REI Garage Sale trip report

“Yup. Me, turtle, and her dad and sister went to the REI garage sale today. Far more people and far less stuff than in previous years. This is the last Garage Sale that they are going to have. Sounds like they are going back to the "attic". Which will be downstairs. Go figure.

I gots me a pair of $120 Dansko clogs for $20, a new NF down coat, 2 pairs of pants, a hiking shirt, a long sleeved Roxy t-shirt, Prana tank top and 2 long sleeve thermals for Dug.

Crappy thing is, I've decided to use my dividend on hiking and field guide books. BUT they wouldn't let me us it seperate from my 20% coupon. No way in heck am I going to use my coupon for a $15 book! So I'll have to wait.”

“What store did you go to? I used my dividend without my 20% coupon. I was at Roseville in N. Ca.. Way to many people. For the first time in history I was in the first lottery group to enter but they didn't hold back the others and everyone entered at the same time. I ended up with some nice Montrail trail runners, a spare pair of down booties, a pantropic starw hat and an REI Ultralite rain jacket. No biggies but it was fun.
Robertr, What did you get? Sorry I didn't get a chance to chat before the craziness started there.”

“I was at the big Seattle store.”

“Hi Songbyrd...

Funny you knew I'd find this thread. I was very unimpressed by the garage sale. Like you said, they had a lottery and I too had a #3, but they didn't check so what's the point. I thought there was lots of crap and so many people that you couldn't even move. I circled quickly and bolted ;)

Good to see you. Hopefully we can do some weekend hiking this summer. Did you see the "Foothills Hikes" that's going on in Sacramento on Wednesday? I'm going to it... should be good.

Robertr”

“Hit the REI garage sale in MI this past weekend with Tarabull. I had heard stories from her and the other Michigan Mountaineers of great garage sales past and was hoping to cash in. We were in the first group of 50 to be let in and I was a little shell shocked at first because I didn't really know what to expect....looked to me like some folks were just grabbing whatever they could carry. I was mainly looking for some winter clothes and didn't find anything suitable. However, Tarabull was on the lookout for me as well and she snagged me a Kilo Plus zero-degree down bag! 85 bucks! Gear score! She also picked up a great bp-ing tent for her dad, Papabull, for less than 50 bucks.

Later in the day I also found a down jacket at EMS for 50% off!!”

“our stores never have sales like that.”

“We aren't going to have garage sales here anymore! :( They have an ongoing on in the gear rentals area now... Hrumph!”

“What store were you guys at, Troy or Northville. I was at the Northville store around 11:30 and left and came back again around 2:00. I didn't snag any great deals, other than a pair or REI low trail gaiters reg. $24.95 for $16.83 I bought them for X-C skiing.”

“You really have to be first in line at the REI sales.”

“They had one here recently on New Years Eve. I didn't go.”

“Denver is blessed with 3 REIs and all 3 were having garage sales on NYE. I forgot until about 3 and raced to the Flagship store, which started the day with a numbering system to avoid the rush. Well, I missed the rush... and most of the gear. Then, just as I was about to give up, I found the REI QuarterDome UL for $40. Other than some dirt on the stakes and poles, it looks brand new. Last year I was kicking myself for not buying it on sale at 150, so I grabbed this one for 40.”

“Hey NCT! We were in Northville. We were there when the store opened at 10AM. We were prolly out of there at 11AM. Too bad we missed ya!

I picked up the Alps Mountaineering Comet 1.5 (now called the Mystique, I believe). It's a very room one person tent w/ two doors and two vesitbules weighing in at under 4 lbs. It's long enough and he can sit up in it. Perfect for my dad. $50. He's happy.

Later, at EMS, I picked up a pair of TNF insulated pants that I'd been eyeing online. They were $30 cheaper than the cheapest I'd seen them. I couldn't afford NOT to buy them!”

“Yeah Tara you and that non-c guy were in the back room(as usual) and I was waiting on the outside and decided to split and come back later.
I had a return and thats really the reason I was there.
But,I figured after I did my return, I might have been able to slip in without a big wait.
There was only two people in front of me at 11:30 and they had been waiting a 1/2 hour. So, I left with my return came back at around 2-2:30 and walked right up to the register with my return,and was done in 5min and then walked right into the back room, and of course there wasn't much left.
I knew this and didn't really care, as I have enough crap?
Does EMS have the same type of sales and on the same day as REI?”

“EMS doesn't do the garage sale thing. But, their winter stuff is hitting the clearance racks already. I should add that they had some really amazing deals and lots of stuff in stock.”

“Well,

I might just have to slide on over there, I never could resist a gear sale?”

“Enjoy. And, good luck!”

“"Yeah Tara you and that non-c guy were in the back room(as usual)....."
ncthiker
12:20:40 PM
1/04/06


As usual???

Huh.....I never really noticed that before, but now that you mention it, she is always trying to lure me into these out of the way, remote places....”

“Garage Sale weekend at the Oak Brook location in the Chicagoland area.

Saturday October 14”

“Oh man! I smell a road trip! Daddy needs a new pair of boots!”

“When are they going to open an REI in my area?”

“A new pair of boots would be nice. There are other things I need more though.”

“Of course I also need a heavier sleeping bag, new water filter, trecking poles, bear canister, magnesium striker, TI pot, more liner socks....
why oh why does the closest REI have to be 3 hours away?!!!”

“Bah, this thread prompted me to call about Denver's next sale. The girl said "uh, we just had one at the end of September..." D'oh! How do you successfully get on the list to be notified? I've asked them to do so before, but it never happens.”

“College park , Md. is having one Sunday the 15th of October”

“I picked up a few things not part of the sale. The store opened at 10 AM and I was 9 minutes late. Too many people bumping and pushing to get their grubby hands on whatever they could. Two guys actually got into a fight over a used pair of boots.”