This weekend, cash in on the bargains at the Route 66 Garage Sales

 

[June 10, 2023] 

This is the big weekend that many folks in and around Lincoln and Logan County look forward to with great anticipation. Shoppers, looking for the super bargains that typically come with a garage sale atmosphere flock to the community to take advantage of whatever really good deal they can find. And there are deals a plenty.

The annual Route 66 Garage Sales kicked off on Friday, June 9th and will run through the weekend. There are over 100 addresses on the map published by Lincoln Printers and sponsored by the Logan County Tourism Bureau, The Mill on Route 66 Museum, VFW Post 1756, and Lincoln Daily News.

On Thursday evening the fun began with the preview sale at the Humane Society of Logan County event at the Logan County Fairground. Shoppers lined up for quite a distance waiting for the five o’clock hour that evening. Then with their admission ticket in hand, quickly entered the building and began snatching up bargains. Though there were many shoppers, when the evening was done, there was still a huge amount of merchandise standing at the ready for new waves of shoppers to come on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

The HSLC was the only advance sale on Thursday evening. But on Friday, the doors opened wide on a variety of locations around the community. And shoppers took advantage of all that was offered.

For those who want the added value of helping others while getting great bargains, there are several other organizations who like the HSLC use the garage sales to raise money for group projects or to add to the coffers of their annual giving and support programs.

In Lincoln, the First Baptist Church, and First Cumberland Presbyterian Church both hosted sales. Other organizations having sales included the Lincoln VFW post, and new to the fun this year the Eagles Lodge on North Kickapoo.

This sale may confuse some, because for years there has been a large garage sale under the pavilion at the Eagles. According to the family that hosts the sale each year, many people think that it is a sale for the lodge, but it is not.

However, this year, there is a sale for the lodge inside the building. For all of us, this will be the first time attending this sale, but don’t pass it by because it has a lot of great things ready for the right buyer.

Here’s a suggestion. Go first to the sale under the pavilion. It is packed with good things.

When you are done at the pavilion, the best way to get into the Eagles sale is through the back door that is just steps from the pavilion. Inside you will find lots of great items from some really nice furniture to clothing, home décor, reading materials, cookware and housewares and much more.

Those two shopping opportunities at one stop is enough to fill the trunk of your car in no time at all.

Another organization worthy of your support is the Oasis Senior Center on the west side of town. The items being offered for sale are all donated to the Oasis with the proceeds going to assist with activities and other programs for senior citizens of Logan County.

This sale is always a home decorators dream with tons and tons of home decorations with themes spreading around all four seasons. Find lots of glassware, cooking tools, and tons and tons of knick-knacks.

The Mill on 66 Museum is hosting garage sales this weekend also, with the proceeds of those sales going to the daily operations of the museum. The Mill is owned and operated by the Logan County Tourism Bureau. While the LCTB supports the Mill, the goal of the bureau is to see the Mill become as close to fully self-sufficient as possible. Open during the tourism season from April to October, the Mill features a great souvenir/gift shop with cool Route 66 and Lincoln/Logan County merchandise. The garage sale will help augment the income of the Mill and help sustain the Route 66 icon remain as a long-term part of the future.

Lincoln Christian University is still holding sales for the assets that they need to dispose of as a result of the downsizing of the university. At the sale there will be furnishings, kitchen equipment and much, much more.

For those who are hungry for a flea-market-like setting, that will be found in Postville Park on Fifth Street. At the Route 66 Corner Garage on Fifth Street there are also vendors set up as well as sales going on at the old gas station converted to an antique and collectible shop.

The VFW, also on Fifth Street is the place to go for those looking for quality merchandise from home-based business owners.

The Marine Corps League will be in the VFW Parking lot on Saturday selling grilled pork sandwiches for those who get hungry with all that shopping.

And don’t forget that there are plenty of really great stores and eateries in the heart of Lincoln. Be sure to do a drive around the Logan County Courthouse Square. Stop at one of our great places to eat downtown, then walk off that meal visiting the air-conditioned comfort of the local stores.

When you are rested and refreshed then it is a great time to get back out there and visit the dozens of private sales going on in the various residential areas of the city.

This year there are also sales outside of Lincoln. Be sure to visit Elkhart, Broadwell, Hartsburg and Atlanta before hanging it up for the weekend.

The Route 66 garage sales have been going on for the last several years and has grown in the number of stops available to shoppers. With each year, the weather is different and sometimes it is too rainy to want to get out, or too hot. On Friday the weather was good for shopping. The rest of the weekend will be a little warmer, but still the sun with shine and the rain will not come, at least not until evening on Saturday if at all.

So why not grab that jar of pocket change on the dresser and head on out? With the bargains you’ll find and the low, low prices on most of them, that jar of coins should get you through just fine.

[Nila Smith]