The New (Original) Holmes County Flea Market, Berlin, Ohio

by Recent Visitor
(Ohio)

Every year in the fall, my sister and I would travel to Berlin, Ohio to enjoy the day at the Holmes County Flea Market.

We were excited this year because of the move to another place that was being made by this flea market. We decided to go twice this year. The end of April we drove over an hour to spend the day at the Holmes County Flea Market.

We are very disappointed in the flea market since it moved. There are not very many vendors like at the other one. The vendors that are there are selling all of the same things, not a good variety like at the old one.

The cheap stuff, ($1, $2, $3, etc.) has taken over a huge area of the market. We did not see the artificial flower section that we liked from the old one. We did not see the vendor who sells the beautiful touch lamps either. We were very disappointed at the lack of variety at this flea market now.

What bothered us the most is the lack of concern for the handicapped. My sister requires a wheelchair. Because we could not park close to a door, she had to hang on to her car, hobble to the sidewalk, step up a BIG STEP to the sidewalk and get in her wheelchair.

A wheelchair cannot be pushed in the stones. In front of each door is a small patch of black top to roll a wheelchair up to the door. If you do not have the parking place right by the door......how can you push a wheelchair in the rocks with a body in the chair?

Also, the doors are not handicap friendly at all. Had there not been a very nice customer going thru the door the same time we were, I'd not have been able to get my sister thru the door until someone did come along to hold the door open.

It was awful and we were exhausted just getting in the place. I would suggest that the doors be propped open as often as possible or at least something available to prop them open for wheelchairs to get thru.

I would also suggest it be made a priority to get the entire handicapped parking areas completely blacktopped at least a car and van length from the sidewalk so the wheelchairs can at least easily get to the doors.

We understand it's new. We understand that not everything gets done when things are new in the timely manner people would like. This flea market needs to be far more handicap minded and it sure needs more variety inside.

Right now, we do not plan to return in the fall.

Holmes County Flea Market

by Verna English
(Otisville, Michigan)

My husband & I visited the Flea Market in October of 2009 and just returned to revisit, August 2010. I loved it as much the 2nd time around. I use an electric handicap scooter and found the aisles had ample room to turn around, see what the Vendors had and it was easy access to enter the building. Vendors were very kind when I tried to get close to merchandise in their area and couldn't get through. They actually moved things out of the way so I could get close to their products. When I decided to buy a 2nd item, they got it for me. Exceptional service! I appreciate that the building is on one floor. With disabilities, it can be a pain to shop and I pass stores up that are multi-level. I would recommend this Flea Market to anyone. Both visits were A+.

(Original) Holmes County Flea Market

by Recent Visitor
(LaGrange, Ohio)

I don't feel that the new Holmes County Flea Market has taken the needs of the handicapped in mind at all.

I am a person in a wheelchair. It's a real challenge to get in the place. After you do get in, the vendors have so much merchandise in their area a wheelchair cannot get through to look around.

I had to look at most of the products from the aisle where everyone else was walking up and down.

There also is not much variety at this new flea market. I was really disappointed. A lot of the vendors are selling the same stuff.

I didn't see the vendors with all the gorgeous flowers. I didn't see any vendors with those beautiful touch lamps. For me, many things weren't there that made the old flea market so unique and such fun.

I don't plan to drive over an hour to visit it in the fall. Usually my family and I would make a yearly trip in the fall. Because of the excitement over the "new" location, we decided to go in the spring. It is no longer worth the trip to us. And after what we went thru to get me in the place, well...no thanks! We were exhausted.