Saturday's huge garage sale at Osage Center a big hit with bargain hunters

Sales were brisk and people were finding all kinds of deals Saturday at the huge indoor garage sale held at the Osage Community Centre. For the last several years the Osage Center has opened its doors to an enormous garage sale. With 72 vendors, the building was stuffed with great deals and a variety of items to choose from. Tables and chairs were set up in the main gym and two other rooms by the center's staff. The center also handles the advertising.

Stacey Welter, a recreation coordinator at the Osage Center, predicted a crowd of 950 to 1,200 people would come through the doors by noon, when the sale ended. Welter has been in charge of the garage sale for the past two years. "People come from all over the area to buy and sell. We have vendors and buyers from Perryville, Altenburg, Millersville and many more places. It's a great way to stay out of the weather and find good deals too." Welter said. "We hold these sales four times a year -- spring, summer, fall and winter -- and the crowds are always this size. " Welter estimates they've been holding the indoors garage sale for eight to ten years. "It's as popular as the craft show. We charge a dollar admission and proceeds go to the programs we host here at the Osage Center."

Vendors are chosen by a lottery system. They put their names in two weeks ahead of the sale and 72 names are drawn. Each winner gets to pick a table and must get set up between 6 and 7:30 am. The cost is the vendor is $15 and they keep whatever they make on their sales.

"We love selling at this sale," said Bev Meyer of Oak Ridge. "My family gets involved, one of us runs the table while the others go around and buy stuff. We try to get a booth twice a year. We like this because we stay out of the weather and get a lot more people come buy our stuff." Meyer said she likes the opportunity to clean out her house, sell stuff and then buy other things such as unused craft kits. "I like to do crafts, so I find kits people haven't used and make the craft." Meyer said that it gives her the opportunity to shop a lot more sales than if she drove around to sales at homes.

Ann Abner from Daisy has help from her husband. "He loads up our pickup truck and helps me bring stuff to the table. I have family who help me run the table so I can get out and shop too. We can't have this many people come to a garage sale where I live, so this is a great opportunity to clean out my basement and get more things!"

Kristy Morris looks at two coats for her daughter Saturday during the winter garage sale at the Osage Community Centre in Cape Girardeau. (LAURA SIMON)

The Osage Center sale has a little of everything: puzzles, small kitchen appliances, dolls, stuffed animals, shoes, pillowcases and jewelry. Many vendors sell clothing; coats, sweaters, shirts and jeans. There are toys, games, DVDs, silk trees and small furniture such as wood tables for sale. No commercial or home-based business products are allowed.

A group from Cape Girardeau sat at table to rest after their bargain-hunting. Most of the group said they have been coming for several years. One woman was happy to have found several pairs of Levi jeans. "We wouldn't miss it!"

A man from Old Appleton said he looks for tools to use in his two workshops at home. "I find all kinds of things to use in my shops."

The sale ran from 8 am to noon. There will be another sale in the spring, and interested vendors and buyers should contact the Osage Center for more information.