Families were met with debris and ashes at the Don-West Flea Market on Sunday after a fire destroyed the structure. 

Hector Blanco and his wife spent their Sunday the same way they have for a decade.

"I use to buy a lot of antiques and associate here at the restaurant and drink a few beers," Blanco said. 

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Blanco says the market, which was destroyed on Saturday, was one of a kind and a unique place to visit.

"Real nice beautiful people, Winter Texans," Blanco said. "I met a lot of people and it's so sad that this happened all of a sudden."

Blanco says the market offered a special contribution to the Valley. He says he is looking forward to the time he can help to rebuild.

"A lot of Winter Texans brought their stuff from upstate and sold it here, their bright ideas," Blanco said. "They were super brilliant stuff that you can't really find here in the Valley."

Shop owners stopped by to look at the aftermath and said they are devastated.

The DeLeon family has made the trip from Peñitas almost every weekend for more than 10 years.

"There's a guy here that fixes watches and stuff," said Adela DeLeon. "We like to buy the knots and stuff and vegetables. We like to look around and we love to shop here."

The vendors here offered jewelry, food and unique items.

For the Deleon family, it was more than a place to shop -- they say it was an experience, a place where they felt welcome.

The Hidalgo County Fire Marshals are investigating the cause of the fire.