Shipshewana Trading Place

What Shipshewana Trading Place does

Shipshewana Trading Place (legal entity Shipshewana Auction, Inc.) is a family-owned destination marketplace and hospitality business founded in 1922 in Shipshewana, Indiana, just off I-80/90 in Indiana's Amish Country. The company operates the "Midwest's Largest Flea Market" on 40+ acres with 600+ vendor spaces (nearly 700 vendors) that runs seasonally from May through September, and conducts year-round weekly auctions in three formats: an Antique & Misc. Auction (Wednesdays, 9am, with 6–9 auctioneers selling 2,000+ items simultaneously in an 80'x200' enclosed facility), a Livestock Auction (Wednesdays, est. 1922), and a Horse Auction (Fridays). The business also operates an integrated hospitality and event portfolio — a 151-room Farmstead Inn & Conference Center directly across from the auction grounds, a 165-site full-hookup RV Park with an on-site RV Service Center, the Shipshewana Auction Restaurant, the Farmhouse on Farver vacation rental, and a retail meat operation (Cedar Creek Meats) in Laotto, IN — plus recurring special events (Swap Meets, Antique Markets, Ship-Chic Craft & Vintage Shows, Lights of Joy Christmas drive-thru).

The revenue model is fundamentally transaction- and usage-based across multiple streams: flea market and special-event vendor space rental ($25–$200 per space), tiered auction commissions on gross sales (Antique 9–30%, Livestock 1–4.5% across cattle/pigs/sheep/goats, Horse 8% with minimums), and nightly lodging/RV fees ($135–$149/night packages at Farmstead Inn). Customer segments are highly diversified and B2C/SMB-heavy: 350,000+ annual shoppers, antique dealers, Midwest livestock farmers, horse buyers and sellers, RV travelers, group event planners, and craft vendors. Distribution is overwhelmingly physical and destination-based; the only online channel referenced is AuctionZip.com for antique auction previews. The current ownership structure was set when Keith Lambright completed full purchase of the business in September 2015; he has operated it since 1981 and is now joined in operations by his son Brian Lambright (Operations Director) and daughters in the livestock office.

Name

Shipshewana Trading Place

Legal name

Shipshewana Auction, Inc.

Website

https://shipshewanatradingplace.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1922

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Shipshewana Trading Place is a family-owned 1922 destination marketplace in Shipshewana, Indiana, operating the Midwest's largest flea market, three weekly auction formats (Antique, Livestock, Horse), a 151-room hotel, an RV park, and ancillary hospitality and retail businesses, serving 350,000+ annual visitors and hundreds of vendors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Destination Marketplace and Live Auctions

akta.pro primary industry

Auction-based Generalist Marketplaces (CRAFAAAC)

Keywords

• Flea market vendor spaces
• Weekly livestock auctions
• Antique auction services
• Horse auction sales
• Amish country lodging

Headquarters

HQ city

Shipshewana

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Flea Market Vendor Fees: Revenue from renting vendor spaces at the outdoor flea market. The flea market operates May-September with 600+ vendor spaces on 40+ acres, attracting 350k+ shoppers annually.
2. Auction Commissions: Commissions from Antique & Misc. Auction (rates vary from 9-30% based on gross sales), Livestock Auction (fees ranging from 1-4.5% for cattle, 3% for pigs, $7.75 per head for sheep/goats), and Horse Auction (8% commission with minimums). Multiple auctioneers sell simultaneously with 2000+ items weekly.
3. Farmstead Inn & Conference Center: Hotel accommodation revenue from 151 rooms including Classic Rooms, Grand Rooms, and Suites. Packages range from $149/night for auction/flea market packages. Additional revenue from venue rental for events, meetings, and conferences.
4. RV Park & Service Center: 165 full-hookup RV sites on flea market grounds, open April 15 - November 15. RV service center offers Full PDI, warranty work, service work, add-on sales and installation, and winterizing services.
5. Special Events: Revenue from special events including Antique Markets (indoor vendor fees $100-200), Ship-Chic Craft Shows ($65/space), Swap Meets ($25/space), and Lights of Joy Christmas drive-thru. Additional vendor fees for special horse sales.
6. Restaurant: Shipshewana Auction Restaurant serving breakfast and lunch, open during auction and flea market days.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Shipshewana Trading Place operates a destination marketplace and auction complex in Indiana's Amish Country. The core offering centers on the Midwest's largest flea market with 600+ vendor spaces on 40+ acres, weekly year-round antique, livestock, and horse auctions conducted by 6-9 simultaneous auctioneers, supported by a 151-room hotel, 165-site RV park, restaurant, and event venue serving 350k+ annual visitors.

Product overview

Shipshewana Trading Place is a destination hospitality and marketplace business offering a portfolio of complementary services centered around live auctions, flea markets, and lodging in Indiana's Amish Country. The core offering consists of the Shipshewana Flea Market (600+ vendor spaces, 40+ acres), multiple auction venues (Antique & Misc. Auction, Livestock Auction, Horse Auction), and special events (Swap Meets, Antique Markets, Ship-Chic Craft Shows). Supporting services include the Farmstead Inn (151-room hotel with conference facilities), Shipshewana RV Park (165 sites), Shipshewana Auction Restaurant, Farmhouse on Farver vacation rental, and Cedar Creek Meats retail outlet. The business operates year-round with seasonal variations, serving approximately 350,000+ annual shoppers across its various venues.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shipshewana Flea Market
• Shipshewana Antique & Miscellaneous Auction
• Shipshewana Livestock Auction Weekly livestock auction held every Wednesday year-round at 10am, selling hay, pigs, cows, sheep, goats, and cattle. Features organic handling certification and a detailed weekly market report. Targeted at Midwest farmers, ranchers, and livestock producers.
• Shipshewana Horse Auction
• Farmstead Inn & Conference Center
• Shipshewana RV Park
• Shipshewana Auction Restaurant
• Shipshewana Swap Meets
• Shipshewana Antique Markets
• Ship-Chic Craft & Vintage Shows
• Shipshewana's Lights of Joy
• Farmhouse on Farver
• Cedar Creek Meats
• Venue and Event Space Rental
• Shipshewana RV Service Center RV Service Center offering Full PDI, warranty work, service work, add-on sales and installation, and winterizing services. Targeted at RV owners and travelers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 600+ vendor spaces on 40+ acres
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Cedar Creek MeatsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCedar Creek Meats is a local meat processor located at 11776 E SR 205 in Laotto, IN 46763. They provide local meat products including grass-fed beef, grain-fed beef, freezer beef/pork, and smoked snack sticks. This partnership provides additional services to livestock auction sellers and visitors seeking quality local meat products.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Canton First Monday Trade Days: Monthly outdoor flea market in Texas covering hundreds of acres with thousands of vendors. Comparable vendor-driven marketplace with antiques, livestock-adjacent goods, and event-based revenue.
• Renninger's Antique and Farmers Market: Multi-location outdoor antique and flea market operator in Pennsylvania, Florida, and Illinois. Directly comparable as a regional antique/flea market destination with vendor booth rentals, antique auctions, and special events targeting treasure-hunting consumers.
• Round Top Antiques Fair: Semi-annual massive antique and flea market in Texas featuring thousands of vendors across multiple venues. Comparable as a destination-scale antique marketplace with vendor fees, special events, and tourism-driven customer traffic.
• Brimfield Antique Show: Legendary tri-annual outdoor antique and flea market in Massachusetts. Directly comparable as a large-scale vendor-based antique marketplace with seasonal events and tourism-driven traffic.
• Springfield Antique Show & Flea Market: Long-running weekly antique and flea market in Ohio. Directly comparable as a regional destination antique marketplace with vendor booth rentals and weekly auction-style events.

Broad incumbents

• Blue Gate Garden Inn: Amish Country hotel and entertainment destination in nearby Shipshewana, Indiana, featuring lodging, dining, and theater. Comparable as a destination hospitality business serving the same Amish Country tourism market.

Regional players

• Dutch Creek Amish Furniture & Goods: Regional Amish Country vendor and marketplace serving tourism-driven shoppers in Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Comparable as a regional destination marketplace and goods vendor in Amish Country.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/shipshefleamkt
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ShipshewanaFleaMarket
• Facebookfacebook.com/ShipshewanaFleaMarket
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shipshewana-trading-place
• Instagraminstagram.com/shipshewana_flea_market
• Pinterestpinterest.com/shipshefleamkt

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shipshewana Trading Place