Junk Jaunt brings fun, visitors and big economic impact

BROKEN BOW - “It was just fun!” were the words of Mike Evans, veteran Junk Jaunt exhibitor since the beginning, stated. He noted due to COVID he saw about a third of his shoppers in masks. The traffic around Broken Bow and Custer County and even the entire Junk Jaunt route becomes 10 times more the days of Junk Jaunt.

Some locals stay home or leave the area, others are excited and look forward to it every year. With all that has been canceled this year, Junk Jaunt was the infusion that many businesses needed in the area with every hotel room booked, campgrounds full and restaurants busy.

Kelli Safranek of the Secret Garden has also been a part of Junk Jaunt for 17 years.

“In the beginning I had a few tables with my store, growing to over 38 tables and several buildings,” she said. “It was crazy! I was pulling merchandise out of the store room and restocking the store with new merchandise.”

Junk Jaunt attracts

people from all over, drawing them to rural Nebraska and lets them realize all that rural Nebraska has and they come back again to visit at different times of the year.

Joyce Richardson, co-owner of Runza and President of Custer Economic Development stated, “The economic impact of Junk Jaunt is huge. It is always one of the biggest weeks of our year and it held true this year.”

Richardson spearheaded a flyer on Custer County that was available to hand out to shoppers in the area to let visitors know of the career opportunities and also what is happening in housing in the county. You never know when someone might be looking for a change and a weekend like this is a great time to showcase the county as possibly a new place to live, work and play.

Richardson told the story of three couples that stopped at Runza. Richardson made a point to welcome as many to the community as she possibly could and find out about their story with Junk Jaunt. The couples came from Gordon to Junk Jaunt, but also stumbled across the horse sale at the Custer County Fair Grounds. They ended up purchasing two horses, then needed to find a way to transport them back to Gordon.

Richardson was out taking part in Junk Jaunt on Thursday in Sargent when another shopper complemented her on the shirt she was wearing. She could proudly say it was purchased in Broken Bow at Square One. Richardson found out later that person did stop by and purchase clothing. Coming to Junk Jaunt and shopping for more, than vendors in Junk Jaunt is what the event is all about and the dominio effect the economic impact has on the local economy.

When asked to put some economic numbers down, Andrew Ambriz, Executive Director of Custer Economic Development Corporation, stated, “The numbers are near impossible to truly know because of the nature of Junk Jaunt; it’s sporadic, covers a large geographic area and the spending habit of Jaunters are totally unpredictable. But it doesn’t mean we can’t take a shot. Aside from Grand Island, Broken Bow is the largest community with great participation in Junk Jaunt. That, paired with our proximity to other stops, make us what I would call an epicenter. Broken Bow is within one hour of nearly 80 percent of participating communities.”

Ambriz continued, “Nobody truly knows the exchange of money that happens through the weekend. For those participating, I’m sure it’s just as rewarding to interact with people and sell them something that they didn’t know they were looking for. It helps if there’s a little jingle in your pocket at the end of the day, too.”

Ambriz said he takes it to heart when restaurant owners tell him Junk Jaunt is their busiest three days of the year. “Not just a busy ‘ lunch rush,’not just a busy ‘afternoon.’ When they look at their entire year of business, they peg these three days as their busiest and most productive days of the year. If that many people are spending money at our restaurants, if even a small percentage take time to visit our other establishments, we gain a huge injection of outside dollars into our community (money that wasn’t generated here – aka other people’s paychecks).”

Lori Racicky, owner of Livvia’s Boutique in Ansley said Junk Jaunt this year was “Awesome!” This was the first year for the Boutique to take part. With construction on the overpass of Hwy 183 all traffic had to go through the downtown area. Racicky saw shoppers from Kentucky, Texas, Organ and South Dakota. She had a couple from Wyoming get up that morning and said, “Let’s go see what this is all about,” referring to Junk Jaunt. Racicky was unsure of how they found out about the event, but they came!

Ladene Hammond was taking care of the antiques, collectibles and knick knacks she and her husband, Wayne, were selling at the fairground. She said some folks from North Carolina told her they came because, “It’s time we got up and away!

Bottom line, maybe Junk Jaunt 2020 was even more of a success because of COVID! Evans said it best. “It was a great big festival!”

Mona Weatherly Ready for the fun of Junk Jaunt is Mike Evans. Friday morning things were quiet for a little while at C Street Auction House however, Evans was not worried. “People go out in the rural areas and come back to town in the afternoon,” he said. He noted that folks from Colorado, South Dakota, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Iowa and Kansas had already been to his store.

Mona Weatherly Livvia, the namesake for her grandmother’s business in Ansley, Livvia’s Boutique, helps Grandma Lori Fenton Racicky, stock shoes during Junk Jaunt. Asked how Junk Jaunt was going, Livvia said, “Good.” Lori added, “All week it’s been crazy. Shoes have been a hot item!”

Mona Weatherly Above, Karen Schipporeit stands next to a table of merchandise at her stop on the Junk Jaunt. She said lots of buying started even before things official opened on Friday. “Thursday was a huge day,” she said.

Mona Weatherly Jane Thompson from Montana found a “unique potty chair” and a vintage suitcase at the Fairgrounds on Friday. She and her daughter-in-law, Kaycee Kolka (not pictured) were the quintessential Jaunters as they carried their finds to their trailer. The pair had come to Junk Jaunt for find things for Jane’s antique shop in Broadus, Mont.

Mona Weatherly Standing with hundreds of salt and pepper shakers, Ladene Hammond said she and her husband Wayne had thousands of items for sale at Junk Jaunt. Wayne started setup at the Fairgrounds Aug. 1 They rent the building with the knowledge that “it has to be empty by fair time,” Ladene said.

Mona Weatherly Above, Connie Pearson, left, and Lola Chapin, stop for a quick photo shoot at Chapin’s Furniture and Decorating booth at the Fairgrounds. “There have been lots of people from the eastern part of the state in the booth and in the store,” Chapin said.

Mona Weatherly Above, Sawyer Bryson, left, of Broken Bow is pictured with her mother, Michelle Zimmerli of Cheraton, Iowa. They said they were finding “all sorts of treasures” including a set of Husker glasses and “cool cleat things for your shoes.”

Mona Weatherly Animals have their place in Junk Jaunt, too. Above, Bob the cat pays little mind to the shoppers at Karen Schipporeit’s Junk Jaunt stop. Below, one of the Wenquist’s hens saunters through Julie Toline’s garage.