McKinney's Monthly Market

     You’ve probably heard of the Trade Days at Canton—the epic four-day flea market that takes place once a month about an hour east of Dallas—but did you know that a sister Trade Days lives just north of the city in McKinney? If the maze of Canton is a little much for you, you’ll be thrilled to know that McKinney’s market is a fraction of the size. It takes place the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday before the third Monday of every month, and boy are there some deals to be had. On my last visit, I nabbed two pieces of furniture—a desk and a bookshelf—which tallied up to just over a hundred bucks.

     The rustic bookshelf, seen here in my living room right next to the doorway to the kitchen, was actually crafted out of old barn wood. For $35, it’s the perfect spot for my cookbooks, empty pickling jars, and catchall baskets. And it goes perfectly with the “forgotten era” them we’re trying to build our living room around.
     But what I was really looking for when I went was a desk to fit in a small window nook on our second floor. And for 75 dollars, I found it! A husband and wife team called WNM Enterprises (903-421-3836) buys old furniture and refinishes it, often adding a timeworn look by sanding the edges of wood pieces, like this desk, which fits perfectly into my teeny tiny “office.”

      As for the patina green chair, I got it at Dallas’s own Gypsy Wagon, on Henderson Avenue. If you haven’t been to their new location on the corner of Miller and Henderson—go! Their well-edited collection of folksy jewelry, clothing, and wares for the home has completely expanded. —Alison Miller
Third Monday Trade Days in McKinney happens this Thursday through Sunday, August 13-15. For a list of vendors, click here.