A few months ago we posted that the flea market was going to be developed into a new housing project. The flea market came back and denied all allegations about that rumor. Recently the APP ran a story about the landlord claiming not to renew the lease after 12/31/2019 meaning this was the last season for the market.

The write-up below was taken from the Route 70 Flea Market’s Facebook page yesterday. Sounds like this will indeed be their last season at the property. The good news is that they’re actively looking to relocate to another location in the county. Thank you for 40 years of bringing good times and good values to the residents of Lakewood and the surrounding area.

“This morning we woke up to the same news that many of you did. Our landlord has told the Asbury Park Press that they will not be renewing our lease after it expires at the end of December.

We have enjoyed our 40 year run in Lakewood and we are glad that we were able to get this 40th season in so that we could celebrate that with the community. When our parents started out 40 years ago with 30 tables and some old chicken coops, I don’t think they could have ever imagined that it would become such a huge part of Ocean County.
Our parents Ray and Linda Reynolds, born and raised in Lakewood, wanted to open a local place where the citizens of Ocean County could spend a beautiful New Jersey day surrounded by the wooded lots of Lakewood. To be able to buy and sell in a secure location. Although those wooded lots have been cleared to make way for this thriving city, we still try and uphold their dream to have a family friendly place in the community without the craziness of the tourist destinations. Linda passed away in 1987, and Ray in 1992. Since then we have seen a reinvigorated flea market, allowing for modernization and organization. We never realized that after losing our parents so young that we would feel more connected to them as we have strived to uphold their vision. Amongst the way our loyal vendors have become our friends and extended family.

Throughout the years we have watched many start the pursuit of their dreams, selling products on a table, and have grown to have storefronts around this community. We hope that they have the longevity that we have been awarded here.
40 years is a very long time in a community. We have had a fire that destroyed half of the market. We have seen the economy at its best and at its worst. We have weathered many storms and hurricanes. Without the support of this great community and the people who love the flea market as much as we do, we could have never had such a great run.
With the introduction of online marketplaces, many flea markets around the country shut down. That is not our story though. Over the past several years, our market has been busier than it ever was before. We would love for this to not be the end of our story. Over the years we have tried to find a new home for the flea market, but nothing has panned out for us. In a modern world of limited social interactions we yearn to continue the face to face experience that the flea market provides. It is one place where we see all people from various religions, ethnicities, and backgrounds interact peacefully and engage in conversations that would never otherwise be. This will always be our greatest accomplishment, and one we hope to continue in the future. If any town in Ocean County would like to keep this community destination alive, we would love to hear from you.”

Sincerely,
Nikki, Adam, and Reece

FleaMarket

RT70FleaMarket