Tag: Big Red Barn

Collecting

100 Mile Kan-Okla Garage Sale

Big Red Barn Blog

We went on our last road trip, garage sale of 2022 last Friday. The Kan-Okla 100 Mile Garage Sale. We started in Coffeyville, Kansas, and ended in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. We got a car load of great items, made some new friends, went to some towns we had never been to before, and enjoyed a beautiful day! We took the traditional selfie in Coffeyville and hit the road early Friday morning.

Starting the Day in Coffeyville, Kansas

This sale was very organized and sales were fairly easy to find. We did not leave the road too much searching out garage sales. There were several large flea market type sales, out in the middle of a pasture. Although these are fun and enjoyable, you are less likely to find a great buy there. The best buys of the day were at a “HUGE” garage sale in someone’s backyard just north of Dewey, Oklahoma. We bough a lot of glassware, Fire King Charm, depression glass, Pyrex, 1950s style cocktail shakers, Forest Green Fire King, a Tom’s Peanut Jar, Halloween decor, flatware, and lots more!

Caney, Kansas, to Dewey, Oklahoma

We found the coolest little antique shop in Dewey, Oklahoma. She had things in her shop that we had not seen in years. She had some fabulous costume jewelry, Weiss, Florenza, Eisenberg, Trifari and more. Lots of old jars, Frankoma, crock bowls, linens, pottery, primitives, kitchen gadgets, and more. It was one of the best antique browsing experiences of my life. It’s in downtown Dewey, Oklahoma. On the south side of the street. You really can’t miss it! If you’re ever passing through Dewey, it’s a MUST stop!

Antiques in Dewey Oklahoma

Now for some garage sale pointers. If you are a part of something like this or even are having your own sale, if you do not mark ANYTHING, a lot of people are not going to ask you about a price! My advice is to at least mark a few things so people can get an idea of your pricing scheme. After about two hours of solid garage sales, people are getting tired of asking you how much something costs. They will probably just skip your booth and go on to the next one!

Also, accurate signage matters. When you are going to a long garage sale event, there are many, many choices. If your sign is sloppy, falling over, or gives me NO idea of where your sale is, I’m probably not coming!

We made great buys along the road and our car started filling up a bit after about four or five hours. We brought boxes, crates, and paper to wrap and safely get things home this time.

Somewhere South of Dewey

This was a great day. We bought some very rare pieces of cast iron, fabulous costume jewelry, oil fence signs, tins, hard to find glassware, old jars, tin toys, insulators, and more. Consider checking out one of these sales next year. Oklahoma has a few now and it’s a great opportunity to visit small towns across the state!

Stay tuned for news of the next Big Red Barn Sale! Announcement in the next couple of days!!

Jackie

Collecting

Antique Alley – Hwy 11

Big Red Barn Blog

This week, we are in Alabama at the Hwy 11 Antique Alley. It’s a lot like the World’s Longest Garage Sale, but MUCH less hot! It’s held annually the weekend after Mother’s Day and runs from Meridian, Mississippi, to Bristol, Virginia, on Hwy 11. Our first day, we began in Ft. Payne, Alabama, and started south on Hwy 11.

Alabama is beautiful. The morning was crisp, and a little foggy! Once you reach Hwy 11, you’re on the route. It’s very obvious. There are many, many stops with LOTS of vendors set up ready to sell. There’s a little bit of everything from genuine antiques and primitives to toys and new items. Once again, took a morning selfie when we were still very enthusiastic!

This is definitely more of a hunt for items. There are many, many overpriced items. We were shocked by what people were asking for some of the things we were interested in!! But, if you’re diligent and keep hunting, you will find some treasures.

This is a beautiful part of our country. We enjoyed the countryside, old, historic homes, and road side oddities!

It’s always a lot of fun to pick other parts of the country to see what’s different. Cast iron was EXTREMELY expensive the first day. We found a few great pieces, but mostly a lot of items too rich for our blood. We bought some great porcelain hanging lamps, probably the buy of the day and Longaberger baskets, for some reason there are a lot of these in Alabama. We also bought a few smaller porcelain signs. And, a really cool metal Christmas tree to hold cards or photos.

Ft. Payne, Alabama

Day two, we started in Ft. Payne again. We headed north and found some great buys. We finally found some reasonable cast iron to clean and sell, old egg baskets, and Coke trays. We found a lot of old, blue canning jars with the lids.

As you can see, sales are easy to find and generally easy to access. Husband found some great barbecue!

We finished the day in Georgia. We were really tired, but probably hit 50 sales. Made some great buys. Definitely filled the back of the van over two days. Met great people and had some great food!

The highs are obvious! This is a great sale! It’s EASY to follow the route and find sales. No mapping needed once you reach Hwy 11! Prices are all over the place – high to low. If you’re diligent, you will find some great stuff. A few things were less great – some people did not open until pretty late and some prices were really high.

We’ll definitely come again! Happy hunting!!

Jackie

Collecting

Picking and Selling Through the Big Red Barn, Oklahoma

Big Red Barn Blog

My husband and I have owned a moderately successful small business for more than 20 years. In the late 1990s, we started a small antique business and it has grown year after year. We started as M&J Antiques, but are known around Stillwater, Oklahoma, as the Big Red Barn or the barn people. I am often asked by rookie entrepreneurs for advice or pointers on small business ownership. Here are a few of the top suggestions.

Be Flexible! The antique & collectible business has changed considerably in the last twenty years. When we started, Fenton glass, Fiesta dishes, and carnival glass, for example, were king! These items fetched top prices at auctions and sales. Now, you can hardly give away some of these items! Change seems to occur somewhat slowly in this business, but it’s important to recognize change in trends and interests.

From the Stillwater Antique & Collectible Mall

You’re Buying for Someone Else. This was one of the hardest things for me. Many items that I really DON’T like sell really well! And, just because I like something, doesn’t mean anyone else will. Which leads to my next tip.

From the Big Red Barn

Research, Research, Research. You cannot spend enough time researching, reading, and investigating business trends. I spend a lot of time looking through EBAY, ETSY, Pinterest and other social media websites to see what’s trending in my business. You need to know what types of items are popular.

Recycling and upcycling are currently red hot. I may not sell your completed item, but I can sell you the base or bones for your project. I am always surprised when people tell me some of the projects they plan for the items I sell. For example, using old wooden ladders to make a Christmas tree, old windows for the tops of a table, and (don’t really know how this turned out) but an old army cot was going to be made into a couch!! Turning an upright dresser into a quilt rack, using a wine cooler for a vase, and making side tables out of old luggage.

We had a sale this weekend at the Big Red Barn in Stillwater, Oklahoma. We had a lot of customers come out to find items for their new projects, search for treasure, and enjoy country life!

Like/Follow the Big Red Barn on Facebook!

Know Your Staples. There are some antiques & collectibles that have maintained their popularity and price over the years. For example, cast iron, Pyrex, Fire King Jadeite, costume jewelry, and doilies & embroidery. In fact, many items continue to enjoy a steady climb in value.

From the Stillwater Antique & Collectible Mall

Know Your Limitations. People think that just because you’re in this business, you know everything about, well everything. There are many items we almost never buy, because we just have no interest or knowledge. For example, we almost never buy toys, stamps, coins, or ephemera. We also don’t buy heavy furniture, just getting too old. And, one rule of our business is pianos and sleeper sofas are marriage breakers!

Hope I’ve given you some ideas that might help you launch your own small business. It’s very rewarding and fun.

Jackie