Garage Sales - The New American Past Time

On the East Coast they're called "tag" or "garage" sales. In some urban areas they're "stoop sales." Driving down a rural road one may see signs advertising "barn sales." In the Midwest, it's "rummage" or "yard" sales to find. No matter what they're called, these used item sales are a fun and profitable way to clean out the clutter. If you are a shopper or "Junker" it is treasures you may find.

Periodically, on the television show, "Antique Road Show", a person presents an item purchased for a few dollars at a garage sale only to find it to be worth much more. This is part of the rush when you are a "treasure finder". I myself purchased a lovely little bracelet for a quarter, then after cleaning it, I realized it was stamped as 14kt gold and carried a manufacture's imprint. Definitely a treasure! The beautiful antique desk I purchased for $10 looks great in my front foyer. I saw the same one, but in poor condition at an antique shop with a $100 price tag.

Garage sales are not only places to find bargains but have become social occasions. Neighborhood sales are fun to attend and hold. People move from garage to garage; sometimes sipping a cup of coffee or lemonade purchased from a child's stand, nibbling on a cookie and sharing a bit of local gossip. Sometimes these sales are timed with a festival or local special events. In some towns, they have become THE event.

People in Mid-Michigan, wait all year for the Annual Attic Sales held during Memorial Weekend in Chesaning. Over 100 garages, yards and barns are usually featured on the map provided to shoppers. Everything from farm equipment and household items to antiques and craft items can be found.

The Arlington Rummage Sale has been held for 49 years in rural Nebraska. According to a report on Omaha's WOWT 6 News, this sale has grown into the largest rummage sale in the U.S. Midwest. It opens at the Washington County Fairgrounds in early May. It runs through the weekend then wraps up with a bag sale and antique action on Sunday. The proceeds from the sales go to purchase equipment for Blair's Memorial Community Hospital.

Church rummage sales are another form of secondhand item sales that raise money for a purpose. Sometimes they're simply raising money for a youth group trip or a large event for mission work. Christ Church in Winnetka, Illinois is nationally renowned as the oldest and one of the highest-grossing church rummage sales ever. This event is held annually in October. According to the church website, in 2006 over $225,000 was raised and distributed to various charities and agencies in the Chicago area.

Many treasure hunters, or should I say "finders" enjoy visiting "flea markets" or "swap meets". The swap meet concept reportedly dales back to medieval times, when merchants hawked their wares in tents and horse-drawn carts. Swap meets have even been included in our own American History as more people moved west. Today's swap meets house new wares, antiques and collectibles.

The Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena, California is one of the largest on the West Coast. It offers discounted merchandise, handmade crafts, clothing and specialty foods as well as much, much more. In the West, swap meets feature more secondhand or nearly new items and discounted new items more than antiques and collectibles. This is somewhat limiting to the treasure hunter.

On the East Coast and in the Midwest, swap meets and flea markets feature more antiques and collectibles. Many people will flock to Princeton, Indiana June 22-24, 2007 for the Marvels Flea Market held at the Gibson County Fairgrounds. Collectors will also want to attend the Annual Huge Flea Market in Anamosa, Iowa in July.

Altogether, whether it is a multi-family barn sale in the country or a large swap meet during a festival, these events are great for unloading household items for a profit and finding treasures that you will appreciate for years to come.