David Wolff: How did Wolff's Flea Market Begin?
Don and I are often asked this question: How did Wolff’s Flea Market begin? Over the years I have heard different versions of the answer from many people, but they are usually wrong. Following is the official answer. Believe it or not, it all started in the early 1960’s!! Our parents, Lawrence and Katherine Wolff were diehard flea market fans. As kids, Don and I, along with our sister Eileen (who most of you know as our most loyal employee and ambassador) and brother Jeff (who can be found shopping at our market almost every Sunday morning) would be willingly dragged along on their weekly sojourn to one of the area’s local flea markets. Back then there were many quality flea markets to choose from; Harlem & Irving (Chicago), 79 th & Harlem (Bridgeview), Twin Drive In (Wheeling), and 7 Mile Fair (Southern Wisconsin). We went to all of them and there were few Sundays in which we did not visit a flea market. Even on vacati...