ROUNDUP — For the past 10 years, from May to September, the outside of the Busy Bee Cafe in Roundup has housed the Busy Bee Flea Market.
Because of changes to Musselshell County, vendors and customers worry the flea market may have to move locations.
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According to locals, the Busy Bee Flea Market is a staple to the community.
"When it first started, there were only four vendors that showed up, and our first Saturday that we opened up this year, we had 35," said vendor and flea market organizer, John Thomas.
Thomas organizes the flea market with his daughter, Janet. The two use the Busy Bee Flea Market Facebook group to communicate with outsiders and locals.
Along with organizing the market, he also has his own booth for his beekeeping business, Thomas Honey.
"My favorite part is just talking and meeting with the people. As a beekeeper, people always ask me what's going on with the bees," said Thomas on Saturday.
For the spring, the flea market reopened last Saturday, and according to customers and vendors alike, the best part is the people.
"I mean there's new people (who) come and go. But yeah, no it says pretty much the same... Everybody should stop if they can, 'cuz it's got a big variety of stuff here," said vendor Jay Nunn.
Nunn says he's been coming to the flea market for six years.
At his booth, Nunn sells knives, coins, belt buckles, and hatchets.
Also at Saturday's flea market was vendor Susan Goffena, and her husband, Alan Goffena.
The Goffenas sell a variety of hand-made products, including fishing poles, knives, and freshly gardened plants.
"We're ranchers and my husband can't work on the ranch anymore because of his bad back and heart. So, he makes all this stuff," said Susan Goffena.
MTN asked Susan what her favorite part of the flea market is.
"Oh, visiting with everybody!" she said.
But even though the Busy Bee Flea Market is a free, community gathering, it isn't just sunshine and rainbows. Because of the loss of an iconic restaurant in Roundup, big changes are likely to come, locals say.
"They're going to tear down the building, and then rehab the whole area here into a community park, is what we're being told," said Thomas.
A few years ago, the parking lot of the Busy Bee Cafe was covered in eight feet of flood water, according to Thomas. Because the restaurant is built in a flood plain, owners had to close their doors this spring.
RELATED|Iconic Busy Bee Cafe closed after 80 years in Roundup
According to Thomas, Musselshell County has purchased the cafe, and has plans to tear down the location, which will relocate the flea market.
"We may have to find a new home," he said. "But, we've got some options, so we're going to continue on, and you'll be able to find out more about that as the summer goes on."
But the news of potential change didn't impact the vendors' energy at Saturday's flea market.
"It should work okay. Yeah, I think we can still have our market here. I'm not sure yet. I don't know why not," said Nunn.
"Well, that's fine. I just hope they keep letting us do this. We were a little worried this spring whether we'd get to keep doing it, but the county's letting us set up," Goffena said.
Thomas said, "As long as we're having fun, we'll keep going at it."
