CANFIELD — As times change, the Gburs from Austintown adapt.

As a hobby, Mary and Robert Gbur set up their merchandise each year at the annual Dave and Ed’s Super Swap Meet at the Canfield Fairgrounds.

“This is something we do for fun,” Mary said.

Robert explained that he was interested in drag racing and had high-performance pieces to sell.

As the years go by and the demand for various items changes, however, so do the Gburs.

Nowadays, their space is filled with items ranging from toys to repurposed drive-in speakers to personalized traffic signs.

“We enjoy doing this,” Mary said.

For the last 19 years, they have attended the swap meet as vendors, taking this annual weekend to reconnect with old friends.

“You meet the people you haven’t seen for a long time,” Robert said.

One thing Robert said the couple has noticed is that the eastern states hold onto more nostalgia to items, while the farther west they look, people may not know what some pieces are.

“It’s different how in different parts of the country, stuff will sell,” Robert said.

Their favorite part to explore and work is the Midwest, they agreed.

Something else the Gburs enjoy is traveling around the United States, noting they have only four states left to visit: Alaska, Utah, Rhode Island and Delaware.

It’s in their travels that they see items or inspiration to incorporate into their sales, which until the COVID-19 pandemic this year were held in various states.

As she made her way around the swap meet, Betty Solomon was greeted by many smiling faces Friday.

Solomon, who is an employee of Dave and Ed’s Super AutoEvents in Canton, handles a portion of the organization for the swap meet.

The swap meet has been an annual event for 35 years, but Solomon said it came to the Canfield Fairgrounds 27 years ago.

This year, there were about 950 vendors throughout the grounds, which Solomon said has come to include more than car parts.

Now, vendors sell everything from food to purses to flags, Solomon said.

Each year, vendors and customers meet up, Solomon said, calling the time “a big family reunion.”

This year, people visiting the event may not have known, but Solomon said a new owner, Corey Ward, took over and vows to keep the swap meet exactly as it’s been for years.

The meet continues today and Sunday, with $7 daily admission.

On Sunday, members of law enforcement, firefighters and veterans will get in free with identification, Solomon said.

afox@tribtoday.com