ST. LAWRENCE, Pa. - A local flea market has suddenly closed its doors over an apparent real estate dispute.
For years, the Stretch Your Dollar flea market was a treasure trove for shoppers looking for that special something.
"You can find just about anything under the sun in there for cheap," said Mark Fultz, who has frequented the store over the years.
Now, vendors are hauling their items out. The market is permanently closed, and people said it seems like it happened all of a sudden.
"It's sad to see what happened to the indoor flea market," says Dawn Patton, who has also shopped there.
Steve Hudock was a vendor at the market. He said he made an agreement with the market's former operator to take over the flea market, so he wrote a check to buy the business and planned to run it, paying the same rent that she was paying. According to Hudock, that's not what happened. He said the landlord who owns the property didn't agree.
"The landlord said, 'No. We're putting it up to $9,000, because we're having a million-dollar remodeling being done here."
Hudock said, at that cost, he can't afford to stay.
Central Berks Regional police said they are investigating the sale of the business, but right now, vendors have to be out by the end of the month.
"The market was a great place to come to, and it was an asset to this community, and it's a shame to see all of this happening," Fultz said on his way out.
