Zern's Farmers Market is a year-round farmers market located in Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania

Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania

Gilbertsville is a census-designated place in northwest Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in Douglass Township at the junction of Routes 73 and 100...

. It sits along Philadelphia Avenue (Pennsylvania Route 73

Pennsylvania Route 73

Pennsylvania Route 73 is a 62.51 miles long east–west state highway in southeastern Pennsylvania. It runs from Pennsylvania Route 61 in Leesport to the New Jersey state line on the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge in Philadelphia, where it continues as New Jersey Route 73.Predating the Interstate...

) near Bartman Avenue, close to Pennsylvania Route 100

Pennsylvania Route 100

Pennsylvania Route 100 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania that runs from U.S. Route 202 in West Chester, Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania Route 309 in Pleasant Corners, Pennsylvania....

. Two buildings are located on the property: a lowercase "t" shaped main building and an "L" shaped (and smaller) enclosed flea market building. When weather permits, outdoor vending areas are set up in the space between both edifices in an area known affectionately as "the Midway". The "main" building is heated during winter, and utilizes a fan-circulation and heat extraction system during the warmer months of the year.

The market sells a variety of items including toys, collectibles, pets, clothing, electronics, produce, and prepared food -- much of which includes noticeable Pennsylvania Dutch

Pennsylvania Dutch

Pennsylvania Dutch refers to immigrants and their descendants from southwestern Germany and Switzerland who settled in Pennsylvania in the 17th and 18th centuries...

 influences. The facility also houses two full service butcher shops, a delicatessen, a barber shop, two bakeries, a specialty spice shop, and a fresh poultry vendor. It is a common gathering location for residents in the area. To date, Auntie Anne's Pretzels

Auntie Anne's

Auntie Anne's, based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, is an American chain of pretzel bakeries founded by Anne F. Beiler and her husband, Jonas, in 1988. Auntie Anne's serves products such as pretzels, dips, and beverages...

 is the market's sole chain vendor.

Weekly live auctions are held in the main building, and an ongoing "silent auction" can be found in the flea market building. Other specialty events that occur include automobile shows and local wrestling federation matches. The market is normally open on Fridays and Saturdays only, although holiday hours vary.

History

William Zern started Zern's, also known as "The Sale," in 1922. The small family farm auction was soon joined by neighbors and townsfolk and before long a Gilbertsville landmark was born. During the early days, livestock was auctioned in the large lower barn. The auction grew and pulled in numerous vendors of widely varying merchandise. In 1966, tragedy struck as fire

Fire

Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material in the chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. Slower oxidative processes like rusting or digestion are not included by this definition....

 broke out and turned Zern's into a pile of burnt remains. Within days there was a groundbreaking for the new building, and Zern's has stood tall since. There are currently over 200 vendors and stands.

Philadelphia Magazine once voted Zern's "Best Of Philly."

Zern's - Affected by the economy

When the economic downturn began in December of 2007, stands at Zern's became increasingly vacant. The effects of the economy were compounded by the fact that two new shopping centers, both featuring grocery stores and restaurants opened within 2 miles (in either direction, on Route 100) of the market.

On October 10th, 2010, Zern's Farmers Market was listed on Yelp.com as "being on the slide". Yelp.com: Zern's - On the slide

External links

• Zern's Official Site