MANSFIELD — Bryan Gladden is working to make Westing House a destination for Mansfield families and tourists.
He envisions an indoor sports facility, restaurant, apartments and hotel rooms. By doing that, he’s helping to carry out property owner Joe Curry’s long-term plans, but for now is trying to get community members back in the East Fourth Street building.
A flea market seemed like the perfect opportunity to appreciate Westinghouse’s past while pushing it into the future. Gladden said he came up with the name “Rust Belt Flea Market” as a sign of respect for Westing House’s history.
“We recognize that the history of Westinghouse is tied in with the history of Mansfield,” he said.
Gladden used to organize a downtown Mansfield farmers market and used his connections there to spread the word about his idea for a flea market at Westing House. He also created a Facebook event page which helped draw interested customers.
Gladden is currently offering free set-up for people wanting to sell items at the flea market and said he is open to what people want to bring in. So far, different sellers have set up antique furniture, vinyl records, commercial signs and clothing.
Westing House hosted its first Rust Belt Flea Market Aug. 12 and the second Sept. 10 and 11. Gladden said he will “play it by ear” whether to open Saturdays and Sundays depending on when people show up to shop. The flea market will close for November through March because the building isn’t heated.
Scott Goodson and his mom, Evelyn Goodson, came to the Sept. 10 flea market after he saw the Facebook event posting.
“We’re from the Mansfield area and just wanted to come out and see what it was. We like doing this kind of stuff,” Scott Goodson said.
Carol Giesman set up two tables of antiques Sept. 10, with almost a whole table dedicated to ceramic dog decorations. Giesman has set up at farmers markets with her crafts before, but she brought her antique collection to Westing House.
“It’s something brand new and I thought I’d give it a try,” she said.
Giesman said the flea market’s crowd was good for her first time setting up there. As long as she has customers to talk to during the open hours, she said “it makes for a pleasant day.”
Joe Dumos set up his commercial signs at the flea market and Westinghouse memorabilia he’s collected.
“I have everything from signs, to keychains to clocks, thermometers, light fixtures,” he said. “Anything that Westinghouse made, I’m a big fan of. It was a pioneer of it’s time.”
Though parting with the local history he’s collected was difficult, Dumos said he’s glad to pass it on to others.
“The Westinghouse stuff hurts but everything else — it’s just stuff,” he said. “And what better place to sell antiques than this place here?”
Though the flea market will only have a brief stint in 2022, Gladden said he plans to keep it going next year and even after the building is renovated.
With the building’s nearly 500,000 square feet of space, Gladden said, “there’s room for just about everything we’re looking to do.”
The Westing House plans to host monthly flea markets from May to October. The last flea market for 2022 will be Oct. 8-9.
Address: 246 E. Fourth St.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Dates: Sept. 10-11 and Oct. 8-9, 2022
Facebook page: The Westing House
For questions about setting up a table at the Rust Belt Flea Market, contact Bryan Gladden at bryangladden@icloud.com or 419-512-9225.
