Upcoming Events
March 17
Antique Specialty Auction
March 26
Draft Horse Auction
March 27
Standardbred Sale
April 2
Good Friday Horse Sale
more events...

 

 

 

345 S Van Buren St
PO Box 185
Shipshewana, IN 46565
260-768-4129
EMAIL US!

Trading Place, LLC
Shipshewana Auction, Inc.

Livestock Auction . . . Antique Auction . . . Horse Auction
Flea Market . . . Farmstead Inn . . . Antique Gallery
Restaurant and Food Service

Our mission, in bringing together seller and buyer, is to offer efficient operations in a high-volume market, to ensure mutual satisfaction for all parties in transactions and to promote an enjoyable visit to Shipshewana.

Supporting this mission are our organization values:

- A reverence for God and a commitment to the Golden Rule
- Respect for the community
- Genuine hospitality for the visitor
- Friendliness in all interaction
- Honesty in word and deed
- Clean, comfortable and safe accommodations
- Meaningful work for all employees
- An attitude of service with a personal touch
- Commitment to flexibility and dependability
- Support to each part of business by all
- Healthy confidence in providing quality service

Shipshewana Auction History

1922 What is now one of the most popular destinations in the Midwest started in 1922 when six pigs, seven cows and several head of young cattle were sold at the home of George Curtis during the very first auction.  
1926 Business grew so rapidly, George Curtis built a barn at the same location
1930 First Auction Restaurant was in Curtis' garage  
1946 Curtis sold the auction to Fred Lambright  
     
1947 Built new sale barn at present location.
Put in a large scale and sold fat hogs and cattle by the pound.
A roof was built for the flea market, though people continued to sell out of their car trunks.
Auction motto: Large Enough to Serve You, Small Enough to Know You
1950 Built auction restaurant, seated 50-60 people
1961 Auction purchased by Fred's nephew, Walter Schrock  
1968 Expanded flea market grounds, growing from 100 to 400 vendors. Misc. Auction increased from 4 to 10 auctioneers.
1977 Built carry-out (A) restaurant in the flea market  
1978 Built 200' x 80' misc. barn, enclosed in fall of 1980
and added a snack bar to the misc. barn
 
1979 Auction barn was destroyed by a fire
Barn was rebuilt in 3 months
1981 Robert, Keith & Kevin Lambright purchased auction (son and grandsons of Fred Lambright)
1984 Expanded the flea market to 1,000 spaces
Enlarged the old restaurant to seat 110 people
 
1988 Built new restaurant, seats 250
Old restaurant renovated into office building
1992 Robert Lambright passed away at age 65 after fighting cancer for several years, leaving sons Keith and Kevin to run the business  
1993 Carry-out (B & C) restaurants and three small drink stands added to flea market  
1997 Farmstead Inn, 85-room hotel built across the street from the auction
1998 31,000 sq.ft. Antique Gallery built next door to Farmstead Inn
2001 Added a 4th carry-out (D) in the flea market  
2004 69 rooms and a 15,000 sq.ft. Conference Center were added to the Farmstead Inn
2007 4 Rest Areas were added to the flea market.
2008 70 camping sites with full hook-ups were put in on the south side of the flea market parking area, creating Shipshewana RV Park.
2009 Officially joined the Quilt Gardens Tour, planting the Shoofly Garden in front of the Farmstead Inn.