JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – After the announcement that the Pecan Park Flea Market will be closing this fall and will be replaced by a car dealership, News4JAX Insiders and other Jacksonville residents are voicing their concerns.
Several comments from Insiders on our story about the closure call it “sad” that a decades-old family-friendly market that supported local businesses will be replaced by a dealership.
“I grew up going to pecan park , A great place ,makes me sad ..... jacksonville is slowly losing its shine and sparkle ...ifs not a car lot it will be affordable housing or yet another chick fil a,” wrote Jak86.
“This is just really sad my family and I used to love to go there when I was a kid on the weekends that was always such a fun experience. I used to love to look at some of the antiques that were there especially some of the antique baby items,” Insider alexis_asay wrote.
For four decades, Pecan Park Flea Market has been a weekend ritual for Jacksonville’s Northside community.
“I feel like we’re losing so much tradition in our community. This means a lot to peopoe that have been around a long time,” said Richard Evans, who lives next door to the market.
Now, the remaining 20 acres of Pecan Park Flea & Farmers Market has been sold for $8.55 million to a Butler family-linked partnership, which plans to redevelop the property as an automobile dealership. The market’s last day open to the public is Sept. 27, 2026.
“I think it’s extremely sad you bought a place that was open to public to have family time and shop to make a car dealership. Yayyyy for Jacksonville ..not,” Callie Archibald wrote on Facebook.
“Waste of space we have enough car dealerships in this town, we have enough condos and apartments in this town. Stop taking family events and things for locals to enjoy to bring this unnecessary crap. Valuable portions of Atlantic blvd and Southside blvd as well as parts of phillips have plenty of car dealerships. We need family entertainment, we need tourism. Not mad at the owners for selling just mad that the developer thinks what this town needs is another car dealership,” Johnny Rowe wrote on Facebook.
But not everyone is sad to see the closure of the market
“I think it’s about time. Time for it to go. And there’s nothing new there,” said Dwayne Cook, who lives in the RV resort next to the market. “Everything is just recycled, so I think the people want something more, newer to this area.”
Vendors learned of the closure this weekend when they arrived to find a letter on their doors from previous ownership.
The letter confirmed the sale and outlined a timeline for the wind-down of operations. According to the letter, vendors may continue operating through September and will have until Oct. 31, 2026, to remove all remaining property from their stalls. Any property left behind after that date becomes property of the new owners.
The entrance gate will be closed on Saturdays and Sundays throughout October, with signage notifying the public that the market is permanently closed. Access to the property will not be permitted after October 2026.
The letter also made clear that rent remains due in full through July 31. Concessions on August and September rent will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Previous ownership closed the letter with a personal note: “Thank you all for making Pecan Park Flea & Farmers Market the special place it has been for 40 years.”
Pecan Park Flea & Farmers Market is located at 614 Pecan Park Road in Jacksonville. The market will continue operating on its regular weekend schedule through September 27, 2026.
Vendors with questions can contact the market at 904-379-6141.
News4JAX will continue following this story as vendors prepare for the closure.