Closure leaves vendors scrambling to find new venue
Some hope to find new venue after learning long-running Tesuque market won’t reopen
Vendors say they weren’t surprised earlier this month when Tesuque Pueblo announced it wouldn’t reopen its popular seasonal flea market near The Santa Fe Opera where they had long sold their wares.
“They’ve been talking about closing it for a couple of years,” said photographer Klaus Priebe, a six-year vendor at the decades-old Tesuque Flea Market.
But the timing was unfortunate, the vendors said.
“We’re scrambling now to find another venue,” Priebe said, adding that the market created a livelihood for more than 70 vendors.
He and other vendors heard news of the closure from flea market managers in mid-February, just three weeks before the usual opening. In December, Priebe said, market managers — who work for the pueblo — told them it would open for one more season. Many vendors spent thousands of dollars ordering inventory before they learned of the closure. One recently spent $20,000 building a larger stall for selling rugs.
“I spent more than $2,000 on canvases,” Priebe said.
“It’s pueblo land and they can do what they want, of course,” he said. “But they could have told us in December, when we asked, instead of waiting till February. The timing was devastating to a lot of vendors.”
The site is a prime piece of real estate with its proximity to The Santa Fe Opera.
Surveyors began placing stakes on the property and engineers began taking soil samples in October, vendors said. Priebe and fellow vendor Kelly Graham, both of whom have worked in construction, said they think the pueblo is preparing to build a hotel and perhaps a casino at the site, which is below the hill where the opera house sits.
Don Proudstar, manager of the flea market since 2010, was unavailable for comment, and a flea market employee referred calls to Tesuque Gov. Mark Mitchell’s office.
Tesuque Pueblo declined requests for comment and did not confirm or deny the Tesuque Flea Market is permanently closed. Mitchell, through his assistant, said the pueblo will issue a formal statement on the market when it is ready.
Santa Fe Opera Director Charles MacKay issued a statement saying the opera understands the importance of economic development to the pueblo and is committed to working with the pueblo and any developers on a project at the site.
As “neighbors for more than 60 years,” MacKay said, “The Santa Fe Opera has enjoyed a long and fruitful association with the
Pueblo of Tesuque. …
“We look forward to visiting with Pueblo of Tesuque officials regarding plans for development of the Tesuque Flea Market property,” MacKay continued. “Of course, our utmost and deep concern is preserving the pristine acoustics of The Santa Fe Opera’s outdoor venue, as well as the uninterrupted sightlines and beautiful views from within our theater and the surrounding public spaces. These unique characteristics have drawn visitors from all over the United States and abroad to our venue.”
The Tesuque Flea Market was a thriving spot for years after “Trader” Jack Daniels started it in the 1980s. People would line up six deep to see what new treasures their favorite vendors had for sale. Vendors — about 100 back then — vied for space at the market.
Easily visible from Interstate 25, the 10-acre market had free parking, pets were allowed and deals were plentiful on rugs, exotic spices, jewelry and more. Open on weekends from March through December, it was a fun place to spend an afternoon.
In the past decade, the number of vendors declined to about 70. Some moved to another flea market at the shuttered Downs at Santa Fe racetrack. Still, the Tesuque market had a lot of devoted fans. And things began looking up in 2014 as the pueblo administration sought ways to bring back vendors, according to a story in
The New Mexican at the time. Priebe said he made about 80 percent of his living there. Graham said it accounted for 30 percent of his income and also was a good way to build a following for his wife’s lavender products.
“Our attitude is, it’s been a good venue for us,” Graham said. “We’ve had a lot of opportunities. Way we see it, one door’s gonna close and another door’s gonna open. We’re in the process of trying to open a flea market with Pojoaque Pueblo.”
Graham and Priebe recently met with some Pojoaque officials to discuss that possibility.
The Pojoaque Pueblo realty office referred questions to Pojoaque Pueblo Gov. Joseph M. Talachy’s office, which did not return a call seeking comment Tuesday afternoon. The vendors hope they can work out a lease with Pojoaque. Then the flea will be back in business.
Contact Staci Matlock at 505-9863055 or smatlock@sfnewmexican.com. Follow her on Twitter @StaciMatlock.