The Hwy. 15 yard sale, originally scheduled for the upcoming weekend, has now been postponed to June 11-14 from Newton to Louisville.
Timothy Bozeman, owner of the Jus Pickin in Philadelphia and one of the organizers of the event, said they were planning to go ahead with the sale this weekend, but plans changed on Friday when Gov. Tate Reeves announced the extension of the Safer at Home order. Included in that order is a requirement for anyone in Newton and Neshoba counties to wear masks at retail establishments and places where safe social distancing can’t be maintained. It also limited outdoor gatherings to no more than 20 people.
The Town of Decatur’s Yard Sale, which was also scheduled to coincide with the Hwy. 15 yard sale, has also been postponed to June 13.
Decatur Chamber of Commerce president Mark Buntyn said they usually try to hold the yard sale on the same weekend to help support the event, which brings shoppers from other counties and states.
“We are encouraging those who live in Decatur if they are going to have a yard sale to plan it for that day,” Buntyn said. “If you live outside the city, we are providing a space for anyone to have their own yard sale around the courthouse. We will block off one of the streets to traffic to provide a safe place for shoppers to come and shop at the yard sale.”
He’s also encouraging businesses to stay open for the anticipated increase in traffic.
Bozeman said they started the yard sale five years ago. He always enjoyed the regional U.S. Hwy. 11 Yard Sale, that goes from Meridian to Bristol, Va.
So a group of people got together to plan a yard sale from Newton to Louisville that could attract shoppers from surrounding areas. Five years later, they are seeing the fruits of their labor, as it heavy traffic during the twice annual sale.
“During the yard sale, we will have people coming from all over the state and parts of Alabama and other areas to shop the yard sale,” Bozeman said. “One person who owns a store said she shops this yard sale, and she is able to stock her store for the whole year from what she finds.”
While the yard sale attracts shoppers to travel the more than 50-mile route over the weekend, Bozeman sees a much larger impact than just what yard sale vendors see.
“They don’t just shop at the yard sale,” Bozeman said. “They are buying gas, eating here. Some are even booking hotels to stay here. It can have a huge impact on our area.”
For more information on the sale, log on to the Hwy. 15 Yard Sale Facebook Page.
