I love a good garage sale, don’t you? But how does a garage sale compare to the antique mall? Some of the differences are obvious, others not so much.
- You can find lots of stuff at garage sales. I know I’ve spent many a Saturday driving from place to place looking and hoping to find the hidden treasure. The keyword here is driving. Now a days gas is not so cheap and spending the day driving can really damage the pocket book.
- Weather is also a BIG factor in garage sales. It can rain out, (who wants to be in and out of the car in pouring rain) or it can be extremely HOT (especially here in the south).
- Parking can also be a MAJOR issue. Driving through neighborhoods parking can be very limited. Often, you will find that people don’t want parking in front of their house.
- Cash is king at a garage sale. Most of the time it is CASH ONLY. However, at Antique Malls Debit and Credit cards are welcome and even checks.
- You never know what you might find at a garage sale. You can luck up and find a treasure or you may find a lot of old junk. But that's the thing, you may drive for miles and for the whole day and find nothing or you may get lucky. You have to take into account that most of the items in garage sales are what people don’t want and they know they must sell cheap. I know when I go to garage sales I expect to get deals.
- Antique malls are quite a different story. A controlled climate and a roof over head. Most antique malls have a criteria for what dealers are allowed to sell. Which means most items are clean and staged for selling.
- As an antique dealer in an antique mall, you want your product to look as appealing as possible. I know as women we buy with our eyes. When things are staged and look like they would in a home it helps you visualize how it would be in your home.
- Variety is king in an antique mall too. There are multiple dealers with multiple interests. So you can meet the needs of many types of customers. And this is all in one place! Often in an antique mall, you can purchase paint and crafting products.
These are just a few of the differences that I have found. Both can be lucrative and fun, you just have to decide what you’re in the mood for! Happy hunting!