Parking lots, driveways and pull offs were bursting with sales Saturday as the Hwy 15 Yard Sale brought out hundreds of shoppers and sellers alike.
In Decatur, Citizens Bank parking lot was laden with folding tables and camp chairs boasting a plethora of household items, clothing and furniture for neighbors and visitors to browse.
Brenda Harper, Decatur city clerk, was out early Saturday to catch those early morning shoppers trying to get the first crack at the Decatur City-Wide Yard Sale.
“I’ve been doing good,” she said. “I’m about sold out.”
Harper said she had her yard sale goods set out shortly after 7 a.m., and by 9 a.m., she was about out of things to sell.
Nearby, other Decaturites unloaded SUVs, while yet others wrestled a twin-sized mattress into a waiting pickup, taking home their shopping haul.
North of Decatur passed dozens of tables and booths set up along the road, Nancy Townsend had set up shop at the old Marshal Ford building. A three-time veteran of the Hwy 15 Yard Sale, Townsend said she was glad to see so many sales and shoppers participating in this year’s event.
“It’s picked up,” she said. “People are saying there’s more yard sales along the highway.”
The first Hwy 15 Yard Sale, Townsend recalled, didn’t have much of a turnout. She said there were only a few people selling items, not enough to draw shoppers from surrounding areas.
“The first time, there was nothing between Newton and here,” she said. “I’m glad to see it catching on.”
Saturday brought more sales and more shoppers than many recalled seeing before. Townsend and Harper were just two of the dozens of residents set up along the length of the road, and even more vendors and sellers camped out at Union’s Hwy 15 Flea Market and The Place on Main Street in Newton.
Townsend said she hopes the event will continue to grow, bringing in more sales and more shoppers to the area for years to come.
