HARTVILLE, Ohio – Carl Martin loves to find a bargain.
And since the early 1970’s, the Massilon resident said his best money-saving secret lies in one place: Hartville Marketplace.
“It’s just a good old marketplace,” Martin said. “Under here you see a lot of antiques and different things. It’s a good thing to look at of the days gone by, one of a kind.”
The marketplace has been a part of the community since 1939, with restaurants, boutiques, furniture suppliers, bakers and more. It’s just one of many venues we’re featuring in Fox 8’s Summer Staycation series, stories about go-to vacations for those on a budget.
“Our vendors inside sell anything from scrapbooking to honey to jams, meats, anything and everything,” said Emily Pohlman of Hartville Marketplace. “There’s no limit to what we have.”
Pohlman said high-fashion boutique Vita is among the most popular stores
“I try to find very unique items that you’re not going to see anywhere else,” said Vita owner Beth Amireh-Leach. “We love to put outfits together on customers when they come in. It’s fun to dress them up. It’s like we’re playing dress up. When they look good, they get compliments and it makes them feel good about themselves.”
Many of the market’s 110 vendors, like Amish Furniture of Ohio, sell local products.
“People know the quality of material the Amish make. It’s meant to last a lifetime,” said Coletta Wandel, owner of the store.
The furniture store prides itself in making custom pieces, and it’s most popular item is a wooden bedframe with curved edges.
“I think cause it’s different, and it’s not something that people normally see and it’s a very attractive bed,” she said. “People say, ’Oh my gosh, I’ve never seen anything like that before.’”
But for the best bargains around, Martin said people should visit the 20-acre outdoor flea market. There, shoppers can find fresh produce and antiques that make one of the largest flea markets in the state.
“They have a lot of baked goods out here, but Dempsey’s produce is some of the best produce out here,” he said. “Good and fresh. He gets Giant-Eagle quality produce at a better price. This is my favorite place to shop.”