10 // COASTWEEKEND.COM
THE WORLD’S LONG
FOR THREE DAYS
ON WASHINGTON’S
LONG BEACH PENINSULA,
BARGAINS ABOUND
By LYNETTE RAE McADAMS
Tom Miller tinkers with an old Coleman
lantern, tightening the top and adjusting the
bail before setting it on the “man table,”
with an assortment of other camping items
and small tools. “It pays to put this kind of
thing out in the open,” he says, “where it
can be seen from the road. The ladies will
always park and walk in for a closer look,
but if the guys can’t see what they’re after
with just a drive-by, there’s no hope of
reeling them in.”
From the other end of the yard, where
she is still pricing the last of a box of items,
his wife, Sharon, holds up a small bag of
lug nuts. “What do you want for these?” she
asks him.
“Honey, just put a dollar on them.”
She thinks for a second. “I want to put
$1.95.”
“What is this,” he asks, his voice an
equal measure of affection and teasing,
“Fred Meyer?”
She laughs out loud, then settles the
matter for good, tagging the lot with a bright
label: $1.65.
It’s just the sort of compromise you’d
expect after 55 years of marriage, but for
the Millers (and countless others up and
down Washington’s Long Beach Peninsula),
it’s also something more: practice for the
upcoming World’s Longest Garage Sale
— three full days of recycled capitalism at
its very fi nest — where every turn of the
28-mile road brings another opportunity to
barter your way to a bargain.
Hundreds (that’s right, hundreds) of sales
will once again dot neighborhoods, parking
PHOTO BY LYNETTE RAE MCADAMS
PHOTO BY LYNETTE RAE MCADAMS
Hers: When it comes to garage sales, neat-
ness counts! Clean, reasonably priced,
nicely displayed items make it easy on the
buyer.
Sharon Miller holds two antique Ball can-
ning jars--favorite items from the glass-
ware table at her annual Porch Sale on U
Street in Ocean Park, Washington.
lots and sidewalks throughout the Memorial
Day weekend, all participating in what’s be-
come a favorite local tradition for 20 years
running. Completely unsanctioned, unspon-
sored, and unoffi cial, this now famous grass
roots “event” attracts thousands of people
to the beach each year, wielding small bills
and large vehicles, breathless to sort through
piles of gently used furniture, books, an-
tiques, household items, tools, clothing and
unnecessary plastic objects of every kind,
all with the hope of turning someone else’s
trash into treasure.
“I enjoy it every year,” says Tom Miller,
who admits his favorite part is visiting with
repeat customers who seek out the Millers’
sale time and time again. “It’s neighbors and
families, all out together — it’s just a whole
lot of fun.”
And he’s absolutely right, it is. But with
so many sales vying for attention — from
Ilwaco all the way to Oysterville — it can
also be more than a little overwhelming.
Dear reader, fear not: Whether you’re a
buyer on the prowl for a deal on a Nor-
dicTrack, or a seller needing to offl oad
their supply of macrame plant hangers, the
following tips are sure to help you navigate
this one, long, fabulous weekend, full of
friendly supply and demand.
IF YOU’RE BUYING…
Mind your manners: Most sales run
Friday through Sunday, from 9 or 10 a.m.
until about 4 or 5 p.m. Please don’t show up
early or start knocking on doors during off
hours (it doesn’t matter that you’ve realized
you can’t live without that blue-ribboned
goose utensil holder you saw earlier in the
day; you had your chance, move on).
Strategize: With sales literally left and
right, it helps to plan a route, particularly if
you’re in it for the long haul. Check the ex-
tra fat section of classifi eds in the Chinook
PHOTO BY LYNETTE RAE MCADAMS
His: Tools and machinery (known as “man
stuff ” in garage sale parlance), are always
good sellers.
Observer for any novelty items, and map
your day around those specialty sales. Also,
consider your timing: Shopping earlier in
the day gives you more selection, but later
hours usually yield better deals.
Embrace change: Have a reserve of
small bills and a few coins at the ready. If
you’re in the market for big-ticket items,
load up on the cash, as very few sellers will
accept a personal check. (And whatever you
do, please don’t barter that 75-cent Snoopy
Christmas brooch all the way down to a
quarter, only to end up paying for it with a
$20 bill. Serious garage sale faux pas…)
Barter better: We all love a bargain, but
there’s a fi ne line between tactful and tacky.
Know how much you’re willing to pay for
an item before you start bidding, and be
fair — don’t just haggle for fun. Consider
buying in bulk and asking for a discount.
(They might be willing to cut a deal on their
Streisand collection if you’ll agree to take