MISSION VIEJO : Swap Meet Operator Predicts Better Days

The operator of South Orange County’s only swap meet says the enterprise is struggling, but he predicts better days to come.

“We know it will eventually work,” said Sam Marcus, president of the Saddleback Outdoor Marketplace.

Since unveiling the swap meet in mid-November, several rainstorms and rain forecasts have dampened attendance. Rain has fallen on about half of the 46 weekend days the swap meet has been open, Marcus said.

An average of only 1,000 to 3,000 customers each Saturday and Sunday are showing up at the event, which is staged in a parking lot at Saddleback College.

The number of vendors is also down considerably from the 220 vendors when the swap meet began. Last weekend, 70 vendors set up shop on Saturday and 50 vendors braved gray skies on Sunday.

Marcus said bad weather has kept shoppers away, which in turn has prompted some vendors to go elsewhere.

But there are no plans to shut down the venture, Marcus said.

Marcus said that his corporation has invested about $100,000 in the swap meet.

“Our biggest challenge is having the vendors and consumers in the same spot at the same time,” Marcus said.

The swap meet features a farmers’ market, arts, crafts, leather goods, clothing and other collectibles.

The swap meet generates money for the Saddleback College Foundation.

“We’re real grateful for what Saddleback Marketplace is doing,” said Kurt Hueg, Saddleback College spokesman. “We’re supporting them and we’re hoping that they can get it back to the level that they had before.”

Vendors who are interested in selling goods at the Saddleback Marketplace are asked to call (714) 249-9594.