Big Red Barn Flea Market temporarily opens amid questionable future

The future of the Big Red Barn is still up in the air after it opened Sunday for the first time in three weeks.

An agreement was made between co-owner Ken McPhail and Flea Market manager Manuel Delgadillo in court on Wednesday to re-open the Monterey County landmark for the time being.

Visitors saying they’d be devastated to see it go, “It’s sad you know, everybody like, I don’t know every Sunday we come here.”

The rights to the property and future of the Flea Market are still unknown after the passing of owner Francis Ellingwood last March.

Two competing wills were presented by McPhail and Delgadillo claiming they each have the rights to the property. McPhail says he would like to see the Flea Market stay open, but County regulations are too demanding. For nearly ten years the County has raised concerns over health and safety and want them to add real Restrooms, rather than porta potties.

“The requirements of the county are extensive, California has no requirements on porta potty but Monterey county, the only County in California that prohibits their use for more than 9 days a year,” says McPhail.

The competing will presented by Delgadillo says he is willing to comply with county demands, “The county was basically working with us and allowing us to continue to stay open with the understanding that we were going to build these restrooms.”

Outside of the fight in court, the more than 300 vendors are caught in the middle. “We might have to sell all that we have, or we might have to go sell somewhere else, but this is like my second home for me,” says Maria Sandoval whose family has been selling there for ten years.

Despite disagreements, there is a common goal to keep the flea market open. The next court date is set for April 26th.