DELRAY BEACH, FL -- While many major retailers are still struggling to put cars in their parking lots it's hard to find a parking spot at the Carnival Flea Market in Delray Beach.
"When you pass someplace and you see it's busy, you realize there's gotta be something good going on inside," says Carnival's owner Kim Pugliese.
Inside, are dozens of discount vendors, offering deals on everything from clothing to candy, gadgets to golf bags. Jewelry. Artwork. You name it.
"Everybody's looking for a deal in this economy," says Pugliese.
And convenience too. People can eat here, have their nails done, even get a hair-cut for seven bucks.
Mel Winter's been a loyal customer for years, because - "The price is right, and the service is good," he says.
Shoppers at the flea market used to be almost exclusively retirees, but that's changing too.
Customers of all ages now come in looking to save money.
Not surprising, says customer Sharon Chandler. "Not at all. I think people are looking for bargains."
Customers say they also get some serious discounts on produce.
Shelley Levy, who lives in Delray, canvasses the coupon section for even deeper discounts.
"I can get these bananas for 29 cents with a coupon," she states proudly, "What store can you buy that at?"
Other discounters are seeing the same trend.
The Lake Worth drive-in Swap Shop, once a popular weekend destination, now sees a huge crowd Mondays and Thursdays as well.
Any stigma once attached to flea market finances seems to be quickly falling by the wayside - giving way to today's economic realites.
Operators say they were also helped along by the spike in fuel prices this past year - people liking the idea of 'one-stop-shopping' rather than driving all over town.
"And if you can buy something that's fun and new and whatever, and not spend a lot of money, that's what it's about," says Pugliese.
