World’s Widest Yard Sale begins

Published 7:42 pm Thursday, May 30, 2013

Friday marks the beginning of the second annual World’s Widest Yard Sale, which will run through the heart of Selma along U.S. Highway 80 again this year.

From Phenix City all the way through the Black Belt, visitors and early birds will trickle into Selma starting as early as the crack of dawn.

Deal hunters will mingle among multiple sale sites and pick up nick knacks and treasure to take home. The sale will go throughout the weekend and into Sunday, June 3

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The World’s Widest Yard Sale will offer more than 23 selling sites in the city of Selma, and several more throughout Dallas County.

A full listing of all sales sites is available through contacting the Selma and Dallas County Chamber of Commerce. Executive director Sheryl Smedley said the chamber has full listings of sites available for visitors coming through as well as Selmians who need to know who is selling items and where.

“Call the Chamber of Commerce because we have sites identified throughout the city and county,” Smedley said. “Also this has sparked a lot of neighborhood yard sales throughout the area, and even an estate sale on Saturday. So call us to get the information.”

Smedley said this event, now its second year, helps bring visitors and bustle to the city on the weekend and promote tourism.

“I think it brings people that are familiar with the community that have visited our community,” Smedley said.  “I think it also bring in outsiders that have never been to Selma — especially those people who have never stopped along the way and they get a chance to actually see some of the genuine hospitality that we have here.”

She added there is more than yard sales strung along U.S. Highway 80. Vendors like Cassie Richardson have been approved by the health department to sell food throughout the weekend at the yard sale. Smedley said Richardson, who will be selling at 5560 U.S. Highway 80 West will be cooking barbecue, chicken, ribs and wash pot skins.

While most of the sites are selling for profit, sales like the one at Sturdivant Hall and the Queen of Peace Church on Highway 80 are putting all proceeds towards a good cause. Sturdivant Hall organizers like Patty DaBardeleben, said they collected donations of items and they will sell those items at the yard sale on Saturday only. All proceeds from the sale at Sturdivant, which will be around the back of the campus, will go towards the non-profit organization that runs Sturdivant Hall.

All sales at the Our Lady Queen of Peace Church on Summerfield Road will go towards the renovation of St. Andrews Hall, a building the church owns downtown.

WVAS 90.7 FM, which is Alabama State University’s radio station, will be broadcasting live from Angie’s Auction on Saturday on Dallas County Road 44.

The sites in Selma are as follows in order of location from east to west on U.S. Highway 80:

  • Lafawnda Johnson, selling at 7986 U.S. Highway 80E
  • Selma Flea Market, U.S. Highway 80 Bypass
  • GAW Trading Post, 1225 Water Avenue
  • Clutterbugs, 1115 Alabama Avenue
  • Ellas Attic and Antique Market, 1113 Alabama Avenue
  • Sturdivant Hall (Saturday only) 713 Mabry Street
  • Gordon’s Antiques, 720 Mabry Street
  • June Bugg’s Antique Mall, 1302 Highland Avenue
  • Treasure Box and A-1 Sales, 2802 Citizen’s Parkway
  • On Site Collection, 706 Highland Avenue
  • Covenant Realty Joyce Harris or Edna, 704 Highland Avenue
  • Clothesline, 1514 Highland Avenue
  • Second Hand Treasures and Gift Shop, 2425 North Broad Street
  • American Legion Post #20, 4210 U.S. Highway 80W
  • Marion Junction Community Club, ¼ mile off of U.S. Highway 80 on Dallas County Road 29
  • Our Lady Queen of Peace, 2511 Summerfield Road
  • Margaret Bennett, 1114 Highland Avenue
  • The N Thing, 2812 Citizens Parkway
  • Angie’s Auction, 4094 Dallas County Road 44
  • Cassie Richardson, 5560 U.S. Highway 80 W
  • General Investments, 3548 U.S. Highway 80W
  • BP Gas Station in Marion, 11700 U.S. Highway 80W
  • Castlewood — 204, 294, 308 E. Castlewood, West Highway 80 at 219, then follow the signs