August 18th, 2009
The Chicken Coop flea market is located on Gentry's Main Street, just west of Arkansas Highway 59.
The Chicken Coop, located in the old Farmers’ Co-op Building at 500 E. Main Street – just east of the railroad tracks – is owned and operated by Melissa Graef. She saved and completely renovated and restored the Farmers’ Co-op Building, constructed in 1952 by Earl Alcorn, and opened it up for business at the end of 2007.
Now Melissa owns the largest flea-market space in Gentry and has numerous aisles of booths containing everything from old furniture, antiques, arts, crafts, collectibles to glass chandeliers. She has about 50 vendors and a store packed with merchandise.
And “business is good,” she says. The slow down in the economy hasn’t kept customers away from her store. They come from all over the region.
Melissa, an art major and graduate of the University of North Texas, restores antiques, and sells old chandeliers and country primitives. She likes handmade folk art and her store is full of examples. Vintage lighting is her specialty and one of her biggest items, she said. Quality artwork and crafts can be found throughout her store. And, of course, she has plenty of old glass chandeliers.
The Chicken Coop invites you to come and browse its many aisles and booths and see for yourself the rich collection of merchandise we offer!
Posted in Antiques, Coins, Crafts, General, Home Decor, Uncategorized, Vendors, Vintage Lighting | 3 Comments »
March 23rd, 2010
New home and hours connect local growers to Gentry community
GENTRY — According to the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, the average piece of produce travels over 1,500 miles before arriving at the store where people will buy it. But people living in the Gentry area will soon have the ability to buy fresh food grown much closer to home.
The Gentry Farmers’ Market will open its 2010 season on April 11 under the pavilion next to the Chicken Coop Flea Market, at 500 East Main Street. The structure will provide a permanent, comfortable and easily-accessible home to the Farmers’ Market throughout the season, planned to last until the end of September. The Farmers’ Market will be open Wednesdays: 2-8 p.m., Fridays: 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturdays: 8 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sundays: 1-4 p.m.
In addition to good, fresh food, children’s activities, entertainment and learning opportunities are planned for Saturday market days. The Gentry Farmers’ Market will also be accepting debit cards, EBT/SNAP and WIC vouchers this season.
“Many of our vendors have never participated in a farmers’ market before, and I expect that we will have a lot of “first-timers” among the customers, too.” said Leslie Olson, market manager. “But I think that if they come once, people will keep coming back for the family-friendly atmosphere and the great food.”
Community members interested in applying to be vendors should contact Leslie Olson, Gentry Farmers’ Market Manager at 479-233-2366, e-mail grownwa@hotmail.com or pick up a copy of the form and rules at The Chicken Coop.
About the Gentry Farmers’ Market Association
The Gentry Farmers’ Market Association incorporated as a non-profit corporation in Arkansas this year with the purpose of promoting healthy foods and economic opportunities to community members in and around Gentry. Board members include Melissa Graef of the Chicken Coop, Kelsie Klassen of the Garden Gate, Janie Parks of Parks’ Lumber and Jessica Sims of Decatur State Bank.
Tags: farmers, food, fruits, gentry, market, produce, vegetables
Posted in Farmers' Market, General, Vendors | 6 Comments »
January 21st, 2010
A Gentry Farmers’ Market meeting for growers will be held at the Chicken Coop Flea Market, 500 E. Main Street, Gentry.
For more information, please contact Leslie at grownwa@hotmail.com, or call her at 721-8976.
Posted in General | 2 Comments »
August 27th, 2009
Vendor applications are being accepted for space during craft fair week in a new pavilion next-door to the Chicken Coop Flea Market in Gentry. For more information, call the Chicken Coop at 479-736-2255.
Posted in Crafts, General, Vendors | 5 Comments »
August 20th, 2009
A new barn-like pavilion is being erected for a Gentry-area farmers' market, and for an arts and crafts fair to be held in Gentry this October.
A new building is being erected next door to the Chicken Coop Flea Market in Gentry to house vendor booths for farmers wishing to sell their home-grown produce and for arts and crafts artisans wanting to sell their products. The building should be ready in time for Gentry’s Fall Festival and the Main Street Arts and Crafts festival in Gentry the following week.
The Chicken Coop, with its new building, is gearing up for craft fair season and is now taking applications (or reservations) for this year’s craft fair to be held Oct. 14-18.
Vendors will be in a covered 7,000-square-foot pavilion and the Chicken Coop will provide one table. The charge for an 8×10 booth inside the pavilion will be $100, on a first-come, first-served basis. For an 8×10 booth outside the pavilion will be 75.00. The Chicken Coop will not be taking a commission from sales. This will not be your everyday craft fair. It will also include antiques and collectables along with the arts and crafts.
Applications need to be turned in by Oct. 2. The sooner application forms are turned in, the more options vendors will have in picking their locations in the new building. Applications are available at the Chicken Coop, by mail, e-mail and on this site at Craft-Application.
Everyone is invited to come out and enjoy the fun. There will be food, crafts, music and more. On October 17 there will be kids day that will include wall climbing, face painting, balloons, Mad Science of NWA and more!
The Chicken Coop Flea Market is located on Main Street in Gentry, just west of Arkansas Highway 59. The Chicken Coop’s Web site is www.chickencoopgentry.com. Its Web log is at www.chickencoopgentry.com/publish. For more information, call the Chicken Coop at 479-736-2255 or e-mail williamsmarsha79 @ gmail.com.
Posted in Crafts, General | 4 Comments »