The 88,000 square foot building housing the Jolly Giant Flea Market began life in the early 1950's as Anderson Plywood. Here logs where turned into veneer and sold to various plywood mills on the West Coast. After many additions, Gold Rey Corporation acquired the building and set it up as a reloading center for East Coast lumber and plywood buyers. That business abruptly closed in 1976. At that time Jim Smith and his father Keith Smith bought the building. There was a vague plan in place that the building would continue to be used in the lumber industry and indeed it was until January of 1980 when it became clear that economic conditions would not support a lumber operation.

On April 12, 1980, Jim and his dad started the Jolly Giant flea market. The rest is history. Today the flea market is managed by Jim and his wife, Patti, and Jim's brother Tom, who joined the enterprise in the year 2000. The Jolly Giant operation is stronger than ever. The Jolly Giant vendors, the Jolly Giant buyers and management have worked together to make the Jolly Giant one of the West Coast's great flea markets.