ROANOKE (WSLS 10) - Vendors at Happy's Flea Market are still waiting to find out if market owners will make necessary repairs to bring the building up to code after Roanoke City closed it indefinitely June 9.
Vendors are waiting for word of what will come next. Some are unhappy they're stuck outside, forced to set up in the parking lot of the flea market after Roanoke City building inspectors deemed the Williamson Road building unsafe and unfit.
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"Outside is bad. Outside we sell a little bit," vendor Maria Kim said of the slower business outside
Kim says she still has items inside. She'll be able to go inside Tuesday to retrieve the items but the question remains if or when they'll ever be able to set up inside again.
Roanoke Planning Director Chris Chittum says there's no indication whether Happy's owners will make the necessary repairs. He's not in contact with the owners and could only send notice to their last known address.
Property owner RTM Roanoke Expo Center LLC is an active company based in Manassas, according to the State Corporation Commission. It renewed its business license with the city of Roanoke this year.
The only contact vendors say they've had with anyone is with general manager Harvey Murdoch who they say, stopped by Monday morning to collect the $5 set-up fee to be outside in the parking lot to sell.
Joyce Eubank has always set up outside. She says she's hopeful, despite lack of change after the city found violations two years ago, that this time will be different.
"I think probably they may have gotten onto them just a little stronger maybe," she said. "Maybe they didn't go as far last time as I did this time to keep it."
Chittum says no specific time frame for repairs has been set once the building is unoccupied and secured. He says demolition is a last resort and would only be done if it's determined the building is beyond repair.