European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 06, 1980, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 20 the stars and stripes Friday june 6, 1980 modern living heaven by Karen m. Magnuson United press International he garage Sale a new found hedge against inflation for Many families is becoming As Ameri can As Apple pie and baseball. It is also a telltale sign of Spring piles of paraphernalia sit on front lawns beckoning passersby. And it is a time consuming Endeavor. Many working mothers do not have time to search the House for old items Price them and then guard them during a Sale. That s one reason Robert and Jean Meyer of Davenport Iowa went into the garage Sale business. Robert 38, a hotel manager and Jean 37, a housewife decided to buy an old building clean out the remnants of what used to be an adult Book store and open garage Sale heaven. They buy almost anything from anyone some tunes by the House full and try to sell ii for a profit in their downtown shop the name is indicative of the garage Sale spirit Meyer said. It has developed to the Point that people Are calling us instead of having a garage people who sell to the Meyers shop May not make As much Money As they would by having their own garage Sale but Meyer thinks the time and trouble they save is Worth it. They Don t have to Sil in the hot Sun looking at people picking through their stuff commenting about it and in some cases casing the place. Right now a lot of people Are looking for ways to bring in additional Money. This is Quick and the Meyers pick up the merchandise themselves and haul it lathe shop. Inside the old red and White Brick front building about 10,000 items Are crammed into 2,000 Square feet. There Are dishes lamps used appliances and Knickknacks of All kinds. Some pieces of Furni Ture Are Motel castoffs. New paintings hang on the Walls. Mrs. Meyer is the artist. She plans to paint More while minding the store. An easel and paint supplies sit conveniently by her desk and the Cash Register. The response has been so Good the Meyers Are running out of space. So they plan to Start a garage Sale store Chain. They dream of developing a Down town Section into a seven store resale shopping area. Each unit will specialize in a certain Type of junk. A second store catering to old furniture Al Cheapo de pot recently opened five blocks away from their firs shop. Others slated to follow Are Salvage City for household appliances Ebeneezer s antique teasers for borderline Antiques Willie s warehouse a Central distribution Point and consign Mart where items will be sold strictly on commission. The most important part of the business is buying. Thu Way i can buy and find a perfect place for the entire Deal Meyer said. If i create an area where All the stores Are the customers Don t have to spend All Day going to them. It will save people Gas Money. Resale stores used to be junk stores. People like us did t get involved in this kind of business because of the Low Caliper. We re trying to change Many customers enter be shop just to browse and look for he unique. Some make faces and gasp at what they see. Others Are entertained by the sight of such items As a Telephone lamp a miniature bark Canoe a Blue Mirror or a Long wooden peace people do get a kick out of it Meyer said. Some people just love to poke around in other people s junk. One person s junk is another person s treasure. At wits end by Erm Bombeck As i was driving through traffic last week my eyes caught sight of a stalled Washer repair truck with the Hood raised. The Driver was Pac ing Back and Forth looking at his watch an then at the Road for some sign of a Tow truck. May god forgive me or the exhilaration i Felt. It was like watching miss America with meat caught in her Teeth. I m not a vindictive woman but As i drove on All kinds of fantasies flashed through my mind. I could hear the Guy at the service station saying what Model have you got Mac no i Don t mean the year you bought the truck i m talking about Model numbers. Okay Here s what you do. Go Back to the truck and look nor the engine. If you can t get someone to help out to turn inc truck Over then you get on your Back and use a Mirror. And Don t forget the numbers will be re versed. Okay you Are going to be there say monday in the afternoon hey look Fella i know you re Block ing traffic but we re approaching a weekend and a lot of cars Are stranded so gite us a break. Walter s out with flu Stan is getting married and i m Here alone. Are you under warranty what s the warranty num. Ber Tell you what. If we Don t nuke it monday we lube there for sure tuesday. Hate a Good Day docs anyone have any idea How Many women s hours have gone into wailing for repairmen of one kind or another it s bad enough to live with Bombeck s Laws of the suburbs anything borrowed will break Down while it is cradled in your arms. The Box marked warranties holds Only one. And covers parts for a crepe maker which you be used Only twice and has no parts. All appliances Are air conditioners go out in the summer furnaces in the Winter washers when everyone is throwing up dryers when it s rain ing Lawn mowers right after summer vacation free ers just after you the bought a cow and to sets during every appliance in your House will Stop on the Day after you spent your savings on a boat. If you brag on an appliance s longevity it will hear you. Like repairmen appliances do not work weekends. I always remember dancing with a Fella one night who whispered in my car what arc you doing the rest of your life Honey and i replied mechanically waiting for my Washer it s a lonely Job. But someone has to do it. 0 enl rom i a
