This year’s 16th Annual Sale officially began this past Friday, Aug. 1 and will run through Sunday, Aug. 10. The sale route begins at Noccalula Falls in Gadsden and extends 450 miles to Covington, Ky. Across the Ohio River from Cincinnati. The Alabama route follows the Lookout Mountain Parkway from Noccalula Falls to the Georgia line east of Mentone.
Delores King, who lives between Hokes Bluff and Centre, has participated in the sale for the last four years.
“We have a little bit of everything, toys, clothes, shoes, baby toys, Barbie dolls and stuff," said King. "I've seen cars from everywhere, Florida, Ohio, Kentucky, Georgia, Utah, I've seen every kind of tag."
Just down the road, Jamie Tidmore manned a booth full of clothes, lawn mowers and other items.
“I've found some good bargains,” said Rick Jones of Ohatchee. “It's awful hot. We need to find a cooler time to do this. But you can't predict the weather."
Also offering some good bargains were Gail Arredondo and Richard Arredondo, who set up shop on the Lookout Mountain Parkway.
“We have a lot of kids' clothes, women and mens’ clothes, new items, tools and such that are selling real good," said Arredondo. “We have music equipment, amps and stuff, pocketbooks, just good shopping items. We’ve been really busy today.”
The Outdoor Sale is an annual family event, he said. “We try to participate every year if we have the material to set up and sell,” said Arredondo. “This is my sister-in-law's place and we try to get four, five or six families all together. We try to help each other out.”
Dewayne Wells and Christie Wells said they met shoppers from Sand Mountain, Birmingham and other areas.
“We have a few toys,” said Mrs. Wells. “We can't talk our little girl into getting rid of anything. It's hard for her to part with her toys. Some of the things she did bring, she has already put back into the car. But she has outgrown a lot of clothes. Kids’ clothes are very popular.”
Mr. and Mrs. Wells participate in the sale whenever possible.
“We try,” said Wells. “It depends on what we collect over the year.”
Centre Resident Buddy Mackey accompanied friends Paul Matthews and Joyce Matthews of Rome along the route.
“We usually go through Dogtown," said Mackey. “I can't afford to go to Cincinnati. We saw some nice scooters up the road near Mt. Vernon and they sold them just before we got there.”
The team of Hubert Hulsey, Jane Hawkins and Joyce Roe of Sand Rock set up shop at the intersection of Alabama 68 and Tabor Road. They had many items available for sale including lumber.
“We've had a lot of buyers and lookers from out of state and local,” said Hawkins. "This is our fourth year. If you are not careful, you will spend more than what you sell.”
Mrs. Rowe was busy selling Peppermint Candies and Beanie Babies, assisted by her granddaughters, Mary Frances Brown, 5, and Courtney Rowe 6. Another busy shopper was Jean Gossett.
“We started at Noccalula Falls,” said Gossett. “It took us an hour to get from Gadsden to the top of the mountain. We saw cars from Ohio, Texas, Missouri, Mississippi, Florida, Tennessee and Illinois.”
David, Judy and Wayne Roebuck from Blanche, said their booth had visitors from Florida to Texas to Canada.
“We sell a little furniture, a little glass, just odds and ends," said David Roebuck.
Mike Walker, a Tennessee executive, came up with the idea for the sale some 17 years ago as a way to bring travelers from the busy interstates to the less traveled roads in the southern states
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