Mike Anderson, owner of Second Hand Sam’s Indoor Flea Market in southwest Rio Rancho, opened his establishment in mid-July. Matt Hollinshead photo.
Seeing that the Rio Rancho area’s flea market scene features outdoor setups, Mike Anderson took a different route and made his own flea market an indoor establishment.
Anderson’s approach in owning Second Hand Sam’s Indoor Flea Market was simple: Avoid dealing with inclement weather and colder temperatures during winter. That way, he doesn’t have to worry about rain or snow potentially ruining the integrity of his merchandise.
He said the store also focuses on having a “wide variety of everything” entering times like the current holiday shopping season.
Toy trains are among the items in stock at Second Hand Sam’s Indoor Flea Market in southwest Rio Rancho. Matt Hollinshead photo.
Second Hand Sam’s, which opened in mid-July and is at 1020 Veranda Road in southwest Rio Rancho, features items ranging from baseball hats, T-shirts and lanterns to CDs, DVDs, toy trains and action figures.
“It actually took off far better than I anticipated, and all my vendors are awesome. They’ve got such a wide of variety of everything,” said Anderson, a U.S. Air Force veteran. “If you want to do your holiday shopping, this would be the place to come. By being able to come in here, you’re able to shop comfortably without being in the elements… I don’t want to put items out there that might get damaged by the rain… We don’t want to damage (vendors’) product in any way.”
Anderson, who served as Sandoval County’s landfill supervisor from 2003-19, said he also plans to incorporate a high-performance auto parts section for people building hot-rod vehicles or looking to get rid of their old car parts. He also wants to offer tools mechanics may need.
The store’s open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, as well 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information, call 505-228-5778.
