PASCO, Wash.— Located in Eastern Washington, Pasco is a city that’s grown drastically in the last couple of years. What started as just two/three rows of vendors in East Pasco quickly grew into what it is today.
For years, flea markets have been thought of as dirty, but in the Pasco Flea Market you find pride, joy, nostalgia and so much more. After 30 plus years, the market continues to offer the growing community a place to get their candy or vegetables while also buying a new shirt or cowboy boots from Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico.
As a Mexican-American myself, it felt like the countless summer’s I would spend with family in the small town of Valle de Guadalupe, Jalisco. Meeting the vendors and getting to learn their stories is all the more nostalgic.
Isidro Estrada is a vendor, owner of El Caporal, from the southern peninsula of Mexico who started his booth in 1996. He started with just a couple of goods on the weekends while running a storefront in Yakima during the week.
Over the years, business grew and he decided to close down the store to focus on his booth at what was just the two rows of vendors. Today, he tells me his kids and wife have contributed to the growth.
Estrada has been at the flea market for 27 years and contributes the growth from one booth to three to the people who’ve helped him and the buyers. Every couple months, he travels to Guanajuato, Mexico where he hand selects the products that he sells.
He tells me the opportunity to sell to people that are like him is a privilege. “I feel like I’m serving my people by offering them something they can’t get if they aren’t able to go back to Mexico,” he says, adding how proud he is to have these opportunities. In the coming months, he and his wife plan to retire, leaving their booths to their kids and moving back to Mexico.
“I want to go back while I can still walk and enjoy what the county has to offer,” he tells me.
Much like Isidro, Lidia Becerril owns Macillas Blankets and has been at the market since 1997 selling toys, blankets and even cookware. She started selling goods to get pay for her kids to go to college. “We did that so they could have a career and not be like us,” says Becerril.
Together, they own three booths. One of them is run by a paid employee. With her kids now grown up, Becerril hopes to open a storefront in Pasco soon.
Her husband in the booth across sells cooking utensils like pots and tortilla presses. He tells me buyers from Spokane, Seattle and all around Washington state come to buy their products.
While the two have been at the Pasco Flea Market for years, vendors like Pablo Verduzco were born into the flea market scene. His parents own El Legado, a stand with the traditional “botanas” or snacks from Mexico.
As a 19-year-old, Verduzco works to make his family proud but also continues to work like his parents.
He tells me he’s learned that working hard pays and learning from them has helped him grow. Growing up to have [very] similar traits to them.
“You see my mom here every day, she’s working very hard,” he adds “probably harder than anybody here.”
Each member of the family runs a different part of the stand. His dad is in charge of the elotes and esquites. Mom makes sure all the fruit is cut for the cups while the brother calls to those attending with a casual, “Pasele, que le ofrezco!” (Come in, what can I offer you?)
His job? Prepare the boxes of freshly cut coconut and cups with coconut water. He tells me he’s been at that stand for about a year now and is proud to be able to represent his family however he can.
In the future, “I wish them pure success and happiness.” he tells me.
He adds that being a part of the flea market gives him a sense of inclusion and a hard working community. “I’ve learned to work hard thanks to them.”
With the celebration of independence day for many spanish speaking countries, Lidia, Isidro and Pablo tell me having the same celebrations in a place like Pasco make them feel at home.
“It’s like living back there [Mexico] again and celebrating with everyone,” says Lidia. “We have so many memories there and being able to continue that here is awesome.”
Isidro says he felt like he was in Mexico once again. “Seeing it live from Mexico on TV while being here with others celebrating felt like I was there,” he says.
You can experience the traditional and deliciousness the flea market has to offer every Saturday and Sunday. Sundays there is a two dollar fee at the entrance.
Hours:
Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Sunday 6:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
