Looking to Hire the Best Talent? They Might Already Be on Your Team…

June 3, 2022

High employee turnover is costly to any company, especially during these difficult hiring times. Beyond the financial impact high turnover has on a company is the long-term effect of losing institutional knowledge acquired over many years of experience in the flea market business. Providing an environment where employees can grow and prosper is simply the right thing to do. Creating a path for long-term employment with the opportunity to be promoted to the next level is essential in attracting and retaining great quality employees. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average employee stays with their employer for 4.1 years. Our company, United Flea Markets, employs approximately 600 people at our 15 flea markets in seven states across the country. While four years might be the national average, we’re proud of the long tenure of our highly talented team members who’ve been promoted from within.

James Durham was initially hired at Cook’s Flea Market in North Carolina in 1991 as a security team member. He immediately became a part of our market family and even married his wife, Debbie, another Cook’s employee on the flea market property in 2000. James is well-liked by vendors and sellers, knows our business well, and has steadily climbed within our organization. He was recently named the General Manager of Cook’s Flea Market, and he has proven to be an invaluable asset to our market.

Jennifer Reed started with us seven years ago as a Guest Services Manager at Flea Masters Flea Market in Fort Myers, Florida. Over the years, she was promoted to Office Manager and became the General Manager of Flea Masters. Jennifer’s long-term relationships with our sellers have had a tremendous impact on the market’s continued success.

Lee Largin went from being a General Manager at J & J Flea Market in Athens, Georgia - one of our smaller markets – to being promoted to General Manager at Ramona Flea Market in Jacksonville, Florida - one of our largest markets. More recently, Lee moved up to the role of Corporate Area Manager of United Flea Markets and now oversees 6 of the 15 market’s general operations. Lee’s skills and familiarity with our company culture are invaluable in our continued growth.

Rebekah McLoud began with the previous owners of Treasure Aisles Flea Market back in 2011 as the Operations Manager before being promoted to the General Manager. When United Flea Markets purchased Treasure Aisles, Rebekah remained the General Manager, and recently she was promoted to Corporate Area Manager of United Flea Markets. She now oversees 4 of the 15 market’s general operations. Rebekah’s vast knowledge of working in the flea market industry and her strong operational skills help our company continue to thrive.

We’ve found the ripple effect of promoting from within to be overwhelmingly positive for everyone. It gives our employees opportunities to grow, is cost-effective, and we increase employee morale, and help our staff meet their goals. Tapping into internal employees works best because we already know they’re a good fit with our company culture, are respected by other staff, and know the ins and outs of our business.

Written by Rob Sieban, CEO, United Flea Markets