Flea Market Fun

[ElvisDJ]

Hey All,

 

This isn't a question or anything, just a story some of you might be able to relate to.

 

Like everyone here, I try to make it to my local flea market occasionally to see if they have anything new in the classic game department. I usually find the good stuff in the outside vending area (those people who may or may not be there from week to week). On the inside are all permanent booths and usually nothing to do with classic games.

 

There is one guy who has a permanent booth (actually he has so much stuff he now has 2 permanent spaces) and he was video game stuff galore. The guy must have 3,000 atari carts in his area, as well as hundreds of NES, Genesis, SNES, and other stuff. He's also got boxes and boxes of systems, accessories and controllers.

 

The first time I saw this guy and what he had I was in video game heaven. I had that uncontrollable excitement feeling. After picking my jaw up off of the floor, I checked out his stuff - my first find - a mint Demolition Herby cart! Next to the carts - mint in the box Atari 2600 wireless joysticks! Not too bad. His prices were a bit high, but when I told him his "rare Atari stuff" could be found at my local thrift store for 35 cents each, he lowered his prices a bit (I'd have bought them anyway, but it never hurts to save a bit).

 

Where am I going with this story? Well, here's the irony of it all - the scores above were made about 5 years ago. Today, the guy is still there in his same spot, and he still has his same stuff (1,000's of carts, etc.). The problem? I don't need anything he has anymore. So, each time I go to the flea market, I am excited and not excited at the same time. Excited because I know "my guy" will be there with his vast supply of classic stuff, but not excited because he almost never has anything new. I say almost because the other day I picked up Sears Cannon Man (couldn't remember if I already had it) from him. Ahh, the mixed emotions of cart hunting!

 

Well, that's my story - hope someone liked it!

 

Bryan

[The hero]

So where is "your guy" located??

[The hero]

DOH!!! Nevermind, Chicago.

[ElvisDJ]

You beat me to it - I was all set to reply and there you were! Nevertheless, since I was in "reply" mode - Chicago is correct.

[Ze_ro]

I have similar feelings all the time... The flea market I always frequent always has Atari games, but the guy doesn't put new ones out very often. For a *long* time it was the same old games that I already had, or didn't want to pay $3 for. Eventually my friend and I caved in, and bought a couple of them. Next week we went there, and there were a bunch of new ones! Man, here I thought I'd bought him out, and he has a bunch more! I can't wait to see what he has this weekend

 

Then there's Value Village... It's an unreliable source of games. That's not to say that's it's bad and not worth checking, because when there are games there, they're ALWAYS cheap, and I've made some pretty good finds there. However, 80% of the time, the place is devoid of Atari, and I'm disappointed. Very often when I check the store, I'm positive there won't be anything there, but I can't just not check. If I don't check, then there would definitely be something there! And Sumguy will get it before me!

 

Man... I wouldn't have assumed this hobby would bring so many mood swings

 

--Zero