NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla — Displaced vendors from the Shell Factory have found a new marketplace at the North Fort Myers Elks Lodge. Last year, some vendors relocated to Paradise Vintage Market after the Shell Factory closed, but space was limited. Now, many of the remaining vendors have set up shop at the Elks Lodge, turning it into a bustling flea market.
Watch Community Correspondent Austin Schargorodski's report:
On Saturday, the Elks Lodge parking lot was filled with tables displaying handmade goods and antique treasures for shoppers. For Don Payton, this market is more than just a place to sell - it's a fresh start. He spent 11 years at the Shell Factory, until one day, it was gone.
"It was a shock to everybody," Payton said. "We’d been there for so long, and then all of a sudden, she just decided to close the place and left us without a home."
Now, he and other vendors have finally found stability. "It’s a big relief knowing we got a home now," Payton said. "A place we know we can go, know exactly where it is, and can get set up and ready to go."
The effort to create this new market wouldn’t have happened without Donna Primavera and Carl Boscarino from the Elks Lodge, who saw a need and stepped in.
"We’re very happy to have them, and obviously, by today’s turnout, you can see it’s very profitable for the vendors," Primavera said. "And it helps our lodge raise money so we can continue our works of charity with the vets and the homeless."
The flea market is open from 9 a.m. to around noon every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Plus, this is just the beginning - Primavera says they’re clearing space to welcome even more vendors in the future.
