Torn-Down Tuesday: Super Flea, aka the Walden Flea Market

By Steve Cichon
steve@buffalostories.com
@stevebuffalo

For decades, it was a weekend home-away-from-home for people who have stuff to sell and those on the endless quest for the perfect (if not slightly used) stuff.

Buffalo News archives, 1984

Buffalo News archives, 1984

While much of Super Flea’s buying and selling went on in the parking lot when weather allowed, the Super Flea building was a year-round weekend junk adventure.

super-flea-flea-market161

Super Flea moved into the structure originally built at a cost of $1.1 million by GEX, and opened in 1962. GEX was a membership department store for government employees, military personnel, and employees of companies which dealt with the government.

GEX

When it opened, GEX carried more than 80,000 items, in a single story store “the size of three football fields.”

GEX-departments

The building that was home to GEX then Super Flea for more than 50 years was torn down starting in 2014. A new Walmart Supercenter opened on the site in 2015.