by whatever name comes commerce...

Swapmeets, flea markets, street markets, yard sales, are all activities of a kind, what kind? The kind that produces income.

Since the country began, and prior to that in Europe, and elsewhere around the world, bazaars and markets have been at the core of social and economic life. Now more than ever they are important economic players. 100 years ago in the U.S. public markets, indoors and out, were called upon to socialize new immigrants, provide employment opportunities, and make consumer goods and even produce, accessible to low-income and isolated populations.

Today the situation is much the same, privately held or publicly controlled, this variety of trading venues is getting a real workout, employed by many to supplement their income or experiment with entrepreneurship. Some jurisdictions have taken to limit the number of yard sales a family can have, but to what purpose?

My colleague Gregg Kettles was cited in the NYT on this phenomena, and it is no surprise, his work, my work and the work of scholars all over the country make clear how sales on the street has never gone away, it has always been employed by people, more so now with the economic plight that so many face. Instead of regulating it away, jurisdictions should seek to cooperate with populations and make available venues for people to help keep themselves solvent.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/25/us/25garage.html?ei=5070&emc=eta1