Publisher's Synopsis
Introduction The inspiration for Traders Village came from a flea market in San Jose, Calif. It attracted the attention of investor J. C. Pace, who began his career in the grocery business and saw the potential of a major flea market in the growing Dallas-Fort Worth area. The rest is history. One day my family were riding around in the Southern part of Grand Prairie. We were driving down Mayfield Road and came upon this site. We wondered what it was going to be, so I took a picture of my wife Trudie and my two daughters. It happen to be Traders Village under construction. We were eager to lease a Space when it open. Trudie (my first wife) and I were selling housewares door to door on weekends, mainly on Saturdays in the West Dallas Housing Project. We had accumulated over 700 customers. One weekend we were about to come home after working all day. Two Black guys were sitting in a car. One asked me if I could give him a push to get his car started. He said all he needed was a short push. Well, I pushed him and the car didn't start. This went on for about three Streets in the Project. We finally got to the corner of Bickers and Westmorland. He made the corner on Westmoreland heading North beckoning for me to push him some more. Trudie told me don't push them anymore. We got to go home and pick up my children. Mrs. Sally is worried. We got to go home now, we tried to help them. I followed Trudie decision and turn South to go home. I looked as I was turning to go home the guy cranked up the car and drove off. That was a wake up call. From that day on, I became leery of West Dallas. I began to be very careful when we went to the Projects and leave as soon as possible. This book is dedicated to Trudie for saving my life when she told me to turn and go home. We both could have gotten murdered that day, I also had a pocket full of money. I would not be alive today to write this book if that had happen. Therlee Gipson
