Surrounded by a small mountain of VHS tapes, Yakitah Jones beckoned for passersby to try some boiled treats.
"I've been told that my peanuts are addictive," she told a woman, offering her one to try.
Jones was one of 157 vendors at the grand opening of Den & Ken's Indoor and Outdoor Flea Market on Saturday.
The flea market opened its doors on Dec. 1, but Saturday's grand opening served as an official welcoming to the community, said Dennis Murray, the vice president of the flea market. About 8,000 people attended.
Erin Baum, a 33-year-old Gainesville resident, wandered around the market near stands that sold everything from handbags to hardware.
"You've got a little variety of everything and everybody," she said.
She munched on a boiled peanut from Jones' stand and chatted with Jones.
"Everybody's been pretty friendly, nice and helpful," Baum said. "Not bad for first impressions."
Linda Greene, 62, sold African- and Caribbean-themed T-shirts and accessories, including a book called "Sayings and Psalms of Bob Marley."
"My stuff is authentic," Greene said, pointing to carved wooden masks she was selling. "Those heads are not carved in Indonesia. They're made in Africa."
Patrick Lynn, a 26-year-old UF medical student, said he likes the market because it provides more of a community feeling.
"It feels like it's an individual selling, rather than a big company," he said.
At noon, a crowd in front of the building counted to three before Gainesville Mayor Craig Lowe, alongside District 1 City Commissioner Scherwin Henry and former Alachua County Commissioner Rodney Long, cut a gold ribbon in the doorway of the building, symbolizing the official opening.
"This is going to be a great asset for our community," Lowe said in a speech.
He said the market represents a step in the right direction for businesses in East Gainesville.
The flea market is open Tuesday through Sunday. About 100 people a day typically visit the market on weekdays, and between 1,000 and 3,000 people a day visit on weekends, Murray said.
He said the market has grown exponentially since its initial opening.
The market started with about eight vendors and is now at capacity with a waiting list of between 40 and 80 vendors, he said.
Murray said he and his partners hope to open another flea market on the west side of the city.
"This is just the beginning," he said. "We plan on doing a lot more here for the people."
Regina Lynn, 45, owner of Simply Lynn's Treats, and her aunt Charlotte Freetine, 65, talk with Mayor Craig Lowe at the opening day of Den and Ken's Indoor and Outdoor Flea Market on Saturday afternoon.
