Santa Cruz Flea Market Vendors Slam New Location, Rules
Santa Cruz Flea Market vendors are expressing strong dissatisfaction with their new Sunday location, citing poor conditions, hygiene issues, and restrictive new rules, despite the City Council's promises of future improvements and regulation updates.
Sellers at the Santa Cruz Flea Market are once again unhappy with their new Sunday market spot. Since March, the market has been on Avenida Marítima, and vendors say the conditions are poor. They complain that they are "exposed for long hours to the sun, rain, or wind without any tents, trees, or anything else that the City Council promised us."
They also report seeing cockroaches on lampposts. Another issue is that the floor is hosed down in the mornings, making it hard to set up their goods. "If we place the boxes on the walls to keep them from getting wet, the City Council's entourage comes with the Local Police and forces us to remove them," they say.
Vendors are also upset about having to be self-employed to get a license. They feel this rule is unfair, especially for those struggling financially. On top of this, they say they can no longer sell second-hand branded items. They believe this new rule was made up to make them quit, and many stalls have already closed.
Carlos Tarife, the Councillor for Public Services, says that new tents for the market will be put out for tender next January. He also mentioned that the city's rules are being updated. The goal is to create a Flea Market Board in 2026. This board will have representatives chosen by the 410 licensed stalls, who will then negotiate with the City Council.
Regarding the cockroaches, Tarife stated that the area will be disinfected, and the Port Authority has been asked to check the port side.
As for the self-employment rule, the councillor explained that it's part of the current regulations. He added that he has offered vendors advice at the Chamber of Commerce to help them apply for financial aid.