavillions. Beware though, and ladies you will completely understand this…the toilet paper is so thin that it doesn’t even have the strength to be pulled off the large, heavy rolls
- Because there are so many identical vendors, when you find something you like, buy it then. You are not likely to find a better deal at the next vendor than what you have right in front of you
- Bring lunch with you! This is what we did and when we were ready to eat, we found a food pavillion that was not operating and sat at one of the picnic tables. We weren’t the only ones doing that either. This alone saved us approximately $35-$40. And if you don’t feel “right” doing this, then everyone meet at your vehicle and enjoy a picnic there
- There are many Amish restaurants near the Flea Market and it was our intention to have dinner at one before returning home but the day was a shambles for us and we left shortly after lunch. However, I do encourage everyone to support the local eateries and enjoy a delicious meal
Cost for the Day
- Gasoline for the day was $34.10 (3.169/gallon) and I had 1/2 tank to start. This was a 168 miles round trip
- Parking Fee $5…NO ADMISSION CHARGE
- Postcards $1.28
- Stopped for sodas and Gatorade on the way home $6.66….yuck
- Total time at the Flea Market 2 1/2 hours
- Total time for the entire day was 6 1/2 hours
Final Thoughts
Oh boy, what did I think? Well, as I said, I had been here before and I admit that it was a long time ago. But…man was it so different this time. And not for the better.
I know flea markets are not antique dealers or farmers markets but I expected more than just a lot of cheap stuff made over seas. This is Amish Country! Where are the handmade woodworking items? I did see one, maybe two, small booths with Amish women selling jams and jellies. But that’s it. Do you see why I was so disappointed?
And I didn’t find the people very friendly and it didn’t matter if it was the vendors or the people working the grounds. And, perhaps that’s a me thing. Would I go back? Not likely, unless I wanted some personal protections items that I can’t get here. Would I recommend going here? Again, not likely…unless I was sure my friend really knew what to expect.
I went years ago and it was disappointing. Bunch of crap and unfriendly people.
That’s exactly what I found!Thank you!!