Joe Jarvinen "wanted his garage back," as his wife, Tracy, recalls it, and that was part of what led her to start the annual Anoka Fling Flea Market in the winter of 2009.
At the time, the Jarvinens' garage was chock-full of antiques and collectibles they'd amassed through the years. As they sought ways to downsize, the Anoka couple started shedding pieces of their collection at local flea markets, antique stores and the like.
It turned out to be a fun side-job. That's when the idea for an indoor market during the wintertime occurred to Tracy Jarvinen.
"Being antique dealers, we were always looking for a place to sell in the winter," she said.
Now the Anoka Fling Flea Market fills that void. The market takes over the Knights of Columbus hall in downtown Anoka on the second Sunday of each month, October to April. The next sale is set for Dec. 8.
Although initially Jarvinen had wanted a wintertime flea market to participate in herself, these days she sticks to the producing side of things as opposed to selling. The space usually fills up, she said, adding, "I ran myself out of my own space."
The market, which has had several locations since its inception, reflects her interest in antiques and collectibles.
A separate, craft-heavy market that also runs monthly in the winter began at the hall last year. "There was enough interest in crafting that it split into a separate event," Jarvinen said.