How to Start a Flea Market

A flea market, sometimes known as a swap meet, rents space to individual vendors who then can use the space to sell anything from vintage furniture to pre-owned video games to customers. There are many types of flea markets. Some offer general merchandise while others specialize in one kind of product, like antiques or collectible.

Ready to turn your business idea into a reality? We recommend forming an LLC as it is the most affordable way to protect your personal assets. You can do this yourself or with our trusted partner for a small fee.

Northwest ($29 + State Fees)

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Start a flea market by following these 10 steps:

  1. Plan your Flea Market
  2. Form your Flea Market into a Legal Entity
  3. Register your Flea Market for Taxes
  4. Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
  5. Set up Accounting for your Flea Market
  6. Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Flea Market
  7. Get Flea Market Insurance
  8. Define your Flea Market Brand
  9. Create your Flea Market Website
  10. Set up your Business Phone System

We have put together this simple guide to starting your flea market. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.

Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.

STEP 1: Plan your business

A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:

Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.

What will you name your business?

Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Flea Market Name Generator

If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.

When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:

  • Your state’s business records
  • Federal and state trademark records
  • Social media platforms
  • Web domain availability

It’s very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.

What are the costs involved in opening a flea market?

The cost of starting a flea market can range from a few hundred dollars for just licensing and permits to tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars for a permanent indoor market.

Most new flea market owners begin by renting vacant land or a parking lot by the day or hour. Depending on the size and location rents range in price from less than a hundred dollars to thousands. Schools gymnasiums are also usually available on the weekends and when school is not in session for an inexpensive fee. No matter the location, it needs to be legal to hold a flea market on the property.

Flea markets often provide or rent tables and tents to vendors. Owners who want to offer these amenities can either purchase them outright if they have the budget and space to store them or contract with an outside rental business.

Permits for flea markets frequently require access to restrooms, particularly if food is available. This means you must provide porta potties if there are no permanent facilities. A single porta potty can run $300 to rent for a weekend.

What are the ongoing expenses for a flea market?

Most of the expenses for a flea market business are ongoing unless the operator owns the location, tents, and tables. Nevertheless, the cost of labor, marketing, and promotion are ongoing.

Who is the target market?

Since there are so many kinds of flea markets, there is no ideal customer across the board. Many older customers are interested in antiques and nostalgic items from their childhoods while younger shoppers are looking for vintage and off-beat items. The one characteristic common among all customers at a flea market is that they are looking for a deal.

How does a flea market make money?

The owner of a flea market can make money in a few ways. Almost every flea market charges vendors rent to set up and sell at the event. Besides collecting rent, some flea markets charge customers an admission charge and require a payment for parking on the site.

How much can you charge customers?

Flea markets charge vendors between $3 and $10 dollars per square foot per day. That means a single 10 X 10 space will cost between $300 – $1000 dollars daily. Exclusive flea markets can charge customers $5 or more for admission and reserved parking can cost $10.

How much profit can a flea market make?

Since owners know their operational costs, it is easy to plan for a healthy profit margin by adjusting vendor rents. Another great aspect of the flea market business is operators who do not have long-term leases can change locations if the first one doesn’t work out.

How can you make your business more profitable?

Adding rides and games to a flea market is an easy way to increase profits and attract more customers. Holding drive-in movies after the flea market closes for the evening is another great revenue source.

Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC’s free Small Business Startup Guide – a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your flea market is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they’re a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.

This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business’s debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business’s liabilities.

In practice, this means that if your flea market were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.

More than 84% of our readers opt to collaborate with a professional LLC formation service to kickstart their venture. We’ve negotiated a tailored discount for our readers, bringing the total down to just $29.

FORM YOUR LLC

Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our state-specific How to Start an LLC guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best LLC Services review (for those opting for a professional service).

STEP 3: Register for taxes

You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.

In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It’s really easy and free!

You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?

There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.

STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card

Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.

When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.

Open a business bank account

Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:

  • Separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
  • Makes accounting and tax filing easier.

Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.

Get a business credit card

Getting a business credit card helps you:

Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.

STEP 5: Set up business accounting

Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.

Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.

STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses

Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.

State & Local Business Licensing Requirements

Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate a flea market business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.

Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.

Certificate of Occupancy

A flea market business is generally run out of a large piece of land. Businesses operating out of a physical location typically require a Certificate of Occupancy (CO).  A CO confirms that all building codes, zoning laws and government regulations have been met.

  • If you plan to lease a location:
    • It is generally the landlord’s responsibility to obtain a CO.
    • Before leasing, confirm that your landlord has or can obtain a valid CO that is applicable to a flea market business.
    • After a major renovation, a new CO often needs to be issued. If your place of business will be renovated before opening, it is recommended to include language in your lease agreement stating that lease payments will not commence until a valid CO is issued.
  • If you plan to purchase or build a location:
    • You will be responsible for obtaining a valid CO from a local government authority.
    • Review all building codes and zoning requirements for your business’ location to ensure your flea market business will be in compliance and able to obtain a CO.

STEP 7: Get business insurance

Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.

There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.

Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.

Find out what types of insurance your Flea Market needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Flea Market.

STEP 8: Define your brand

Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.

If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.

How to promote & market a flea market

Offering heavily discounted rents for vendors is a good way to convince vendors to take the chance on a new flea market. Once vendors commit to selling, it is easier to promote the flea market to customers online and through local media. Adding a special event to a flea market, like a concert or a contest is a great way to get people to come out for the day.

How to keep customers coming back

Quality still matters. Operators should maintain high standards for vendors. Once a flea market gets a reputation for selling junk, it is hard to attract business. Owners should focus on providing great service and building trust between the vendors, the customers, and the owners.

STEP 9: Create your business website

After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.

While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.

Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:

  • All legitimate businesses have websites – full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
  • Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
  • Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.

Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.

Other popular website builders are: WordPressWIXWeeblySquarespace, and Shopify.

STEP 10: Set up your business phone system

Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.

There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2024 to find the best phone service for your small business.

Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com

Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it’s fair pricing.

Is this Business Right For You?

People able to operate flea markets successfully usually have experience as flea market or craft show vendors or have extensive retail management experience. While most flea markets are only open for a few days per week, owners of a large flea market need to be able to devote enough time to operating the business, at least during the months the market is running.

Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?

Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!

Entrepreneurship Quiz

What happens during a typical day at a flea market?

Running a flea market is more complex than owning a strip mall or renting out other retail spaces because of the temporary nature of the business. At the start of each new season, the owner needs to go through the process of hiring, training, and overseeing numerous part-time employees. Owners will also need to apply for relevant permits and meet the ever-changing regulations. Marketing requires a good portion of the owner’s time.

What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful flea market?

Promotion and marketing are two skills which are invaluable when overcoming the obstacle of creating a two-sided market made up of vendors and buyers. It is difficult to convince vendors to pay to sell items when they don’t know if anyone will show up to buy. It is hard to pull buyers away from established markets to shop at a brand new one.

Owners of flea markets who have an established relationship with the local government may have an easier time getting the permits and other licenses necessary to start their new venture.

What is the growth potential for a flea market?

The popularity of swap meets and flea markets continue to grow, but the problem is there is only a certain number of vendors and shoppers within in driving distance. When multiple flea markets operate close to one another, the profitability of all of the flea markets in the area decreases.

But there is good news. There are still opportunities to make money by opening a flea market in an under-served area or by specializing in marketings catering to a particular niche. What works in one area will not work in another, so it is critical to research before opening. Organizers of even well-established flea markets, like the Brooklyn Flea, have had to look to new and different concepts to find success.

Take the Next Step

Find a business mentor

One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.

Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.

Learn from other business owners

Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.

Resources to Help Women in Business

There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:

  • Funding
  • Events
  • Guides
  • Support

If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.

What are some insider tips for jump starting a flea market?

Potential flea market owners need to learn as much as they can about their future competition which already exists in the area. Starting small allows new flea market owners to test both the local area and the market’s niche before spending too much money on a concept or location which will never work.

How and when to build a team

A good team is an important part of building a successful flea market business straight from the start. Older people and college students are great employees because they will work a few of days a week to earn extra spending money.

Useful Links

Industry Opportunities

Real World Examples

Further Reading