Last week, I had my first week of “by appointment” and “open to the public” Vast Accumulation of Stuff garage sales. As I usually do, I set myself a fairly modest goal I didn’t actually expect to make. You might have heard about the pandemic that’s going around. Much to my surprise, I reached 84% of that goal.
However, I’m not taking any appointments for this week, nor will I have any “open to the public” hours. I want to rethink some of what I do in these garage sales with an eye towards achieving the goals I set for them.
I am making appointments for the week of August 10-15. You can make an appointment by e-mailing me or by sending a private message via Facebook. I’ll respond as quickly as possible. If you make one of these appointments, you are allowed to bring a second guest.
My next open to the public garage sales will be Friday, August 14, and Saturday, August 15, from 9 am to noon each day. Because I am only allowing two customers in the garage, I will keep the garage sales open as long as there are customers waiting to get in.
This week, in between catching up on some odds and ends and writing projects, I’m doing a major restock of my garage sale stock. I’ve moved the DVDs, Blu-rays, VHS tapes, video games and CDs to a more compact display in my bookcases. This frees up room for the return of my $1 manga volumes.
However, I’m not taking any appointments for this week, nor will I have any “open to the public” hours. I want to rethink some of what I do in these garage sales with an eye towards achieving the goals I set for them.
I am making appointments for the week of August 10-15. You can make an appointment by e-mailing me or by sending a private message via Facebook. I’ll respond as quickly as possible. If you make one of these appointments, you are allowed to bring a second guest.
My next open to the public garage sales will be Friday, August 14, and Saturday, August 15, from 9 am to noon each day. Because I am only allowing two customers in the garage, I will keep the garage sales open as long as there are customers waiting to get in.
This week, in between catching up on some odds and ends and writing projects, I’m doing a major restock of my garage sale stock. I’ve moved the DVDs, Blu-rays, VHS tapes, video games and CDs to a more compact display in my bookcases. This frees up room for the return of my $1 manga volumes.
I’ll have numerous Isabella books, comics and posters. I will sign any
of these items that you purchase from me for free. I will also sign
Isabella items that you didn’t purchase from me as long as you are cool
about it. I define “cool” in this case as you have spent some money at
my garage sale. If you’re only coming to get comics signed for free,
you’re being kind of a dick.
I’m hoping to add many more dollar comics, magazines, hardcovers, trade paperbacks and older comics to the sales. I would love to add more quarter comics, but my supply of those has run perilously low. Unless I come across some new boxes - which, given I don’t really know everything I have in my storage unit and my Tardis-like house is a fair possibility - I could be out of them before next week’s appointments and sales.
It astonishes me to write this, but I am interested in buying boxes of comics. I’ve crunched my numbers a bit more since the last time I mentioned this and am now willing to pay $15 for a short box and $30 for a long box full of comic books in decent conditions. I’ll take pretty much any more or less suitable for all ages comics. If you’re interested, email me to set up a date and time when you can
bring them to me. Please note that these comics are for my quarter boxes and mystery boxes. I won’t go higher on the prices I’ve set for such purchases.
Speaking of mystery boxes, I’m going to do my best to put together a whole bunch of them. Knowing how popular they are, I’ve limited their sale to one per customer. I’m working to hard to be able to raise that to two per customer.
Another possible change is that I’m considering taking out a small classified ad in the local newspaper. Though these have not brought many customers to my sales in the past, I’m planning to do a bare bones notice in the hopes of reaching potential customers who don’t catch my Craig’s List announcement or read my social media.
There are important rules for my customers:
YOU MUST WEAR A MASK. If you absurdly find this to be some sort of infringement on your freedom, don’t come to my garage sale. I will not make an exception for you.
MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING AT ALL TIMES. Try to keep six feet away from any other customer. Most of my tables are six feet long, which will give you a good idea of what that distance is.
USE THE HAND SANITIZER OR WIPES. I’ll have hand sanitizer and wipes as you walk into the garage sale. I’ll have also have a few extra masks in case you forgot yours at home.
CASH ONLY. At some point in the distant future, when the world is a little safer and conventions are again possible, I will be able to take credit cards. Not this year.
NO WEAPONS. Unless you are an on-duty police officer or member of the armed service, you will not be allowed to bring any gun, rifle, bazooka, sword, bow and arrows, etc. onto my property. Don’t try to “outfox” me trying to bring something not included on this list as I have a wide range of what I consider “etc.”
NO RACIST GEAR. No Confederate paraphernalia, no white supremacist paraphernalia, no Trump or MAGA related stuff. It’s a garage sale, not a platform for your political, religious or social bullshit. My property, my rules. Don’t test me on this. You’ll fail.
I think that covers everything. If you have any questions, I’ll try to respond to them as swiftly as I can manage. However, I will not respond to any questions asking me exactly what I have for sale and wanting me to photograph it for you. Honestly, I have a life and it doesn’t involve jumping through hoops for anyone.
That’s all for now. I’ll be back soon with more stuff. Be safe, be sane, be wonderful to one another.
© 2020 Tony Isabella
I’m hoping to add many more dollar comics, magazines, hardcovers, trade paperbacks and older comics to the sales. I would love to add more quarter comics, but my supply of those has run perilously low. Unless I come across some new boxes - which, given I don’t really know everything I have in my storage unit and my Tardis-like house is a fair possibility - I could be out of them before next week’s appointments and sales.
It astonishes me to write this, but I am interested in buying boxes of comics. I’ve crunched my numbers a bit more since the last time I mentioned this and am now willing to pay $15 for a short box and $30 for a long box full of comic books in decent conditions. I’ll take pretty much any more or less suitable for all ages comics. If you’re interested, email me to set up a date and time when you can
bring them to me. Please note that these comics are for my quarter boxes and mystery boxes. I won’t go higher on the prices I’ve set for such purchases.
Speaking of mystery boxes, I’m going to do my best to put together a whole bunch of them. Knowing how popular they are, I’ve limited their sale to one per customer. I’m working to hard to be able to raise that to two per customer.
Another possible change is that I’m considering taking out a small classified ad in the local newspaper. Though these have not brought many customers to my sales in the past, I’m planning to do a bare bones notice in the hopes of reaching potential customers who don’t catch my Craig’s List announcement or read my social media.
There are important rules for my customers:
YOU MUST WEAR A MASK. If you absurdly find this to be some sort of infringement on your freedom, don’t come to my garage sale. I will not make an exception for you.
MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING AT ALL TIMES. Try to keep six feet away from any other customer. Most of my tables are six feet long, which will give you a good idea of what that distance is.
USE THE HAND SANITIZER OR WIPES. I’ll have hand sanitizer and wipes as you walk into the garage sale. I’ll have also have a few extra masks in case you forgot yours at home.
CASH ONLY. At some point in the distant future, when the world is a little safer and conventions are again possible, I will be able to take credit cards. Not this year.
NO WEAPONS. Unless you are an on-duty police officer or member of the armed service, you will not be allowed to bring any gun, rifle, bazooka, sword, bow and arrows, etc. onto my property. Don’t try to “outfox” me trying to bring something not included on this list as I have a wide range of what I consider “etc.”
NO RACIST GEAR. No Confederate paraphernalia, no white supremacist paraphernalia, no Trump or MAGA related stuff. It’s a garage sale, not a platform for your political, religious or social bullshit. My property, my rules. Don’t test me on this. You’ll fail.
I think that covers everything. If you have any questions, I’ll try to respond to them as swiftly as I can manage. However, I will not respond to any questions asking me exactly what I have for sale and wanting me to photograph it for you. Honestly, I have a life and it doesn’t involve jumping through hoops for anyone.
That’s all for now. I’ll be back soon with more stuff. Be safe, be sane, be wonderful to one another.
© 2020 Tony Isabella
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