If you’ve read my longest yard sale post from last year you know that the #127Sale runs from Gadsden, Alabama all the way to Michigan. The sale takes place the first full weekend in August, Thursday thru Sunday and no matter where you travel along the route, you’re sure to see lots of interesting items AND people.
The World’s Longest Yard Sale is just as the name implies. It’s a rolling yard sale where you encounter one yard sale after another along the entire route. Some sellers have more a professional set-up than others but the goal of making a sale is the same!
This dealer set-up shop in this custom house that just so happened to also be a trailer that be could hitch to his truck and pull. We saw several people with traveling shops like this.
Because the sale takes place in August, it is guaranteed to be HOT and most likely there will be some rain. We lucked out and didn’t have any rain on Thursday, but Friday and Saturday were another story.
Another thing that’s guaranteed during the sale is traffic. Hwy 127 is a two lane road so it’s pretty slow going when you come along spots with lots of tents and sellers.
Another thing you’ll have to get use to is using one of these. Portable potties are set-up at most of the major sale spots and most of them had a line of people waiting to use them. On a somewhat positive note, most of the porta-potties had TP!
There are small towns scattered along the route with hotels that many of the sellers and shoppers stay at, but you’ll also see some sellers camping out next to their sale site.
{if you want to stay at a hotel you have to book earlier as most of them are filled by March of each year}
On Thursday, we shopped from Gadsden, AL to Chattanooga.. TN and then drove about 30 minutes into downtown Chattanooga to stay at the Marriott. I’m so glad we booked the hotel because at the end of a long, hot day it was a treat to have dinner at a nice restaurant and to sleep in a plush bed. {yes, I’m spoiled}
One of the other cool things about the sale is that along the route you’ll see some beautiful homes and adorable country churches.
Now, let me show you what type of items were for sale…
There was lots and lots and lots of glassware. Some of it was old and vintage and some of it newer but just about anything you might want, you could find. Every year that we do the sale I see ladies shopping for dinnerware, glassware and china for weddings. This is a great way to find lots of unique pieces at good prices.
These glass jugs were nice but as with many of the items you’ll see along the route, they were over-priced. The sellers are trying to make the most they can during the sale and I also imagine many of them have to slash prices on the last day just to get rid of stuff.
{most sellers will negotiate so you should always ask “what is your best price”}
You will find lots of really cool vintage and antique pieces. This tricycle ride was so great and was in perfect working condition. It think it was for sale for $325.00.
You’ll find all kinds of collectible items along the route. This vendor had several tables of vintage lunch boxes and most were for sale between $20 and $50.
I loved this coffee marquee.
And these red chairs had great bones and just needed some new upholstery. The pair was $200. I looked for these on the way home but they apparently had sold.
There are always lots of old vintage gas station, car repair and automotive signs for sale.
Chairs are plentiful. I spotted one couple with a trailer full of chairs and suspect that they refinish them and sell them in a shop or booth somewhere. The chair above was $15 and the set below was $150.
I wanted to purchase the chair above but the seller only wanted to sell it with the two side chairs that matched. On the way home, I saw the arm chair sitting by itself, unsold!
This vintage tool cabinet was awesome. I would have loved to get it and use it to store crafting papers or supplies. The $350 price tag stopped me in my tracks.
One of the best collection of vintage thermos’ I’ve ever seen.
Old signs!
Lots of metal tubs and buckets which would make for some fun DIY projects.
And really cool vintage lanterns.
I saw lots of these really beautiful coffee jars for sale but most were pricey in my book.
And there was lots of misc. brass and copper for sale. I wasn’t in the mood to do any polishing so I passed on most of it.
On Friday we continued our trek and traveled from Chattanooga to Crossville, TN hitting stopping at sellers on one side of the road. Once we made it to Crossville we stopped for a bite to eat and a potty break and then turned about and made our way back to Chattanooga, stopping at vendors on the other side of the street. We stayed in another hotel in Chattanooga on Friday night, this time the Sheraton.
If you’ve never stayed at the Sheraton in downtown Chattanooga I highly recommend it. The hotel is in a historic building and the architectural details and rooms are really beautiful.
Saturday morning we hit the route, making our way back to Gadsden and finally home to Atlanta. In total we traveled 900 miles and can officially count the 2014 Longest Yard Sale as is one for the books!
Come back tomorrow to see what I purchased and get more insights on shopping this sale.
Looks like a great way to spend the weekend – minus the rain and humidity…but at least you had hotels to look forward to at the end of the days!