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
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Honesty in word and deed
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Clean, comfortable and safe accommodations
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Meaningful work for all employees
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An attitude of service with a personal touch
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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 | 
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 1979 | Auction barn was destroyed by a fire
Barn was rebuilt in 3 months |
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| 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 |
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| 1988 | Built new restaurant, seats 250 Old restaurant renovated into office building |
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| 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. |  |
