Comments (0) Best Flea Market - 2012
Historic Route 66 Flea Market
3117 W. Chain of Rocks Road
Granite City, IL 62040
618-797-7900
A fortuneteller booth called "Earl's Mistic [sic] Eyes" run by a woman of that unlikely name, raises this flea market above all others. Earl puts a lot of thought into her outfits, and all that thought is all the way kooky. Witnessed looks have been: purple velour caftan paired with an amethyst medallion hanging over her forehead like a third eye; bubblegum colored pajamas accessorized with a large lollipop and mob cap; long black cape, aluminum eye shadow, curlicued eyeliner and black claw gauged earrings. Earl is good at auguring, too: Despite the outrageous costumes and Shaolin Temple gimcrackery decorating her space, the advice she gives is down-to-earth. "Sure, passion makes you feel alive," she intones, "But so does sticking your finger into an electrical socket. Take your head out of your ass and grow up." The rest of the flea market — all 130-plus vendors who set up shop from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday, has storage lockers full of bargains for sale like "Bottle Caps" (ball caps with real bottle openers in the visors), Tinkerbell belly-button charms and power tools. Lots of power tools.
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