The action heated up early on Mt. Hermon Way where there were 7 sales within 2 blocks. All photos by Paul Goldfinger
Despite some intermittent light rain and clouds, the yard sale event on Saturday was successful. Only a few of the 45 families gave up in the face of the weather. Actually, the morning was busy for most sellers, and many buyers, responding to our advertising, came from out of town. By and large, this truly should have been called a “porch sale” because everyone who had a porch made good use of it.
Robin, a pre-K teacher from Ocean Twp, was buying fun and games for a PTO tricky tray event. She scored big on Inskip Ave at the far southern reaches of the Grove.
We were supposed to start at 9 a.m. but there always are early arrivers—often dealers or collectors. We had a vinyl collector show up first. He chose a $1.00 Joni Mitchell album. He said that he owns “thousands” of record albums, but “there’s always room for one more.”
Another guy asked us if we wanted to sell him silver or gold. He said, “I can pay better than other dealers because I have no overhead.” As I told him the bad news—no gold or silver on my porch— I imagined him under the Wesley Lake bridge weighing his gold and silver. Three women named Vicki arrived at our sale at the same time–perhaps a world record unless there is a Vicki Association somewhere.
Carl Swanson (CardsbyCarl.com) loved the action. “Now that spring is here, I have a new color palette.” We’ll show his latest work soon.
A group of 4 antique toy sellers had gathered in front of a garage on Inskip Ave. Because we had itemized the goods for sale on Blogfinger, they were able to connect with antique toy collectors, so they did very well.
Pat, a jewelry maker from Olin Ave, said that everyone who came to her sale wanted something that she didn’t have. “I make jewelry from Swaroski crystals, and some buyers thought my name was Crystal Swaroski,” she said. “I guess I need to bring my jewelry to a craft show.”
Pat Gordon. Ms. Swarosky. Lonely only on Olin.
But Carl Hoffman and I rode around to spot-check the sales, and almost everyone we visited said that they were having a good day. One seller complained that as the day went on, her pants got longer. We were baffled by that one until she explained that the bottoms were getting wet, so her pants were losing altitude. We left before the critical mass caused chaos.
Rose Marie Smith and Michael Termni of Stockton Ave. This is what a real garage sale looks like (A rare event in garageless OG)
As a social event, it was really a lot of fun. Grovers who were new in town got to meet neighbors, and neighbors formed partnerships and bonded with the folks next door or down the block. We had one buyer, a chubby guy with glasses, do an excellent 5 second impression of Rodney Dangerfield (“I don’t get no respect”—-In my mind I heard a rim shot).
A New Yorker named Nick had just blown into town by bus and immediately hit the sale trail. “I read Blogfinger every day at work,” he said. “Thank you for bringing us out-of-towners the OG news. I especially look forward to the crime reports.” (I’m thinking, “I really have to call Chief Adams and tell him we need more crime news.”)
Another New Yorker named Hubert, a young man browsing through my photographs, could not stop smiling because of little Grover Eddie, age almost-two, who was waving his Woody doll around and saying “Giddyup” over and over.
A woman came up on our porch, peered in our living room window and asked Eileen if she could buy an oriental covered dish that she saw on a table inside.
The Ferguson’s–This is what a porch sale should look like!
If any of you had some adventures at the sales yesterday, please click the “comments ” button” and share.
Next year, let’s see if we can get 100 addresses. And don’t forget, we will advertise your garage sale. Just send an email to blogfinger@verizon.net. It’s free, so let her rip. (Why are we offering this? Yard sales bring people and life into the Grove on Saturday mornings, and then they go home. I remember when OG was a boring place. )
—Paul Goldfinger, editor @Blogfinger
AMY WINEHOUSE. ( “You’re wondering now what to do….)
Dedicated to all the yard sellers who participated and made our event a success.
