Plenty of deals at annual event

Bella Vista Citywide Garage Sale items included vintage record console

BELLA VISTA — Best friends Rachel Stripling and Stephanie Dickey combined friendship, laughter and some good deals April 30 during Bella Vista’s annual Citywide Garage Sale.

Stripling, of Bella Vista, and her bestie of 24 years, culled through their respective collections of clothes, dishes and more to offer bargains to Bella Vista neighbors and visitors.

By mid-morning, the two — along with Dickey’s 8-yearold daughter, Cecilia — were making deals, seeing a lot of business and sharing a lot of laughter.

Dickey and her daughter traveled from central Arkansas to see her friend, bringing boxes of goodies to sell.

Both women had to work on April 29, so they set up late that night in Stripling’s carport and hoped for the best.

The next morning, it was all still there, Dickey said. The two were open for business at 6:30.

“We wanted to have a girls’ weekend,” Stripling explained. “We’ll go out to dinner tonight, have some sweets, maybe stroll Coler Creek.”

A butter churn, clothes, decor, educational resources and more lined the carport and tables. The combined effort — and critical garage sale signage — resulted in good sales, they said. When visited by a reporter, they had just sold a professional Nikon camera with lenses. A record player, that had already sold, was probably the most unique item Dickey had, she said. Stripling also had a working vintage record console that remained for $75. Stripling said she was only the second owner of the 1960s record player.

At her own table, Dickey’s daughter, Cecilia, 8, had priced her items ahead of time, and oversaw her business that morning. She said she was ready to let go of some toys so others could enjoy them.

“I’ve had this one since I was 2,” she said, pointing to one doll.

The young entrepreneur said she planned to utilize her incoming funds.

“You can sell stuff to get new things,” she said.

Stripling said she will definitely participate in another citywide sale but probably not next year. She’ll have to accumulate some more stuff, she said.

Across town, just west of Town Center, Michelle Washington and her mother, Dee, enjoyed the warm, sunny weather while sitting on a couch, waiting for customers to drive in.

The weather turned out unbelievably good, they said, but sales were slow.

Michelle Washington said she realizes that more upscale neighborhoods within Bella Vista — such as those in the Highlands — were probably the ones frequented.

However, the sheer total of garage sales dampened sales for some, she said.

“Six hundred in one weekend is too many,” she said.

Designating a certain section of Bella Vista and having that zone host garage sales for a specific time might work better, she said.

Dee Washington said the family came from Florida, where garage sale and giveaway dynamics were different.

Anything set on the curb for free pickup would go quickly, she said.

Likewise, garage sales in Florida were definitely a fastpaced situation.

She glanced across the driveway, still full of decor, clothes and more. “All this would have been gone,” she said.

(Special to NWA Democrat-Gazette/Sally Carroll) Cecilia Dickey, 8, works at a garage sale April 30 in Bella Vista.

(Special to NWA Democrat-Gazette/Sally Carroll) Rachel Stripling offered a vintage record player for $75 on April 30 as part of Bella Vista’s Citywide Garage Sale. Stripling and her best friend from central Arkansas combined efforts and did well during the event, they said.