History

Brook Farm General Market is housed in a nineteenth century dairy barn that was once part of the Kalamazoo State Hospital system. The barn is situated on land that was a working farm where patients raised food to feed themselves and the hospital system. Located north of downtown Kalamazoo, the site is now owned by Kent Fisher, who established the market in 1978. With his wife, Deborah, they have been the proprietors for over thirty years, providing a trusted source of merchandise for the local community.

What and how we buy

Brook Farm General Market specializes in buying and selling quality used items, mainly solid wood furniture, antiques and collectibles. The market’s inventory comes from local estates or homes where people want to scale back their possessions. We sell our furniture in “as-is” condition, which means good to excellent. We do not refinish; we clean and polish, and keep the price as low as we can to benefit our customers and keep our inventory constantly changing.

We buy from and sell to our local community. A lot of dealers and tourists just passing through make us a favorite destination when they are in town. Trust is a big part of our business. We put a lot of trust in our customers, and they have honored that.

What's in the store

In the barn you will find two floors full of interesting and useful items. You can expect to see a vast array of antique, collectible and contemporary used furniture to complement any and every room in your home or business. Whether your favorite style is Mid Century, Victorian, Country French, Arts and Crafts, Modern, or Empire, you name it and we may have it.

The lower level is filled to overflowing with collectible glassware, oriental art, picture frames, old photos, pottery, toys, old bottles, cameras, fine porcelain, clocks, books, records, candlesticks, cups and saucers, hats, kitchenware, Tobacciana, barware, jewelry and much, much more. This area must be seen to appreciate the treasure trove of items on display.

About Kent and Deborah Fisher

We have made a conscious decision to keep our business small and manageable. We do most of the work ourselves along with a small crew of excellent employees. Word-of-mouth has been our best advertising.

Besides working together in our business, a big part of our life is focused on our music. Our band is the Brook Farm String Band and we are well known in the area for playing American Traditional Music.