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The market is rising

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 26, 2009

UNIVERSITY AREA - For years, weekends have been about produce, housewares, clothing, hot breakfasts and bartering with vendors at the American Legion Flea Market.

The flea market crowd provided a steady income for North Tampa American Legion Post 334, which owns the barracks-style building and the adjacent oak tree-filled lot at 929 E. 139th Ave.

All that changed in the past few years as vendors started leaving, neighbors moved out and shoppers held tighter to their money in the deepening recession.

Also, about five years ago, the market's original manager, Dorothy Rowe, retired.

But since Oct. 1, Rowe, now 84, has been back. She brought along two former vendors, Albert DeNucci, 81, and Barbara "Bobbie" DeNucci, 72, to help her bring life back to the market.

"We volunteered to lease the flea market," Bobbie DeNucci said. "We are doing it to save the post."

"The flea market is the only income the post has," said Albert DeNucci, a World War II veteran." Other posts have lounges and dances, but that isn't conducive to this area."

Lenora Lake

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