BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. — In early June, a large fire engulfed several businesses at the Green Acres Flea Market. More than 100 vendors sold wares at the flea market, and many were Latino business owners and run by families.
Around a month later, the flea market reopened. Customers went to the building once more on July 1. Half of Jeff Jasper's family-owned audio business burned in the fire. His father set it up 23 years ago.
"We lost our second building over there from the fire. We lost we almost lost the trailer was a little bit protected," Jasper said. "We still kept this spot. It's half of it, but it'll have to do, for now. And we're waiting on people to come back and go back like before."
Jasper isn't the only one with a family legacy affected. Brett Mandel is the third-generation owner of the flea market. His grandparents started it 50 years ago. It has rolled over from one generation to another.
Mandel, Secretary-Treasurer for Green Acres Flea Market, has been taking care of the flea market over the last five years.
"Right now. I'm glad to see that the outside is in a safe situation and we can reopen," Mandel said. "There's been emotional challenges, obviously. This is our family legacy, and to see this happen, it's been very difficult. There's been business challenges, we've had to make sure we had enough to do what we had to do to make it safe and to keep going."
They said their goal was to fill the building with vendors and customers over the weekend and during weekends after that. They hope Saturdays will return to being busy, and will continue letting daily vendors set up for free on Saturday.
They also said food trucks will be able to set up for half-price on Saturday, at $50. They said daily spots were available on Sunday for $20, or $25 for a spot at the front row.
"Our cleanup crew and manager have done an amazing job to successfully accomplish this in a short period of time," the post said. "We know many of you have asked what you could do for us. Vendors, you can fill up the approximately 350 recently painted spaces. Customers, you can come out and show your love and support for our hard-working, dedicated vendors."
A Maryville resident visited the flea market on its first day welcoming people back.
She and her husband often came out here as part of their weekend routine, to get out of the house. When they heard about the fire they said they were concerned for the people who made their living there.
When the market reopened they were some of the first customers to stop by.
"We heard that it was reopened after the fire, and we wanted to come down and support some of the local vendors," Adams said.
While flea market struggles to pick up the mess some worry it will take a lot more to it back to what it was before.
The livelihood of many families depends on this place, and many still have hope.
"Some people be scared of the fire, so they might not come as before because they think is already burned down," Jasper said. "We're hoping to clean it up and get it back as before and let the customer feel safe to come back here and shop with us."