Phillip Plymale, champion of the almost 50-year old De Anza Flea Market comes to check in on his work and meet with current DASB Senators
Phillip Plymale brings documents from the Senate’s history to show current Senators as he recalls the De Anza Student Body’s history.
December 7, 2019
Phillip Plymale, previous President of the now-named De Anza Student Body Senate from 1976 to 1977, recalled his time championing and developing the now almost 50-year old De Anza Flea Market as he met with current DASB Senators to discuss its future and its past.
Plymale attended De Anza from 1975 to 1978 and was President of the formerly named “Associated Students of De Anza.”
Plymale met with current DASB Senators armed with La Voz articles from the 70s, old letterhead, and a list of his old committee assignments from his time as student body President at De Anza.
“Look at all the wonderful documentation, you see, he has La Voz the year Star Wars came out,” Shelly Michael, current DASB Senate President said.
Plymale, now a retired civil engineer, was pulled aside to save the Flea Market which was suffering from low turnout and few vendors in the spring of 1976.
“Right after I became President, Marj Hinson, who was the Assistant Dean of student activities, pulled me aside and said it might be a really good opportunity as a fundraiser,” said Plymale.
The De Anza Flea Market is a student-led project that runs once a month on the first Saturday of the month and has continued nonstop for almost 50 years.
“I have been here twice in the last 15 years and that was 2011 and 2014, and I went to the Flea Market,” said Plymale.
When Plymale took over managing the market, it grew from just 100 vendors using the lower lot of parking lot A, to parking lots A and B with over 800 vendors in just a few months.
The strategy that saved the Flea Market was focusing on the advertising.
“The power of marketing, or the lack of power when you don’t have it,” said Plymale. “I’ve always wanted to meet with the Senate, and also the flea market coordinator and DASB Senate President.”
Michael said that the meeting was a great opportunity for the senate and that they were very appreciative that he stopped by and was willing to meet with them and work within their schedules.
“Seeing history, it’s not really a business meeting. We’re not really talking about business. We are really learning the history of the DASB Senate, it’s really valuable,” Michael said.
