You can view this touching visit to the family via the following YouTube video: Wolff's Flea Market: Reunions & Returns
My brother Donald and I own Wolff’s Flea Markets in Rosemont and Palatine. I enjoyed reading your column in the Sun-Times: Do we own stuff, or does stuff own us? I have a great interest in the collection of “stuff” on both a personal and business level.
Over the past 21 years, I have seen all sorts of “stuff” land at the flea market, from rare collectibles, excess belongings and odd kitsch to plain old junk and brand new items. Consistently interesting seems to be the merchandise offered by two types of vendors. First, there are vendors who spend all week scouring estate sales for valuables to resell at the flea market. Likewise, “professional” storage auction bidders (ala Storage Wars on A&E) may not always know what they will uncover in their haul. The individuals who purchase storage lockers bid on units without complete knowledge of the contents. They hope to find treasure lurking behind the façade. They combine instincts, past experiences and mere hunches to determine whether or not to bid based on a mere glimpse of the opened locker.
Recently one of our “Storage War” type vendors purchased a locker that contained a very unique group of items: the cremated remains of an individual along with his personal effects, a photo album and the Guest Book from his funeral service. The vendor showed this unusual find to my brother, Donald, who in turn felt awful that these priceless memories were reduced to such an impersonal fate. He proceeded to purchase everything (for $5) with the intent to return the mementos to the gentleman’s family. Donald and I spent much time online researching the documents and Guest Book signatures. Within a few weeks, we found the man’s mother and brother who were living in Chicago. Donald contacted the family and returned the remains.
Dave Wolff
Wolff's Flea Market
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