Eugen Borosch

A 50-year-old landmark in the community, the Lehigh Acres Flea Market, is in jeopardy of closing if certain code enforcement rules and fire department requirements are not met.

But owner Eugen Borosch said today that he will do everything he can to meet the requirements to keep the flea market open. It has become a tourist attraction in Lehigh and favorite venue to buy fresh produce, shrubs and plants and a host of other things including all kinds of items including appliances and more.

The flea market has expanded over the past year with as many as 60 more vendors than those that are located in the main building, which received a new coat of barn red paint a few weeks ago.

Borosch said he is concerned though that someone in the community, a member of the Greater Lehigh Acres Chamber of Commerce, he was told, had complained that the flea market was an “eyesore” and called code enforcement and the fire department to make inspections.

Mike Lippke is the onsite operational manager who has day to day contact with the many vendors both inside and outside the flea market that is located off of Beth Stacey Blvd., and off of Homestead Blvd., next door to the Sheriff’s Office and to the Lehigh Senior Citizens Center. The actual address is 270 Beth Stacey Blvd.

Mike Lippke

He said code enforcement visited the flea market and found a lot of what they called violations. If they are not taken care of, the flea market can be fined so much money a day.

The vendors at the flea market are separate businesses and they are mostly minority members of the community.

Borosch said he is not happy that someone in the community would call the flea market “an eyesore.” We have painted the main building and we have added many, many more vendors on the outside. “

“Those that come to our flea market say they enjoy it and it is the only flea market in Lehigh,” Borosch added.

He also went on to say that whoever made a complaint had no regard for the minority separate business vendors who are trying to make a living.

“If I have to close it down, those people would have no other means of income. With family members working, we’re talking about a couple of hundred people. They should be praised that they have the imitative to work and many of them are doing very well,” Borosch said.

“They are trying to make a living in these hard times,” he said.

Manager Lippke said late last week that code enforcement had not yet provided him with a complete list of what they are calling violations. He also said the fire department’s assistant chief and fire marshal, Ken Bennett, showed up to do an inspection and said he found various issues.

“They want each vendor outside to have a fire extinguisher, so we have spent $600 and have ordered them,” Lippke said.

“It appears that code enforcement doesn’t want the flea market to have any tiki huts outside which presents a real problem for Borosch and his vendors.

Borosch said his attorney told him tents would be acceptable, but he is not sure the vendors who have makeshift structures outside will be able to afford tents, which he said he understands must be taken down each night.

Borosch said if tents for all the 60 or so vendors cost thousands of dollars, it could jeopardize the flea market.

He said he believes the person who complained has a prejudice against minorities who are composed of most of the vendors. He promised an investigation and said a lawsuit down the road may take place for discrimination and forcing people out of work.

The flea market has been in Lehigh for half a century, long before Borosch and his wife moved to Lehigh. He purchased the property from the Lehigh Corp. and continued it as a flea market. Oscar Perez, known as The Tomato Man, has been with the flea market for most of those years. He is located in the main building, along with other vendors.

Lippke said that may be a stigma in the community that it is a Latino flea market.

“That is not the case. We have vendors of all nationalities including white Americans. And we have a good selection of people from other countries who are trying to make a living,” he said.

Borosch said he contacted Gary Bright, the CEO at the Greater Lehigh Acres Chamber of Commerce, and asked if he knew the person who had called his flea market an eyesore. Borosch said Bright said he knew nothing about the complaint.

The Chamber has been a benefactor of Borosch, who has given money to the Chamber and provided them with a new location in his Lehigh Towne Center on the corner or Alabama and Homestead roads. Due to the ailing economy, the Chamber has faced financial problems and Borosch said he has helped.

“What I am greatly concerned about is the fact that someone is trying to put those vendors out of business and I do not like the implications of racial bias,” Borosch said.

“I’ve been given the name of someone but I won’t say who it is, but I am very upset that a Chamber member would try to belittle the flea market and attempt to shut us down.

“We have Oscar Perez, who is of Mexican descent, as one of our primary vendors. Known as The Tomato Man, he is well-known by his clients and has been at the flea market since it opened, as far as I know,” Borosch said.

“Calling the flea market an eyesore is offensive to me. If we have to make changes due to code issues, we will do what we have to do.

“That may include tents, but we are not yet sure,” he continued.

Lippke, the manager, said the fire department demanded that doors be removed in the main building and that a low ceiling be removed, and that each outside vendor have a fire extinguisher.

One of the vendors who identified herself as Maria Torre, a member of the Latino community, operates her spot under a tiki hut. She sells pottery items.

In Spanish through an interpreter, she said she would be upset if she had to dismantle the tiki hut and replace it with a tent because of what a large tent may cost her, if not paid by Borosch.

Other vendors say they don’t think it is fair and that someone is trying to shut them all down.

“That’s what I think, too,” said Borosch. “We are going to do our best to keep this landmark open.”