Historic San Jose flea market gets one-year lease on life
SAN JOSE -- The Berryessa Flea Market, a San Jose institution for more than six decades, has been on the chopping block for two years as plans for a massive new housing complex moved forward. But plans change and, while there is still an intention to build on the land, the market's vendors got a temporary reprieve.
Sitting next to the Berryessa BART station, the flea market property is prime real estate for housing. In 2021, the city approved a plan to build nearly 3,500 homes on the site. But, with the cost of construction rising, the property owners changed their plan, proposing to build only about 900 homes. The city isn't thrilled about that. They want the developer to deliver the promised number of housing units.
"You know, if it means waiting a few years until interest rates come down and cost of construction stabilizes, I think that's the right thing to do," said San Jose councilmember David Cohen.
In the meantime, those who make their living at the flea market have been in limbo. There's an agreement that they will get a year's notice once a decision to build is made and they were expecting something in January.
On Friday, the word came down.
"They sent us an e-mail saying that the flea market has decided to extend the one-year notice," said Berryessa Flea Market advisory board member Maggie Castellon. "So, instead of them telling us in January, they're not going to tell us until the following January. So, it's like a whole year extension, meaning that the earliest date that the flea market would close would be 2026."
"For people like me, that's been many years here, there's no more way to go," said Riboberto Gonzalez. "Just only the flea market, that's all I have to make a living right now. So, I'm happy."
Rigoberto is the patriarch of the Gonzalez family's business. At their market space they sell bright-colored pinatas and hundreds of different kinds of candies, imported from Mexico, to fill them with. Pinatas are an important part of the Mexican Christmas celebration Las Posadas. And, on Sunday, Salvador Pedroza traveled all the way from his home in Oregon just to buy his pinata supplies from the Gonzalez family.
"It's special for having everything here," Pedroza said. "Everything that I need for the posada."
"We've honestly worked here a lot. It means a lot to me because I grew up working with my mom, my grandpa," said 12-year-old Genesis, the youngest member of the Gonzalez family sales team. She's grown up at the market and was sad that a woman she called "Grandma Jeannie," in the space across from them, moved away when word first came down that the market was closing. The promise of two more years means a lot to Genesis.
"This is a family business so we've worked here for a while now and just to see that we're going to be able to keep this is ... it's really ... it's exciting and happy, honestly. I'm happy," she said.
The city is looking for an alternative site for the flea market, when the time to move eventually comes. The vendors say the extra time will be helpful as they begin planning for that day. Those who spend their days at the flea market have learned to cherish whatever time they have left in a place that feels like home to them.
