[TRex2]

This isn't a question, but rather, the opening of a discussion and invitation to questions.

I was in Mountain Home the other day, and heard someone refer to US highway 62 (and 412) through Baxter County as the World's longest garage sale. Well, I don't know about "longest garage sale in the world" but it has a rather large number (especially if you consider areas nearby) of Flea Markets, many of which are not what I would call a flea market. More like middle class consignment stores. It also has Antique shops and at least one "Junk" store (doesn't look like junk to me), and an artsy Boutique.

I haven't counted them, but if they average one per mile, that would be about 20 stores. I think there are more than that. I don't recall ever seeing any stretch of road with so many places to buy used stuff.

(Remember, junk is the stuff you throw out,
and stuff is the junk you keep.)

I also notice there are a massive number of storage units along the same stretch of highway.

[Quert]

That's just what happens when you live in an area long enough that you begin to scrutinize everything around you. I love Mountain Home, but it has downsides of course. I've never heard it referred to as the world's largest garage sale before and I never really paid attention, or counted, the number of flea markets that they have.


I believe that, for the population size, Mountain Home pretty much has what people need. When it comes to kids and teens though, there really is not much for them to do. It can be pretty dramatic also, as with small town living, especially on Facebook.


It's been good to me while I was there and I met some good folks.

[TRex2]

I wasn't meaning it as a bad thing. Quite the contrary. I think in the case of Mountain Home, this is the effect of so many people deciding to make it a retirement destination. As they downsize to smaller homes with less stuff, to make maintenance more manageable, they sell their excesses at the many outlets. I go there at least once a week, and sometimes stop at one or more of those "flea markets" (my wife says they should be called vintage stores, since the stuff isn't really antique, but not the latest fads either) because they have really good stuff.

[Quert]

Awesome! Glad you enjoy Mountain Home. Maybe on my next trip there I'll stop in and visit some.

[CraigCreek]

The official "World's Longest Yard Sale" runs along US 127, from Michigan to Alabama in early August
annually. You never can tell what will show up!

Arkansas has great antique shops and yard sales too but is nowhere near the World's Longest Yard Sale.

[sub]

I do like a good and proper flea market. If there's anything I can appreciate about Arkansas, it's that.
I've been to one somewhere else where I actually had to pay to get in and all the stuff looked like it fell off a truck, still in it's original packaging. No thanks.
A bunch of people having a perpetual garage sale inside of a repurposed old building, that's more like it.
As for 62, I just wish they'd be more... not sure the word... thoughtful, perhaps? Seems like people like to brag about the scenery, but...

[Sarahsez]

I've only heard of Bargains Galore on 64. I think that is the longest yard sale in Arkansas. It goes along Highway 64 in Arkansas.

[TRex2]

Originally Posted by sub

I do like a good and proper flea market. If there's anything I can appreciate about Arkansas, it's that.
I've been to one somewhere else where I actually had to pay to get in and all the stuff looked like it fell off a truck, still in it's original packaging. No thanks.
A bunch of people having a perpetual garage sale inside of a repurposed old building, that's more like it.
As for 62, ... ...

Was over near Mt. Home this morning and noticed
one of the "flea markets" had undergone a name change.

My wife had always said their stuff was more like
a "vintage store" than a flea market, and their new
name reflects that.

So, we stopped in and looked at some of the stuff.
I noticed they had a 400 Day clock. Not a copy or
look alike, but a real one. Hadn't seen one of those
since many years ago.