Oldsmar Flea Market sold to St. Pete developer Grady Pridgen
By Ashley Gurbal Kritzer
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Oct 24, 2018

An Oldsmar landmark is now in the hands of a St. Petersburg developer.

A corporate entity tied to developer Grady Pridgen has acquired the Oldsmar Flea Market for $11.35 million, Eshenbaugh Land Co. said Wednesday. Eshenbaugh brokers Ryan Sampson and Bill Eshenbaugh represented the seller in the transaction.

The property will continue to operate as a flea market, as it has for more than 30 years. It includes 250,000 square feet of market space home to more than 700 vendors.

STK Capital of Tampa provided $10 million in debt financing for the acquisition.

Pridgen was not immediately available for comment Wednesday.

"At the end of the day, it was obvious that the buyer was truly interested in improving the flea market for both the vendors and shoppers while at the same time demonstrating to the seller a true commitment to getting this deal done from the beginning at the highest price without any hesitation," Sampson said in a statement.

In 2017, Oldsmar Mayor Doug Bevis told WFLA that redevelopment was a possibility for the flea market.

"Some mixed use office, retail, residential, shops and things like that would be a great use for that," Bevis told the TV station. "But, in the end of the day, it depends on what the buyer decides to do with it."