If you're in need of vintage furniture, antique decorations or perhaps a new bronze necklace, Melrose Trading Post may just have everything you need. Open every Sunday at the Fairfax High School, some vendors have been coming here for 15 years to sell their goods at affordable prices.

After paying $3 to enter the market, you immediately enter a pathway that's full of colors, antique furnishings and weird artifacts.

Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Sunday, students of Fairfax High School help delegate traffic, collect admissions fees and help people find their way.

For vendors, there are strict guidelines to follow, including having a designated space that cannot be crossed and having to arrive by 7:30 a.m. if they want to keep their spot. Certain vendors, like James Queen who sells "vintage, antiques and collectibles" has been coming to the Trading Post for 15 years: "I always have the same spot, every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m."

Behind the booths are people who are passionate about their products. Whether their goods are handmade or not, families try to accommodate shoppers' needs without compromising the value of their items. For example, one vendor will paint his furniture to the color you want for a certain price. It's done with care, and some vendors will even deliver the furniture to you. It's a relaxed mentality that spreads from one end of the flea market to the other. 

Moving past clothes, ornaments, sunglasses, jewelry and furniture vendors, you will walk past food trucks and booths. On this particular day, food items ranged from cake pops, crepes, juices and shaved ice to spinach pies and empanadas. There was also a live musician that was posted up in between all the food stations. Between the leather goods and buddha statues, there was also a masseuse offering shiatsu therapy. Shopping is exhausting after all, so why not get a good massage while you're at it?

Of the hundreds of vendors at Melrose Trading Post, there are five that really stood out. If you make your way to the flea market in the coming sundays, be sure to check out the following posts:

1) Nora Santana

Nora sells vintage furniture, all sorts of mirrors, and antique decorations. She had a candlestick holder from the 1950s on sale, along with a giant mirror and a towel hook. She says that she will never sell white furniture: "I like gold, red, blue… I'm like a rainbow!" While her prices are a little on the expensive side, her spot is always right at the entrance of the flea market, on the right side of the path.

2) James Queen

As mentioned before, James has been coming to the Melrose Trading Post for 15 years now, selling all sorts of things. You will see him posted in the intersection in the middle of the market, and you will be drawn to his rustic-looking picture frames and white shabby chic furniture. His prices are great--he was selling a giant mirror for $55 dollars today.

3) Paco

If you are into jewelry, Paco is selling his handmade jewelry at the far side of the flea market. Most of his bronze, handcrafted pieces are selling for $5 each. Similar pieces would sell for $25 at Nordstrom, so this is a steal. Be sure to check out his area, near the food trucks.

4) Pascual Design

If you're looking for a muumuu dress or a light blouse to get you through these hot fall days, be sure to stop at this vendor to the far right of the market. The seller is adorable and very passionate about her products, and she is willing to bargain with you so you are happy in the end.

5) Ziggy The Hipster

Just like the name suggests, you are in for a treat when you visit Ziggy. Similar to the other vendors at the Melrose Trading Post, he sells beautiful furniture. He prides himself on his hand painted furniture and makes sure that everything he sells is painted immaculately and is dried before it is sold. He will also makes sure that the furniture you buy has a way to get to your car safely. He is located at the far end of the market, near Paco and James Queen. 

A casual day spent at Melrose Trading Post is a great way to spend a Sunday. Check out this wonderful flea market every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 7850 Melrose Avenue. 

 

Check out additional pictures of Melrose Trading Post here:

 

 

Reach Staff Reporter Beatrice Verhoeven here.