Market place celebrates 35 years

Deirdre Newman

Jeff Teller remembers riding around the Orange County Fairgrounds on

his Big Wheel during his dad’s weekend swap meets selling tricycles.

Eventually, the swap meet evolved into the sophisticated Orange

County Market Place, and Teller upgraded to selling Rolls Royce’s.

This weekend, the market place is celebrating the beginning of its

35th year. Themed “California Dreamin’,” the high-end swap meet will

celebrate 35 years of creating entrepreneurial dreams.

The longevity is a testament to the dedication and salesmanship of

Jeff Teller and his father, Bob, city historian Bob Wilson said.

“It means a lot for anybody to be around for so long,” Wilson

said. “I think they’ve done a remarkable job and have been a great

asset to our city. They bring people [to the market place] from

everywhere.”

Three-plus decades is even more amazing considering Bob Teller

didn’t even know what a swap meet was when he first saw the concept

in the 1960s in Arizona.

Bob Teller saw a man painting a sign advertising swap meet spaces

for five bucks each and asked the man to explain what a “swap meet”

was, Jeff Teller said.

“My mom looks at my dad and says, ‘You’ve got shirts in your

closet you’ve had forever,’” Jeff Teller said.

His dad’s shirts sold like ice in the desert heat.

When he returned to Arizona a few years later, the swap meet had

grown to about 500 vendors. Bob Teller reconnected with his calling,

Jeff Teller said.

“He said, ‘a moron could run this business -- I’m a moron,’” Jeff

Teller said.

When Bob Teller came to California in 1963, he saw the fairgrounds

were only being used a few days a week. When the manager of the

fairgrounds told him a swap meet would ruin the aesthetics of the

place, he countered, “What aesthetics?” Jeff Teller said.

Bob Teller finally got the chance to start the swap meet in 1969

and rented spaces for $1. The consummate salesman, he handed out

coupons for $1 off at the same time.

The swap meet was so successful that it grew at an average

compounded rate of 42% for its first 20 years in business. The Orange

County Market Place has paid more than $110 million in taxes to the

state since it started, Jeff Teller said.

It has grown into an eclectic purveyor of items from “from

athletic equipment to a Rolls Royce and everything in between,” he

said.

And it has racked up loyal shoppers and plenty of accolades along

the way.

Former Mayor Sandra Genis commended the Tellers for working with

the community when problems arose from the market place.

“When I was on the council, I did appreciate the willingness on

[the Tellers’] part to work with the city,” Genis said.

Genis said one of the most amusing memories she has of the market

place is watching someone who lives in College Park try to drag an

overstuffed chair across Fairview Avenue.

The Tellers have also been generous to the community, supporting

various local charities and groups.

The yearlong birthday celebration will start with a presentation

at which the Tellers will divide $35,000 -- $100 for each year

they’ve been in business -- among 10 city-based charities and

nonprofit organizations, including local high schools and colleges.

Their commitment to the community is something they intend to

continue, Jeff Teller said.

“We promise that we will always strive to evolve and serve the

community that serves us as best we can,” Jeff Teller said. “And we

will always go out of our way to offer a great family environment

that’s clean and safe and a lot of fun.”

* DEIRDRE NEWMAN covers Costa Mesa and may be reached at (949)

574-4221 or by e-mail at [email protected].