Why this 99-year-old flea market vendor is still selling

Mary Waye planned to finally stop selling at the Charlottetown flea market next month — a week before her 100th birthday.

But her fellows vendors would have none of it.

"I was planning on leaving but they all tell me no, I can't as long as I can keep going this way, you know, have my health and all, that they don't want me to quit," Waye said.

She's been selling at flea markets since 1980. She said it began when she was going though a hard time in her life.

This has really saved my life.— Mary Waye

"My brother came home one day and said I'd stop feeling sorry for myself if I get out and do something which hurt and I finally agreed and he took me to the first flea market I went to, and they called it the Butler Building on the exhibitions grounds, and I've been doing the flea markets ever since," she said.

"This has really saved my life. And I mean it because I was down. You gotta keep busy, keep doing things."

Waye is known for selling dishware and fine China at the Sunday flea market on St. Peter's Road. She said she began collecting dishes from soap and cereal boxes during the Depression era in the 1930s.

"I've just seemed to fall into this because the Depression was on and as a little girl you followed around what was going on and in your Corn Flakes package would be some dishes."

Popular at the flea market

She now collects most of her stuff from yard sales and auctions. Sometimes people will call her if they're downsizing.

She said she doesn't know why she's so popular at the flea market.

"I try to be as nice as I can to people, sometimes it don't work that way. I can't take credit for anything. I'm just me."

Waye has agreed to keep selling at the flea market until Thanksgiving, or as long as she can find a drive.

"I enjoy this, and as long as I can have someone to take me. I never drove a car in my life, I always had to depend on people and they all have been very generous. I love these people out here."

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