BLYTHEWOOD – Thousands of sellers and grabbers returned to the roost last weekend when they converged on Blythewood, Ridgeway and Winnsboro for the annual 85-mile yard sale.
“What a weekend for Blythewood,” Organizer Mike Switzer, Executive Director of the Blythewood Chamber of Commerce said.
Shoppers came from all over South Carolina, the east coast and as far away as New Hampshire. While everyone from Florida to South Carolina was playing the waiting game with Hurricane Irma, the weather was perfect during the weekend and vendors say the sales were brisk.
We had evacuees from Florida telling us they were staying in our hotels and were looking for something to do,” Switzer said.
While vendors were set up in the towns, a growing number set up shop on Highway 21 between Blythewood and Ridgeway and along Highway 321 between Blythewood and Winnsboro. There was a large contingent of tents at the old Blythewood Community Center grounds as well.
Lis Humphries, owner of Blythewood Consignment said that with more vendors setting up in the park, there was less traffic and less sales in the shops along Main Street and McNulty Road.
And at the end of the weekend, many vendors donated the things they had left to Habitat for Humanity who’s truck drove away full.
“I still get a lot of calls about the traffic at the Big Grab,” Mayor J. Michael Ross told The Voice, “But it’s only two days out of the year. And it was great having all these visitors to our town.”