Grand Opening of Indie Flea Market Brings Handmade Treasures to Gainesville

“I thought Gainesville was just cow country,” commented a not-so-subtle tourist as I strolled into The Depot in downtown Gainesville. Less than ten minutes into the grand opening of the Gainesville Indie Flea Market and the unexpected surprise of the market was already being pronounced.

To the surprise of more than just a few out-of-towners, the wrongfully and often dubbed desolate Gainesville is evolving into a new era of cultured quirkiness, fueled by the local businesses behind it.

Strolling into The Depot the day of the grand opening was comparable to stepping into a SoHo pop-up shop. Ambient, mellow beats pump in the background while the bustling crowd buzzes from vendor to vendor.

Different people were all searching for the same thing— something as unique as the market itself. From college students to the young family of four to the young professional, every facet of Gainesville was represented.

One of the busiest vendors was Dana Rose of beauty+health+nature. With products ranging from organic moringa nutrition therapy masks to hemp oil body “bud” butter, Rose’s line is just as colorful as her ingredients.

“I was on a healthy living journey and as I eliminated toxins internally, I started to notice the external products I was using were laden with toxic ingredients,” said Rose, owner of beauty+health+nature.

“I found that external products are just as important as what we eat,” said Rose. This served as the inspiration for starting her business.

Timberline Jewelry was yet another local treasure to grace the market. The jewelry line incorporates characteristic geometric angles and eye-catching patterns into their pieces to showcase elevated wooden materials.

“Our process is similar to a very well-respected one that originated in Japan called yosegi that you may recognize from puzzle boxes and jewelry boxes,” said Nikki of Timberline Jewelry.

The flea market wasn’t limited to one or two intriguing vendors. Table after tent after retro RV boutique led me to a handful of interesting and hand-crafted treasures. I found locally-grown succulents, hand-knitted koozies and stunning coral jewelry.

There’s nothing you can expect from the indie flea market, but you have everything to be pleasantly surprised to find. A day at the Gainesville Indie Flea Market is a day full of eclectic treasures and necessities you never knew you needed.

For more information and updates, check out the Facebook page here. The market will be back Sunday, January 8th.

---