Upstater Destinations: Northern Catskills Flea Markets Near Coxsackie

  |  March 8, 2012

It’s an irresistible gamble, the flea market. You know you’ll yield to its siren’s song, even though you know that most of the time, you’ll walk away empty-handed. But that doesn’t keep you from stopping, anyway. If this scenario sounds even remotely familiar, then you need to get up to Greene County immediately.

Coxsackie is a great place to start. The Coxsackie Antique Center is impressive, but an antique center is not a flea market. They take their old stuff seriously at the Antique Center, so much so that they tout themselves a “Repro-Free Zone”.

But up route 9W just a few miles lies Lincoln Auctions, the oldest continuous auction in the Hudson Valley (or so they claim). While technically not a flea market per se, the big red barn is packed full of everything from doors to clothes to books for sale in their shop, and auctions on estate items are held twice a month. It’s definitely worth adding to your list of places to stop for possible hidden treasures.

Lincoln Auctions in Coxsackie

Ravena Barn Flea Market (518-756-7778) is about 6 miles north of Coxsackie in Ravena, and it is an absolute bona fide flea market, without a doubt. It consists of aisle after aisle of organized chaos; boxes of old electronics, phones and tools. Shelves of old board games with no clear indication if they have all of their pieces. Glasses, dishes, blankets, second-hand nightgowns, dolls, chairs, arcade games, the Barn Flea Market has them all, and they’re all dirt cheap. The Ravena Barn doesn’t take credit cards, though, so bring cash.

Right across the road from the Barn is the Holy Grail of flea markets: Leisure Time Flea Market, also in Ravena (518-756-8772). The building has the TARDIS-like ability to be much bigger on the inside than it appears on the outside, with rooms leading into more rooms filled with all kinds of crazy ephemera. The large room at the entrance is the most fun. There, you might stumble upon a vintage fridge or oven, not to mention tons of extremely cool retro furniture, light fixtures, doors and windows. The further into the belly of the store you go, the cheaper things appear to get. There’s even original jewelry by local artisans for sale. And if you forgot your cash, no big deal. Leisure Time will happily take a credit card.

A brief word on the location of these places: Be careful with the Google Map directions. They will not take you to their exact location. Best bet is to take the Thruway to exit 21B (Coxsackie) and head north on 9W. You’ll find these places along the way.

Is it Leisure Time Flea Market, or the TARDIS? Only the Doctor knows for sure...

About Kandy Harris

Kandy is a writer and musician/music teacher living in Saugerties, NY.

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