Huge yard sales to hit US 80 April 15-17


11692734_858395134249885_2662727097372291140_nWaskom, Marshall, Hallsville and Longview part of big yard sale route.

By Becky Holland, editor@pineywoods.news

EAST TEXAS – Excitement is building in the air as citizens across U.S. 80 are preparing for the biggest yard sale to hit five states – since October. April 15-17 is the Spring event for the Historic US 80 Hi-Way Sale.
Grab your rolls of quarters, your dollar bills and your Yard Sale signs. Thousands of tourists could pass by looking for a treasure you might have.

In an effort to promote tourism and traffic along historic US 80, for more than 25 years, the East to West Texas Tourism Association has sponsored a five state yard sale, if you will. Set normally for the third weekends in April and October, the Historic US 80 Hi-Way Sale gives residents in each community the opportunity to have a yard sale in their yard, business or at designated vendor places while showing off the communities to potential residents and business owners who might stop in.

The event starts in Georgia and will take ‘shoppers’ through Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.

If you are coming from the east coast in, Waskom will be the first city in Texas on the route. (Maps of the sale where vendors and possible vendors will be located can be found at http://www.hwy80sale.net.)

Vendors along the route will be selling organizers say, “Almost anything.” There will be junk, furniture, books, arts & crafts, paintings, toys, old farm equipment, tools, records, dishes and glassware, photo equipment, bicycles, motorcycles, boats, cars and trailers for sale.

Organizers say that, “Each town has different rules and regulations so persons should be sure to check with the local City Hall and Health Department where they set up their booth for any licenses or permits they may need to purchase.”

From the Hwy 80 Sale Facebook page, organizers had this to say, “Yard sales will be found along the route at homes located on the designated route, in businesses parking lots, along side streets adjacent to the route, in wide open fields and pastures, and basically anywhere people can find to set up. Some areas will have large numbers of vendors in one group, others may be scattered and in some instances you may travel for several miles or more without seeing a yard sale because of the distances between homes in rural areas.”

For those shopping and selling in the state of Texas, the State Comptroller’s office says for private individuals there is no tax charge on sales on your own property. If selling on the side of the road off of your own property, you must have a sales tax permit because you are ‘in business.’
So, looking for something to do next weekend? April 15-17? Why not travel along US 80 and visit some of the yard sales or set up your own.
As organizers said, “This is the everyday average Joe and Jane’s chance to help stimulate their own community’s economy and help promote growth.”

So, get your yard sale shoes on – Friday – Sunday, April 15-17 will be a busy weekend. You might even want to carry an extra pair with you.

For more information on how to get a sales tax permit form and how to submit taxes, etc., call the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts at 1-800-252-5555.

For more information on the sale, contact your local Chamber of Commerce, or visit the following websites, www.facebook.com/Hwy80Sale and www.Hwy80Sale.net.

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