ASHTABULA — Fat Sally’s Warehouse has been attracting antique collectors to the Ashtabula Harbor since 2018, when Amy and Cory Nagle remodeled one of the old Laird Lumber buildings and opened a store.
Since that time, they’ve added vendors and have held “Sally Has Fleas” events in spring and summer, garnering flea market enthusiasts from all over northeast Ohio and western Pennsylvania. Come this spring, they plan expand once again. They’ve purchased the church and a lot next door and plan to make the church into an old-fashioned country store, Cory Nagle said.
“Everybody has their own childhood memories — memories of riding bikes to a country store and filling a brown paper bag with penny candy,” he said. “We want people to relive that experience and take them back to when they were kids.”
Nagle said they’ve been planning this expansion since before the COVID-19 pandemic, but unfortunately, like many others, those plans had to be put on hold.
Ashtabula City Council will hold a public hearing at 6 p.m. March 15 regarding the Nagles’ zoning request for the expansion. The Nagles are asking the city to rezone five parcels from R-4, to C-1 [residential to commercial].
“At this point, if approved we will add on to the building, allowing more vendors to display their goods,” he said. “We hope to add 10 more vendors as part of our expansion.”
The Fat Sally’s Warehouse, 1569 Laird Drive, was a blacksmith’s livery station in the 1800s and was later a part of Laird Lumber Company. Amy Nagle said they had a variety of ideas on what to do with the property when they first purchased it, but when they put some furniture up for sale, the deal was done.
The store features a variety of antiques and other items including French primitive and barn doors. The vendors also offer a wide variety of items from specialty break to metal signs and collectibles.
Cory Nagle said putting together the flea market was hard work but the results were huge.
“I can’t wait until spring [for another flea market],” he said. “It’s going to be lovely.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, meetings of the council and staff are accessible to the public on the city’s Facebook page, Spectrum channel 1024 and on the city’s website at www.cityofashtabula.com until further notice.
The public can submit questions, comments or concerns about Fat Sally’s expansion or rezoning request to the clerk of council by phone 440-992-7119 or be email until 4:30 p.m. the day of the public hearing.
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