The Himalayan Bazaar in my Garage Sale
January 2000
Four Sundays before Christmas, I had a Himalayan Bazaar in my garage. It was great fun and I met lots of interesting people. No one seemed to think the Nepali store was too strange. I guess in Ann Arbor, a few oddities are to be expected.
Mostly people were gracious to find a garage sale in the deep cold of winter. I met many hardcore bargain hunters. One man thought The Himalayan Bazaar meant a Himalayan mega sale, like huge. He was a bit taken by the incense and sitar music which subliminally transported him to the streets of Kathmandu. He left without pots and pans, large sofas or appliances which he expected to find. Instead he bought a necklace for his wife.
My only complaint was not the cold weather exactly, but my sign posting extravaganza each morning. With hot coffee at my side in my travel mug, I questioned why I did such things. It was no one's idea but my own to have a Himalayan Bazaar in my Garage.
The next week it rained, washing away all my hard work in an instant. I had to race to the store to buy official ($$) rain-proof Garage Sale signs. And thus, I was an hour late opening the garage door. When I got home, I found two customers waiting under umbrellas on my back porch. They’d been there for 45 minutes they said!
The next week the ground was completely frozen solid. Even the hammer would’t get the Bazaar signs into the ground. I had to make repairs with duct tape which I found to be useless on cold surfaces. With hot coffee at my side again, I questioned why. Why did I think I needed to have a Himalayan Bazaar in my Garage? Because the garage is there, I guess.....like rent-free space. Why not?
The last Sunday I ate very few cookies because I was busy all day. Despite my sign problems, I’m glad I did it. And I’m especially glad so many shoppers came! It was a success! I will likely do it again!