The Statesboro Flea Market reopened its doors Friday after the owners complied with city requirements to pave their parking lot.
      Jo Jennings, who owns the flea market with her husband Jerry, said that though some of the vendors were unable to come back, more than 30 former vendors will have booths at the market. She said the vendors are looking forward to getting back to work.
      "I, and the vendors, who have come back are very excited," Jennings said.
       The flea market closed in January when the city revoked its business license for failure to comply with requirements of a variance granted in April 2008. The variance allowed the market to open without completely paving the parking lot as required by city zoning laws. The council approved the variance with the stipulation that the owners pave the entire parking lot within 18 months. After the business did not comply with the conditions of the variance, which expired in December 2009, the city revoked their business license, forcing the flea market to close.
      Jerry Jennings said he invested more than $250,000 on improvements to the property since the city took his license in January, including paving the parking lot, adding 2,000 linear feet of storm drains, constructing a retention pond, installing curbs and gutters as well as planting 46 bushes and 26 trees. Jennings said the cost of the asphalt alone, not including installation, was $67,000.
      The Statesboro Flea Market is located on Highway 301 North, not far from the Bulloch County Sheriff's office. The hours of operation are Friday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. It is closed Monday through Thursday.