Hamilton Beach garage sale still a hit
Posted with permission from the Hamilton Spectator
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Hamilton Spectator
By Carmela Fragomeni
Jul 13, 2015
Ashley Little was pretty pumped about scoring a fair-sized rocking horse for just $2 at the annual Hamilton Beach garage sale.
"The rocking horse is for my nephew, 19-month-old Jayden," she said Sunday along the two-kilometre stretch of "trash and treasures" at the gigantic yard sale on Beach Boulevard.
The event isn't as big as it used to be, but it's still an institution. And long after the sale's 7 a.m. start, there were loads of deals still to be had at 2 p.m., like the rocking horse. Everything from furniture, toys and clothes to old school desks and even two Corvette cars, one of them a 1999 model, was for sale.
Little smiles broadly as someone comments "nice horse." When she says she paid only two bucks for it, the reaction is "no way! That's awesome!"
Her mom, Joyce Little, says the family loves attending the sale and she particularly likes to check out new things homeowners have added to their places, like the front yard water feature she found this time and says "Look, that's beautiful".
Resident Rob Volc has been selling stuff for the past seven years and is happy with what he makes. "I got almost $800, so I did well."
Although more homeowners used to be involved, Volc says the sale Sunday was still "crazy" busy at 7 a.m. when it started because "that's when you get the good stuff."
Tasia Kingsley, 12, was thrilled with the free sunflower print she got for her bedroom wall and the two new iPod cases still in the packaging, for $1.
"We come every year," says her mother Chantale Kingsley, "'cause it's fun. You get lots of good deals."
Resident Denise Chaston, whose has participated in the garage sale every year since moving to Beach Boulevard 17 years ago says the morning is still quite busy, but the whole thing is "more and more spread out".
Resident John Dowell, who has lived on Beach Blvd. for 56 years — all of his life — says fewer people come every year for sale, always held on the second Sunday in July.
But he has seen the area change considerably over the years.
"The community used to be really nice, and then it went downhill for quite a few years. Now all of a sudden, it's the place to live."
Debra Isaac, also a longtime resident, says "It's becoming more of a middle-to-upper class community."
cfragomeni@thespec.com
905-526-3392 | @CarmatTheSpec