West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day 2012, from the road
(Below, Team WSB’s travelogue, with photos and anecdotes, including a few reader contributions, as we hit the road for five hours during WSCGSD.)
The sales have begun! Team WSB has hit the road to visit some of the 245 sales registered for West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day (see the map here). We passed the sign above on our way out – it’s for sale 212 at 4211 SW Sullivan, not far from WSB HQ. On our way to one of the southernmost sales, the White Center Kiwanis at Greenbridge Plaza, 9800 8th SW, and we’ll head north from there. Send YOUR photos too!
9:29 AM UPDATE: The photo above was shared on Facebook by sale #9, the West Seattle Tool Library at Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, 4408 Delridge Way SW. Remember they’re buying tools too (and have rovers on the lookout).
9:40 AM: Our favorite photo so far. At sale #177 on 34th SW just north of Roxbury (a “moving-in sale”) we photographed Philip on the recliner that he’s selling. Just before that, we were over at the aforementioned Greenbridge sale (8th just south of Roxbury) – which is beautifully laid out, from this overview:
We photographed the WC Kiwanis volunteers who are on hand and will publish that photo on partner site White Center Now. Continuing our northbound trek, here’s the only gas-station-site sale we have this year – on the south side of Gasco at 35th/Henderson, by the Southwest Library. Check the vintage bikes!
From there, we’re off to Gatewood and Morgan Junction.
10:06 AM: At 6451 California SW, Feedback Lounge (WSB sponsor) co-proprietor Jeff Gilbert is selling rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia including KISS alarm clocks and even a KISS electric toothbrush. Get there fast. A few blocks south at California/Othello is sale #224 at the Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation‘s church – where the famous Whiskey Tango Foxtrot table and Frogsquatch are staples at big sales:
There are small finds such as a rabbit billed as doing an imitation of a squirrel:
10:30 AM: A couple photos from the inbox (thanks!) – first, sale #36 at West Seattle High School, courtesy of girls’ basketball coach Sonya Elliott, whose team is having a sale again this year:
If you haven’t been to WSHS, it’s at 3000 California SW. Also from north West Seattle, Scott sent this photo from sale #66, 2103 46th SW, benefit sale with a Daisy Scout Troop and part of the proceeds going to animal advocates:
And at sale #166, 5456 35th SW, there’s a benefit lemonade stand to benefit WestSide Baby and Kitty Harbor – thanks to Brooke for the photo!
We’re in The Junction now; we stopped in Seaview along the way, at sale #240, 4409 SW Raymond, where we found Renée selling her handmade notecards:
Find out more about them at snakeandponyshow.com. And not far from there, at California/Findlay, one of the two official multiseller sites – C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor):
Next door to C & P, another WSB sponsor, Potter Construction, where proprietor Gary Potter has gone high-tech to track how things are going:
More to come as we keep heading north, and eventually east too.
11:25 AM UPDATE: Just left The Junction, where California/Genesee/42nd/41st is a nexus of big sales:
Galena and Ariana from Delridge Produce Cooperative have a fundraising sale in the Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor) courtyard. That’s also where we spotted BJ from Brunette Mix (also a WSB sponsor), not selling but certainly browsing, along with many others:
The sale continues in the Ginomai lot immediately east, on the 42nd/Genesee alley, with West Seattle Christian Church raising money for their wellbuilding project – hot dogs and water bottles for sale:
If you have any trouble finding California/42nd/Genesee, just look for the clown on the California corner, where there’s also an eclectic array of stuff (the clown’s not for sale, though, its owner tells us)
Then if you continue down Genesee a block-plus east, you’ll see the balloons outside the Menashe Family Gymnasium at Seattle Lutheran High School, sale #41 – go inside and you’ll find Tyler and, if it hasn’t sold yet, the recliner:
Lutheran’s also offering free tote bags!
From there, we continued northbound toward Admiral, with a stop along the way – more shortly.
12:04 PM UPDATE: Halfway through already! We’re now back in White Center – not WSCGSD, but rather, checking on West Seattle High School’s big baseball tournament game against O’Dea. Back on the Garage Sale Day road shortly. But first – Olivia’s Consignment south of the Admiral District, sale #68, is donating part of their proceeds to WestSide Baby:
After the sale, Olivia’s will also accept donated items (baby/kid stuff, obviously) to take to WS Baby, if sellers have leftovers. Further north, in Admiral, along 42nd SW, just north of Admiral Way, Muttley Crew Cuts‘ sale is raising money for English Springer Rescue. So of course, there’s an English Springer starring at the sale – 4-year-old Hunter, who needs some hip work:
They’re selling hot dogs at Muttley Crew, too. Another Admiral stop – the Homemade Brigade arts/crafts sale at Freshy’s across California SW from Hiawatha:
Krystal Kelley of Mind Unwind is among the sellers there. After Admiral, en route to our current WC stop, we detoured onto Pigeon Point. Sale #12 is at 3831 22nd SW, with furniture and clothing:
12:34 PM UPDATE: Our WC detour is over. Now we’re checking out Arbor Heights, where one corner on 35th has signs galore:
More to come. Still just a little more than halfway through the day. Stopped right now off Marine View Drive, which might just be West Seattle’s premier view drive (photo taken from passenger seat as we traveled).
1:10 PM UPDATE: Here are our photos from the two sales we visited in the Arbor Heights/Marine View Drive area – Laura at sale 241, 11048 Marine View Place SW, had signs touting a neon sign for sale – but told us it went pretty fast, early in the day. However, a $10 Christmas tree was still available as of our stop:
Next door to Laura’s sale, another lemonade sale – Brandon, Spencer, and Darby were offering their wares to sale visitors, as the temperature keeps rising:
Not far away, at sale 248, 3918 107th SW, we met Barba:
Headed back north now – stopping in Sunrise Heights to check out Café Osita’s collection for Stamp Out Hunger, till 2 pm (35th/Webster). (photo added)
1:30 PM UPDATE: Three-fourths of the way through (already?) … we’re in the High Point area but first, a photo from west Admiral/upper Alki, from sale #77 on SW Campbell Place, which billed itself as the “guys’ sale” … these computers are among the offerings:
2 PM UPDATE: Final hour! Have noticed some sellers posting bargain prices for the last hour via the WSCGSD Facebook page. Also just got word, not part of WSCGSD but something you can do while out and about, the West Seattle High School Class of 2012 is having a benefit car wash at Washington Federal, 4102 California SW. Another benefit – the bratwurst-and-grilled zucchini $5 lunch at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) till 4 pm:
That’s Michele at the grill.
2:27 PM UPDATE: Last half-hour! Have already heard from a couple of happy buyers. Milo‘s mom Sarah says she got a screaming deal on this drum set today.
How about you – if you shopped, anything unusual? If you’re selling, let us know if you’re continuing past 3 or selling again tomorrow.
3:57 PM UPDATE: We should take a moment to say THANK YOU for being part of WSCGSD this year … our fifth as coordinators/organizers, but the 8th annual edition overall. We were so happy to see so many people out and about, and to hear about people meeting more of their neighbors. Anyway, one note: Our official post-sale donation partners at South Park-based Northwest Center remind us that their Big Blue Truck, now at 44th/Edmunds SEVEN days a week, is there late today – till 6:30 pm.
Are you looking for something fun to do this weekend? How about coming over to the Holy Rosary Gym on Saturday May 11th at 4PM to cheer on your West Seattle Pack 793 Cub Scouts as they have their annual Pinewood Derby! The scouts have been working hard over the last 3 months to perfect their cars. The big event is on Saturday starting at 4 PM. We will have food and drinks available, so please come enjoy this pre-Mothers day event!
In neighborhoods all over West Seattle, at homes and schools and businesses, at a church and a P-Patch and even a gas station, 245 sales are on the West Seattle Community Garage Sale Day map – 
And, I’m the only Buyers Only Agent working in West Seattle. A rare bird indeed. So, what’s the advantage of working with a Buyers Only Agent? First, it eliminates the conflict of interest present when a buyer uses an agent working for a brokerage that also lists properties. For example, if a real estate office holds a listing and one of their agents brings a buyer to the sale, the office itself is legally bound to continue to represent the seller’s interests as well. 
Congratulations to West Seattle resident, city adviser, retired judge, former deputy mayor (among many other achievements) Anne Levinson, just announced as the first recipient of the Nancy Nordhoff Civic Leadership Award.
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