The community of Bayport, Minnesota yielded up a very pleasant surprise this last Friday. Home to Andersen Windows, the community has a very interesting demographic. The company has been very generous with its employees, so you have this town of craftspeople who work with their hands, who also have a very nice standard of living. So, put money in the hands of working people and what do you get? Well, for one thing, a fabulous community-wide yard sale!
After a full morning of yard sales, we drove to Brainerd, Minnesota to catch the sale 'round Round Lake, but we were so tired we didn't wake up until 9:45. By the time we got out there the locusts (what I'm calling the hoards of shoppers descending on established neighborhood sales this year) had already come through, leaving pretty much baby shoes and Christmas ornaments in their wake.
Find of the day
Combination log saw and machete
price - $6
sold
Hold it one way, and it's a saw
Flip it over, and it's an unusually heavy machete
Now, six bucks is pretty steep for a yard sale, but this is the ideal thing for me to bring along hiking in Colorado. Let a tree fall across the trail. Ha! I'm ready.
Least likely thing to be bought by me
Gold car
price - Twenty-two thousand five hundred dollars and no cents.
no sale
Okay, it's a nice car. Unbelievably wonderful? No.
Other things we did and did not buy
Bayport bike
price - $15
no sale
We don't need any bikes, but we're following their price as an indicator of the economy. Things appear to be going better in Bayport than other parts of the Twin Cities, where the prices asked for used bikes have been skyrocketing.
Easy-bake oven
price - didn't notice
no sale
I just thought this would bring back memories for some of you.
Ice auger
price - didn't notice
no sale
Ah, yes. A morning of sitting on the ice after listening to the whine of a two stroke engine. That does not describe my world.
Barbed wire
price - $5
no sale
Nice price though. I remember stringing some of this in the woods with my dad, up a rather steep hill. It got away from us a couple times, presenting us with a choice: 1) go down the hill, fetch it and rewind it on the way back up, or 2) tackle it. Believe it or not, #2 is the right answer.
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The sale 'round Round Lake was interesting. There wasn't much of a shoulder on the road, and no one seemed to want people driving up their access roads. This made for some close calls between shoppers and those in a hurry to get on their way.
Did I mention people didn't want you bringing your car up their driveways? Mmmmm. It was really hard to tell whether a sale was worth going to, but I wasn't into taking any chances, so I got in a lot of exercise. Anyway, back to what we did and didn't buy.
Great foosball table
price - couldn't bear to ask
no sale
I have an open order for a good foosball table, and this is a doosie. My plan is to strap it on the top of the car and deliver it to Lady Gay, but I'm not about to haul it all the way from Brainerd to St. Paul that way. Rats. Man, this was a nice table.
Plumbing fixture
price - $15
no sale
Don't tell me you paid $15 for this retail. Don't tell me you paid more than that either. Please, I mean, spare me.
.
Quart-size La Croix Bottling Company bottle
price - $1
sold
I don't know if it's rare or common, but the eagle in the slug plate adds appeal either way. And it's clearly a cool bottle.
Nail gun
price - $10
sold
The tag said, "works" so I bought it without question. You have to understand; this is Minnesota.
Perfume bottle with glass stopper
price - 75 cents
Ink bottle with label and contents
price - 25 cents
Insulators
price - 25 cents each
sold, sold, sold
Stucco tape
price - 75 cents a roll
sold
It's a lot like duct tape from what I can tell, and it can be quite expensive. So, who doesn't need a whole lot of duct tape? Yes, that is a rhetorical question, isn't it?
.
Lightning jars
price - $2 each
so sold
This is a highly desired make of jar. The tops are rough-ground, indicating considerable age.
Records
price - 50 cents each
sold
I checked one record and saw it was in pristine condition, so I just started grabbing and checked the rest on the way home. Sadly, the Edith Piaf record was warped. The rest are in great shape. The Pablo label always has great stuff. I like Elvis, but fat Elvis I'll pass on to a record store, as I do all Sinatra. Cha Cha Cha and Mambo records are a particular passion of mine.
Three more suncatchers
price - $2 for the group
sold
The ones on the right are what's available to retailers today, while the parrot is a style I see a lot at yard sales only. These are not for us, but rather for resale.
Faux tapestry print (new)
price - free
sold
This was in a free box, and I can't see any wear at all. I'd give it away too, if I didn't have an avenue for selling it.
Two brand new shirts with tags
price - $2 each
sold
I really like these pictures of Janie.
New high tech walker with brakes
price - $20
sold
Janie can walk, but walkers tend not to offer enough stability. This one is particularly sturdy, and I'll look into some modifications. If it doesn't work, we're out, what . . . nothing. These sorts of things really pay off. We once found a new power wheelchair at a garage sale for $200 . . .
"H" glasses
price - $4
sold
We have some smaller "RH" glasses my mother-in-law found in a thrift shop, and these are a bit larger for flexibility.
.
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Would You Buy This or Not is a weekly feature in its 4th season on Gather. If you'd like to read other episodes, just google "would you buy this or not" or "to buy or not to buy" (don't forget the quotes).
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Comments: 41
The Easy-Bake is fun, and I'm thrilled Janie got the walker! We might have bought the insulators, we have a few-a couple large unique ones. Hubby is a power company guy, so they actually appeal to him.
Insulators were a big deal back in Colorado in the 70s. The craze seems to have slipped some, but there are always the rare or desireable ones that hold their value. It's also something people can get into collecting without shelling out too much cash.
We'll see about the walker. It was hard to ignore at that price, even though it may turn out to be too much bother for her. She has a lot of different interests, and believe it or not, walking is not one of her top priorities.
You're right about that price on the walker. The stability on these varies wildly, and finding a good one under $150 is almost impossible. I watched these when my father's Parkinson's began progressing ... we got something else, but it was an interesting study in styles and prices.
Unfortunately, the cost of medical devices incorporates a whopping amount of liability insurance. I'm not saying that's what's wrong with our medical system though - that would be the "avoid covering people whenever possible" companies.
Having purchased some devices in-person and some from the net, though, there is an enormous markup at many local stores (more so than other items). Makes you think.
I think stores that specialize in medical equipment can play on our insecurities about the safety of equipment bought used or from less "formal" outlets. We bought a used wheelchair, only to find out it lacked "wheelie bars" after Janie flipped over backwards attempting to go through a high curb cut. Of course this is after the medical equipment shop gave it the okay, so we don't go to that store any more.
That was a learning experience. Thanks for sharing and describing your finds. You got some good deals.
Thank you, Alison!
Oh how d yu always find these garage sales? I would have a hay day going to all of them.
Practice. We go all the time. I know neighborhoods to avoid, I return to places what have a good yardsale vibe. I used to shun rummage sales, but have since learned that you can't go wrong with a good bag sale.
I love to go garage saling. Iwould of loved getting that dresser an little two draw draw dresser/night stand beside it. That would go great in my daughters room. It is cute.
When I took the picture, I thought "what a pile of junk", but looking later, those are two quite fine dressers, indeed.
You hit some good ones. For sure I would've taken all the glass jars. And I would've also asked if they were selling that crock in the background of the picture with Janie and the shirts. I also liked that car but normally don't carry around $22,500 at a garage sale. lol That is pretty sharp though. I would've asked about the Foosball table. Hubby would've probably checked out the nail gun. I'm not sure he would've bought it, but you never know. I'm going tomorrow. Can't wait. Woo-Hoo!!
Ah, you mean that 20-gallon crock in our house : ) We did buy that at a yard sale. We have about 25 crocks around the house, some cracked, some not. There just so useful, we rarely pass them by, and they're worth waaaaay more than we've invested in them.
I'll use the nail gun just enough to know it works before reselling it. My house design calls for very few nails (post and beam frame with unsulated cordwood making up the walls). When I get around to building it, I expect to spend no more than $10,000 for materials.
Great find on the walker. Those go for a pretty penny and $20 is a steal! The larger tires make it easier for ambulation too.
The Easy Bake Oven is an oldie!
I have quite a few insulators hanging out in odd places in my home. I love the blue ones.
There was a time, Sarina that a person could walk an old telegraph route and find lots of purple insulators. No longer, unfortunately. If I had a shop locally, I'd certainly have picked up the easy bake oven for resale.
How much do you think that barbed wire would be worth at a scrap metal yard? I actually may have picked up the Easy Bake Oven with a little more research. It would seem to have a nice collectors market to resell (possible rewired?) at a much higher price. Too bad you don't have a shop locally to sell to.... ; )
Well, there's nothing like learning something new. It was really bulky, and I don't have an outlet for toys. I guess I need to look in to that, but I'm busy teaching myself to improvise on my guitar and find inner peace and let's not forget the day job. Ah, so much to master.
Actually, last year galvanized steel might have brought a pretty good price, but where I sell metals - right now - they won't buy any quantity of steel short of a half ton. If you bring less, you can leave it with them, but they won't buy it. Tough crowd nowadays.
RE: I'm busy teaching myself to improvise on my guitar and find inner peace and let's not forget the day job
You certainly have your hands full already Ron! Add Gather to the mix, and you'd be hard pressed to even find the time to rewire and sell that oven. Good call.
Mmmm. I'm not rewiring anything. In my nightmares that's how I move on to the next act.
My point exactly. lol
sounds like a good day. that easy bake oven I would be selling on eBay or something
I know, I know. It didn't look heavy. It probably would be a good Ebay item.
You left a vintage Easy Bake Oven?!
Toy shows, Ron, toy shows. People go to them to buy their memories back and will pay crazy money for stuff like that.
I don't doubt that, E.M. Still, brass was going for $1.70 a pound this time last year and now it's .60 - I think I might not do as well with collectibles as I think. I agree with you, don't get me wrong, but I think there was a window there where people were paying crazy prices, and I'll bet if it isn't already shut, it's closing. We're growing up, and no, I don't want to.
There's still a toy show here twice a year. Wil goes and tells me the crazy prices people still pay for old Batman records and toys. It's not as huge a market as it was in the 80-90's, but there are still buyers for nostalgia.
Where do you live EM?
Central Ohio - the big city known as Cowtown or the Capital of the State.
I would have bought the oven. There are shows around here where I could sell that easily.
Toy shows. Okay. I'll see if we have one locally. But, any idea where I can sell tack - like hoof clippers and horseshoeing chaps? I've got plenty of weird stuff around the house already. I don't know about an eazy bake oven . . .
Did a hockey mask come with the saw/machete ?
It is perfectly scary, isn't it? I really do want to take it hiking with me. I only wish bears were smart enough to know what it is. I haven't had any trouble with bears, but they're getting more and more used to having humans around, and it's just a matter of time. Of course, my first 138 courses of action would not be combat . . .
Ron, I'd say that "Gold car price - Twenty-two thousand five hundred dollars and no cents." is no-sale pricing. On personal time I'm a big vintage camper van freak, and there are listing that are clearly meant to be "See, honey, other people are getting $xx,xxx.00 for these classics. I'll list it!" with the secret hope/knowledge it WON'T sell at that crazy price, but hey, he/she listed the car the spouse wants gone so badly. If it doesn't sell during prime classic season (spring / early summer) might as well keep it another year, because this beauty deserves solid dollar.
Not saying that's absolutely the case for the gold classic, just saying I've seen this pricing before and would file that gold car under "doesn't want to part with the car."
That's likely the case, Julia. I have driven all my cars into the ground. An '80 Toyota 4WD pickup only lasted me about 20,000 miles. That was fun, I tell you what . . .
Oh, right on! 20,000 miles in a reliable 4-wheel drive can be better than 120,000 in a car that means nothin' to a person. Was that your firewood business vehicle?
That was what destroyed it. That and hauling loads of stone weighing 2300 pounds. Poor thing.
Then I got a Chevy 3/4 ton. It didn't so much mind my antics.