"The fair was phenomenal," said Mark Anthony, a returning vendor. "It was like taking [my] best day at the swap meet and having it every day for 21 days."
Anthony, owner of "Nifty 50s" nostalgic gifts and collectibles, has appeared at the fair for the past decade.
A stop at the well-known booth, reveals scores of television and movie memorabilia, including T-shirts, lunchboxes, dolls and cookie jars. After an exhausting 21-day stretch at the fair, Anthony was ready to work just weekends again, and ready for the out-of-towners.
"August is as good as Christmas," Anthony said. "All the tourist business and it being closed during the fair, [regulars] have been waiting to come back."One weekend costs Anthony $240 to rent a double corner lot, considered prime real estate on the marketplace grounds and a price he is more than willing to pay.
"That's very reasonable when you have 50,000 people come by your booth each day," he said. "Where else can you shop, drink and eat in the aisles?"
People come here because they like the fun atmosphere, Anthony said.
"They come here to shop."
But for others rising rent has become a problem.
Ramon Escoto, who has been in the sandals business for 20 years at the marketplace, said booth rental fees have almost doubled lately.
"If I weren't here selling at the fair it would be tough," Escoto said. "What do you do with your merchandise for a month."
The vendors were not the only ones glad to be back in the swing of things.
Kathy Bohlan, of Anaheim, made sure she was back for the Marketplace's reopening weekend. She took her time glancing over luggage and name-brand knockoff handbags.
