If you find yourself in Ohio, driving on Route 619, you will eventually find the Hartville Flea Market. Located in the small town of Hartville, at the heart of the Amish country, this one stop shopping experience for all ages is a true shopping Mecca.
From antiques, collectibles, old hand tools, clothing and home décor, to fresh produce, meats and cheeses, the Hartville MarketPlace & Flea Market is a shopping experience one has to see to believe. No wonder why this flea market which began as a local livestock auction in 1939, has become one of Ohio’s largest flea markets and a true antique collector’s paradise!
With more than 800 seasonal merchants spread over 12 acres, the selection of antiques & vintage items sold at the Hartville Flea Market is always stunning and one of the best in the United States. Flea market enthusiasts and seasoned shopper should manage to find everything they could ever want or need at pretty much rock bottom prices.
So get ready to take a step back in time and to get acquainted with a venue which truly has a little something for everyone. And if Hartville Flea Market wasn’t enough to satisfy your craving for amazing Midwestern flea markets, don’t miss our review of the best flea markets in Ohio.
The Hartville Flea Market
The Hartville Flea Market is a 12-acre antique collector’s paradise, which has come a long way from the once dusty, gravel-covered sloping hills of the former location back in 2002. Today, visitors can shop Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, & Saturdays under two covered pavilions that can hold up to 200 vendors or on the smooth blacktop area, which can hold up to 800 transient vendors.
Visitors come from all over stark county to search for a bargain. The variety of vendors at the Hartville Flea Market offers something for just about everyone: antiques, collectibles, coins, hardware, tools, and assorted junk, you name it.
And since the Hartville Flea Market is also located within a very short drive of the University of Akron as well as close to Kent State University, this makes a popular destination for anyone attending either of those campuses.
The Hartville Marketplace
Attached to the Flea Market is the new Hartville Marketplace: a 3 acre indoor, heated and air conditioned, pristine two-story building, which hosts more than 110 individually owned shops throughout the year – beware that the indoor Marketplace only hosts three “antiques” shops of very modest interest.
However, the strength of the Marketplace resides in the variety of food productssold there: fresh produce, meats, cheeses, baked goods, chocolates, kettle corn, fruits and vegetables, local honey, fresh roasted nut & coffee… you name it!
The Hartville Marketplace truly has a little something for everyone and offers all types of in season produce at lower prices than grocery stores. Visitors looking for tasty, locally-grown gourmets can spend hours upon hours just browsing all the different shops and stands!
And the best of all is that food products are fresh, abundant and very reasonably priced, while all of the shop owners are kind and welcoming.
Restaurants At The Hartville Flea Market & Marketplace
Most visitors usually spend an entire day at the Hartville Flea Market, in order to properly embrace it. And when lunchtime approaches, they are not left starving! Amateurs of quick snacks & country breakfasts will be able to satisfy their craving at the grill area located inside the Marketplace, and there are also plenty of coffee shop, deli, and lunch counters (like Sarah’s Grille) in the area.
But for those looking for a more serious eating experience, the Hartville Flea Market & Marketplace also provides various options.
Attached to the Hartville Flea Market, the Hartville’s Kitchen is one of the finest Amish restaurants in the region. The Kitchen offers good wholesome country-style cooking and Amish food with delicious pies at reasonable prices.
Because the Hartville Kitchen is attached to the flea market, it is a nice sit-down meal option after your day at the Marketplace. And don’t let the long lines intimidate you: the restaurant is very large and you will only wait 15 to 20 minutes even if there is a very long line.
Hartville Flea Market And Marketplace: 5 Tips To Make The Most Of Your Trip There”
#1 Plan your trip
Plan to spend the day at the Hartville Flea Market on a one tank trip, and grab lunch at the Hartville Kitchen. Soak it in and watch the people: there is so much to see at the Hartville Flea Market!
#2 Keep your eyes open
Before browsing each stall in detail, systematically walk through the whole flea market until you’ve seen every vendor. This will help you map the place and quickly scan the booths of interest. In the covered shelters of the Hartville Flea Market & Marketplace, there are a lot of fruit and vegetables for sale: Just be picky about which stall you purchase from and look at the fruit before you buy.
#3 Find the right place to park your car
There is no parking or admittance fee. However, on any of the big Summer & Fall Holiday Weekends, all parking spots can be gone long before the official opening time (9 a.m.). The addition of the gigantic Hartville Hardware store a few years ago took much of the parking & set up area away, shrinking the maximum size of the Flea Market down by about 25% of its size.
#4 The early bird gets the worm… but the late one gets a bargain
If you’re hoping to find a bargain at the Hartville Flea Market, it is advisable to show up later in the day when merchants are packing up. Many vendors will be more reluctant to load everything back up in their truck and might offer reduced prices on their merchandises.
#5 Gear up!
If you plan on spending the whole day rummaging, then you need to wear comfy shoes or you will be sorry at the end of the day. Also, don’t forget to wear sunscreen and a hat or to bring an umbrella for shade as parts of the Hartville Flea Market are set on asphalt and there are no trees to shade visitors. If you are planning to bring back heavy objects like pieces of furniture, do bring carry rolling carts, wagons or cases on wheels of some kind because you’ll need it to carry your findings.
When is the best time to go to the Hartville Flea Market And Marketplace?
Depending on the season, weather, and which of the 4 days you picked to go, the Hartville flea market can be either extremely busy or going slow. For instance, the earlier you go in the morning, the best stuff you are likely to find, since many vendors at the Hartville flea market start closing up in the early afternoon. However, mornings are usually pretty crowded for the same reason – but the crowd usually tapers off outside around 1 p.m.
The weather also has an influence on the level of attendance: the outside section of the Hartville flea market is less busy on cloudy or colder days. During the warmer months, merchants fill the outside shelter areas and take up parking lot space, in order to sell their wares.
Also, each season brings different products: The covered area in the Hartville flea market is open throughout the year, while the flea market outside is seasonal. During the winter months, the covered area is very busy on Saturdays. However, the busiest time of the year without a doubt is May through September: the summer months bring additional outdoor merchants who tend to have more reasonable priced items compared to their indoor counterparts.
Last but not least, the Hartville Flea Market is particularly active on National Days: Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day are the market’s popular days, when vendors come out in droves. In early fall the Hartville Flea Market becomes very festive and there are lots of outside vendors selling apples, pumpkins, decorations and delicious concord grape pies!
Where: Hartville MarketPlace & Flea Market, 1289 Edison St NW, Hartville, Ohio 44632 (show on interactive map)
When: Monday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM / Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM / Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM / Saturday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Website: hartvillemarketplace.com
Admission free / Free Parking / Accepted Forms of Payment: Cash
Bonus: US flea markets on a map!
You can now visualize the best flea markets and antique fairs in the US, on a map! Not only have we included all the above flea markets, but we’ve added to the mix some of the country’s most acclaimed antique fairs. Just click on the image below to access our map feature for free.
A trip at the flea market is a journey in its own, a fantastic opportunity to meet new people and enthusiasts who share the same passion for rummaging and haggling. We hope this review inspired you to discover more flea markets in Ohio, and that you’ll share the love around you.
