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Berkeley Flea Market Closes After 50 Years With City Eyeing Relocation

Sustained shortfalls of up to $10,000 monthly resulted from lost grants alongside steep vendor losses

Overview

  • The market shut its doors permanently on June 28, 2025, ending five decades of weekend gatherings at the Ashby BART station parking lot.
  • General manager Yasin Khan reported losses of $8,000 to $10,000 each month by spring 2025 as vendor fees failed to cover operating costs.
  • Vendor participation plunged from around 100 pre-pandemic sellers to roughly 20 in recent years amid unmet grant requests and volunteer shortages.
  • For 50 years the market acted as both an economic engine and cultural gathering place for Berkeley’s Black, Latino and immigrant communities.
  • City of Berkeley and BART are evaluating relocation options, and organizers remain hopeful the market will return after station construction and new funding align.