The Market & the Auctions

[bobpbx]

I lived in Hampton Lakes from 1960 to 1962, and Presidential Lakes from 1965 to 1973 or so. Anyway, I was very familiar with Columbus Market on 206, with the square slices of pizza and outdoor flea market, and the shoddy (but irresistible) stalls of vendors. I think some had curtains for doors? Always something second-hand or kitschy to look at. I also enjoyed passing by and gawking at Malachik's teepee. There were usually a few girl groupies standing outside in tight jean shorts.

But Berlin Market? Never been there. I took my driver's license test in Berlin, but did not visit the market. I failed my first test. When the tester told me at the end to pull in and stop, I pulled in but hit the gas by mistake. He reached over and saved us both. It was a 1968? Plymouth station wagon the color of poo-poo.

So what was (is?) Berlin aution like? Did I miss it? I remember route 73 when it was mostly fields and maybe a chicken coop or two?

 

[Rooftree]

There were three Marts, what they were called at the time, back in the 50's early 60's in my younger days. The Berlin Marts, shown above, the Pennsauken Mart near the intersection of Route 130 and Route 73, and the Merchantville Mart on Cuthbert Rd between Route 70 and Route 38. They were all the same, vendors (people) trying to make a buck on stuff you really don't want the buy. And they all smell badly. I went to all three a good number of times, It was just something to do. I only thing I like was you could buy old magazines from past month's issues.

 

[stiltzkin]

Berlin Mart is an experience, still. I would recommend checking it out if you like Columbus Mart. Lots of odd vendors and random chintzy merchandise, like you'd expect. The Army/Navy store at one end is the type of place you'd go if you needed a big buck knife, a decommissioned grenade, or a full ghillie suit. I think there is, or used to be, a whole store of just As Seen On TV junk. Clothing stores with outlandish stuff like zoot suits and purple shoes. Restaurants with questionable seafood. That sort of thing.

 

[bobpbx]

Questionable seafood! That's funny, and it reminds me. I do like fish, but I'm very leery of it when I look on that bed of ice at the grocery store. I'm like; where the hell did they get that, and how long ago. Was it previously frozen?

There's a fish market in Waretown, just on the outside of town; Ahearns. I've picked up clams there before (I love them steamed with butter), but the fish? Not yet. The other day I amost walked in there and said; "what's the freshest thing you've got".

 

[this_is_nascar]

Berlin is similar to Columbus and they are both now owned by same person(s). Cowtown is similar, but in a smaller scale. I frequent them all. It's an experience, to say the least.

 

[Boyd]

I used to go to Columbus when I lived in Medford in the 1990's, don't remember buying much though. When I lived in Bayville in 1972-73 I would go to a big flea market somewhere... think it was Englishtown?

 

[bobpbx]

I used to go to Columbus when I lived in Medford in the 1990's, don't remember buying much though. When I lived in Bayville in 1972-73 I would go to a big flea market somewhere... think it was Englishtown?

There used to be an outdoor one along route 70 west of Lakehurst. I was at that one twice. I went to Englishtown once....seemed too hard to get to if you lived well south of there.

 

[bobpbx]

Which all this reminds me. I have a friend who lives in Medford. He told me of some kind of specialized farm auction just west of where Medford Lakes Road crosses 206. I never stopped in. It's just east of Murphy's Mart. You can see the buildings from the road.

 

[ecampbell]

Which all this reminds me. I have a friend who lives in Medford. He told me of some kind of specialized farm auction just west of where Medford Lakes Road crosses 206. I never stopped in. It's just east of Murphy's Mart. You can see the buildings from the road.

You're talking about Harkers. I've been going since 1976, but not recently. The have a night for general merchandise and another for livestock. I once saw someone loading a pony into the back of a station wagon.

NJPineBarrens Maps

Harkers Auction Company | Tabernacle NJ

Harkers Auction Company, Tabernacle, New Jersey. 7,473 likes · 118 talking about this · 1,500 were here. Family run auction. General merchandise Thursday 5:30 pm and small livestock Saturday 5:30 pm....

www.facebook.com

 

[Rooftree]

Which all this reminds me. I have a friend who lives in Medford. He told me of some kind of specialized farm auction just west of where Medford Lakes Road crosses 206. I never stopped in. It's just east of Murphy's Mart. You can see the buildings from the road.

Harker Auction Co. (I just looked it up) 391 Medford Lake Rd, Tabernacle. I took a quick look at their Facebook page. It looks like an interesting place to stop. I'll hit Murphy's Mart too while in the area. I was out in the Pines right before Thanksgiving with a friend from Medford. He mention the good pie he had bought there. That will definitely make me stop in.

 

[bobpbx]

You're talking about Harkers. I've been going since 1976, but not recently. The have a night for general merchandise and another for livestock. I once saw someone loading a pony into the back of a station wagon.

NJPineBarrens Maps

Harkers Auction Company | Tabernacle NJ

Harkers Auction Company, Tabernacle, New Jersey. 7,473 likes · 118 talking about this · 1,500 were here. Family run auction. General merchandise Thursday 5:30 pm and small livestock Saturday 5:30 pm....

www.facebook.com

Ed, I saw on the facebook page small power tools, bundles of rope, a bird bath and such. Do they actually 'auction' those with a guy saying "and here we have a nice power skill saw, who'll start the bidding".

 

[Boyd]

He mention the good pie he had bought there. That will definitely make me stop in.

Do you buy prepared foods from places that (I assume) don't have any health dept inspections? I'm not that brave!

There's this commercial for Shopify where a woman says her baby had a persistent rash and the doctor prescribed some kind of medicine that she didn't want to use. So she (literally) said she "started experimenting with different ingredients in my crock pot" and came up with a home remedy that she now sells on Shopify. Wow... people smear cream on their sick babies that some random woman made in her crock pot?... No thanks!

But, hey, I get the idea of community members bartering and selling things to their neighbors, it's nice tradition. Just seems like society has progressed way beyond that by now, with the internet and all. I mean, there are plenty of health issues with products that are (supposedly) carefully screened and tested.

 

[NJSRR]

I have been going to Columbus Mart since I was a kid in the early 70's..........50 years. Thursday use to be mainly an antique market, and Sunday was "Garage Sale Day" where folks brought their used stuff to sell, instead of having a garage sale at their house. I have bought tons of really good things down there. I once bought an autographed photo of JFK for $1.00 that I ended up selling for $700, and I have lots more stories like that. I don't go as often now because there just isn't that much old stuff that gets put out. Most of the items sold are 1980's and newer, so if you are into toys, games, records, tools, newer stuff.... it's the place for you.

I agree that some of the food is probably questionable, and I have encountered odors that I've never smelled before, but the people are OK.

 

[Boyd]

Looks like there is some control at the Columbus market at least...

"Vendors selling any packaged food product must be approved by the Burlington County Health Department (609-265-5515). Vendors selling food to be consumed at the Columbus Farmers Market must complete an application, receive various approvals and provide product liability insurance"

https://www.columbusfarmersmarket.com/how-to-become-a-flea-market-vendor

 

[Rooftree]

Do you buy prepared foods from places that (I assume) don't have any health dept inspections? I'm not that brave!

There's this commercial for Shopify where a woman says her baby had a persistent rash and the doctor prescribed some kind of medicine that she didn't want to use. So she (literally) said she "started experimenting with different ingredients in my crock pot" and came up with a home remedy that she now sells on Shopify. Wow... people smear cream on their sick babies that some random woman made in her crock pot?... No thanks!

But, hey, I get the idea of community members bartering and selling things to their neighbors, it's nice tradition. Just seems like society has progressed way beyond that by now, with the internet and all. I mean, there are plenty of health issues with products that are (supposedly) carefully screened and tested.

Boyd. I was referred to Murphy's Martplace.

 

[Boyd]

Haha, I see... I thought you were talking about the farm auction! Yeah, Murphy's is great. Or at least they used to be, went there all the time when I lived on Tabernacle Road and have really missed them since I moved down South. There just aren't any locally-owned supermarkets in my area, it's about 15 miles to any kind of market at all here aside from convenience stores.

 

[enormiss]

I used to go to Berlin mart (ED's magazines) for previous month's mags cheap. Been awhile but just looked and he's still there. Surprising considering how many print publications went web only. Wife still goes to the mart, no idea what for, and brings home soft pretzels made before your own eyes. This time of year they used to be open daily but looks like now it's just Thurs - Sun.

 

[Teegate]

I use to go to the Pennsauken Mart in the mid 1960's with my parents. My dad was a reader and they had a book store in there where he loved to go. They has a section of the book store for 18 years old and up and since my dad went in there I could not go in the store with him. But his book case was in my bedroom so I looked over some of them and by today's standards they were PG rated. I believe I have a photo of the bookcase and if I can find it I will post.

While he was in the store my mom and I would sit on the benches and people watch. On one occasion a woman in a bikini walked through. Security was giving her a hard time and my mom and I enjoyed the show.

In my early teenage years in the late 60s and very early 70's many of my 45 records were purchased there for 99 cents.

 

[bobpbx]

Coincidentally, I found this 45 in a folder last night, and I refuse to throw away. We used to skip school and often would end up in Wrightstown, because it was such a sinful, wild place. This song was prominent then.

 

[Rooftree]

"What does it Take" was recorded in 1969. Bob, you was just a kid at that time, I was a 24 year old man. This was a significant time period for me. I graduated from College in 1968, and in the Fall of that year I was in Basic Training at Fort Dix. (My first experience of the Pine Barrens) The draft was on. I enlisted in the Army for 3 years to get the occuption I wanted. While in baic training I got my draft notice. The one song I remember while at Fort Dix was "Hey Jude", released in August 1968.