SOUTH PORTLAND — Travis Jordan stood at his booth Saturday morning inside the fledgling South Portland Flea Market, surrounded by the stained-glass artistry of his twin sister, Tracy.

"We want to get our business out there," Jordan said when asked why, in this barely sputtering economy, he was here on this frigid February morning. "We're setting up a Web site that should be up and running by next week."

Jordan figures he's sent out close to 70 resumes since losing his job last fall as a manager for American General Financial Services in Auburn. And like so many out-of-work Mainers, he's still looking.

"It's horrible out there right now," he said.

Hence, the debut of 1 of a Kind Designz, featuring stained-glass pictures, jewelry and even a table with a spiraling, stained-glass mosaic top. Now all Jordan needed was a customer.

"You've got to stay positive about it," he said, managing an optimistic smile.

It's too soon to tell whether this indoor flea market, launched last weekend by Louis Maietta, will ever fly.

Its location, inside a former lawn-and-garden equipment dealership at 753 Broadway, has high traffic volume written all over it. But its timing – well, let's just say there aren't a lot of people out there looking to spend money these days.

Yet there they sat at the market's 8 a.m. opening, nine vendors hoping against hope that someone, anyone, might wander in and plunk down a buck or two for ...

"They're all salt and pepper shakers," said Wayne Gray, 71, of South Portland. "They're not the type you put on the table with salt and pepper in 'em. These are collector's items."

The shakers, mostly sets of animal figurines, belonged to Gray's mother before she passed away last month. He sold the more valuable ones to a dealer a few weeks ago and now looked to unload the rest for anywhere from $2 to $6 a pair.

And if shakers weren't your thing, Gray had several pairs of handmade, double-bottom moccasins (he made them himself), embroidered pillows and ceramic horses. He even had a pile of videos that he bought for 25 cents each and hoped to flip for a buck apiece (with a little prodding, he'll do 75 cents).

Gray, who's been unemployed since the local bakery where he worked closed in 2006, is bullish on the flea market.

He figures he can sit at home and worry about his health – he has circulation problems in his legs and feet – or he can set up shop here and hope for the best.

"You'll always have people who go to flea markets and yard sales, no matter what," Gray said. "I think this will work with a little marketing. It's clean, it's all on one floor, and you've got a good crowd going by."

Owner Maietta created the 3,500-square-foot market because, truth be told, it was better than maintaining a vacant building – which this had been since Yerxa's Lawn and Garden Center moved out in late 2007.

At $45 per week for a table to $240 per month for a booth, Maietta knows he'll need many more vendors to make this venture profitable. But what else can he do?

"This space has been empty for the last 13 months," he said. "Right now, if we can pay for the heat and the lights, I'm happy."

It's chicken-and-egg economics at its most basic: More vendors will come if the market draws more customers. And more customers will come if they see more vendors.

But even if the customers do come, will they spend? And if so, how much?

"I think everyone can afford to spend 20, 30, 40 or 50 bucks," said Cindy Delapiedra of Saco, who sells baby alpaca scarves, mittens, hats, blankets, slippers and sweaters – all imported by her husband, Juan, from his native Peru.

Holding up a pair of soft, white slippers – yours for $28 – Delapiedra noted, "You can't go into even L.L. Bean and get stuff this warm. ... I think South Portland...