I simply love the Johnson County Second Saturday Antique Vintage Market at the Franklin Indiana Fairgrounds.
From the aroma of freshly perked coffee and $3 admission fee to the bargains that fill the 2 buildings (plus outdoor vendors during the warm months), there are few places that make me as happy as this place does.
My husband has been known to refer to me as a “shopaholic.” Personally, I prefer to think of myself as the “Connoisseur of a Bargain,” and there are bargains galore at the Second Saturday Market.
People often ask me what I watch for when I go antiquing/junking and like many of you, I am a very “in the moment” shopper. To me, every day of antiquing is an adventure with its own momentum and end result. I am just as likely to come home with an 1800s cast iron garden gate as I am a classic Case pocket knife from the 1940s. I buy for my home, I shop year round for Christmas and birthday gifts, I purchase little antique oddities to share with my grandchildren and on occasion I dabble in speculation and buy for resale.
The diversity of the booths at this market is one of the reasons it is a favorite of mine. According to the show’s organizer, Jennifer McAlpin Shireman, all booths are full for the April show, so there will be no shortage of great shopping.
Primitive collectors will find tools and treenware, pottery and stoneware and linens and handmade quilts.
If your tastes lean toward vintage items there are cameras, toys, maps and globes, books, baseball and other sports cards and a wide selection of estate and antique jewelry.
Kitchenwares top my personal vintage collectibles list and the Second Saturday market never disappoints with Pyrex, wood handled utensils, stoneware serving pieces, Tupperware and kitschy little mid-century aprons and linens.
With the onset of spring the show fills with garden accessories both vintage and new reproductions. Trellises, garden gates, statuary, bird baths and fountains, galvanized tubs, flower pots and watering cans are common finds and of course there are always a few old concrete porch pots.
Mark your calendars for a great day of vintage shopping at the Johnson County Second Saturday Antique Vintage Market, Saturday, April 13 from 9-3, 250 Fairgrounds Street, Franklin, Indiana. Admission is $3 for adults and kids under 12 are free!!
Oh, one more thing. After you finish at the market, remember to stop by downtown Franklin where you will find shops, eateries and even an architectural salvage facility!
Until next time . . . Linda.
Linda Kennett is a retired professional liquidation consultant specializing in down-sizing for seniors and the liquidation of estates.
