In the 1970s, Mark Gehtberg spent his weekends at Collingwood Flea Market in Wall Township, New Jersey, scouring tables alongside his father, a longtime antique collector. The weekly tradition sparked a lifelong passion for rare finds and hidden treasures.
“It was a ritual going every weekend for 25 years while dad was searching for antiques, rare artwork, and old local New Jersey ephemera,” Gehtberg said. He continued, “It felt like I’d just stumbled on pirate treasure. I was obsessed with it.”
Now, fifty years later, Gehtberg, from Linden, New Jersey, has his own booth at the flea market, carrying on his father’s legacy. He specializes in sterling silver jewelry, one-quart milk bottles from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York, vintage postcards, and other eclectic collectibles.
“My passion is the unknown and the treasure hunt. It’s something to look forward to every week. It’s a big mystery. You never know what you will find here,” Gehtberg said.
On Feb. 7, despite the 35-degree windy weather, vendors and buyers gathered at Collingwood Flea Market, located on State Route 33/34 in Farmingdale. The occasional smell of marijuana lingered in the air, while faint rock-and-roll music played from a vendor’s van.
Spread across 25 acres, the market is a family-run business that has been in operation since 1957. It is open year-round on weekends from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., though some vendors note that many tables sit empty these days.
“If you were here in the old days, you know what it used to be like,” co-owner Scott Fiegenwerter said. He added, “It’s a far cry from what it used to be, but it is a very good life to live—lots of friends and socialization, treasure hunting, very interesting, and good income.”
However, not all tables were empty.
Chet Wallack’s booth was filled with old 1980s Topps baseball cards, Philadelphia Eagles jerseys, vintage baseball memorabilia, and an assortment of Spalding and Wilson baseball gloves.
“The biggest challenge is the weather and the economy,” Wallack said. He added, “Now that I am retired, it is a hobby. It gives me a couple extra bucks to go out to dinner. Most shoppers are old men.”
He also worries about the future of flea markets, as younger buyers turn to online platforms.
“What I have been seeing in the last few years is more young people using eBay and Facebook Marketplace,” Wallack said. He added, “This may become a dying thing for these open flea markets.”
While some vendors fear flea markets may fade away, others believe the next generation is keeping the tradition alive.
Beverly Passarella, a frequent buyer and seller, has been in the business for nearly four decades.
“I’ve been buying and selling for almost 40 years. I get my stuff at estate sales, garage sales, and online. I like the social aspect,” Passarella said.
Unlike Wallack, she doesn’t believe flea markets are disappearing anytime soon.
“The flea markets will be around for a while, and young people are taking interest,” Passarella said.
While some vendors braved the cold, indoor shop owners operated as usual.
Willie Wynn, a longtime vendor, has been selling guitars, musical equipment, CDs, and records for about 20 years.
“The biggest challenge is no challenge,” Wynn said. He added, “This is my third job and … I see young people carrying on the flea market tradition.”
Beyond antiques and collectibles, the market also offers a range of everyday goods.
Near the far end of the building, on the left side wall, Fiegenwerter maintains his vegetable and produce booth. His stand is stocked with bananas, apples, oranges, grapes, kale, spinach, and fresh herbs for cooking.
However, the strong aroma of fried chicken from a nearby food booth fills the air, mixing with the scent of produce.
While Fiegenwerter remains committed to the market, he acknowledges the challenges of keeping it alive in the modern era.
“The challenge is keeping up with the times,” Fiegenwerter said. He explained, “You go back to the 1980s and 1990s, we were the only game in town.”
But in recent years, big-box stores and e-commerce platforms have taken business away.
“Here we are 30 years later, and the young people do not know who we are,” Fiegenwerter said. He added, “People come to the flea market to save money. It’s a different world than 30 years ago. The computer has hurt us.”
This article was produced as part of MCCC’s Community Reporting “J Lab” certificate program made possible by grant funding from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities and The New School: Journalism + Design.
