SHEEPSHEAD BAY'S ONLY INDEPENDENT NEWS BLOG

Just one of the homes that participated in May's block-long yard sale

A resident of Oxford Street sent me the following note. It’s the second block-long garage sale they’ve organized this year, the first being in May:

After a hot and humid summer with the 90 to 100 degree weather, some residents of Oxford Street and Pembroke Street in Manhattan Beach are planning to have another garage sale on Saturday, August 28th. The event will run from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with rain date the following day (Sunday, August 29th).

This is a perfect opportunity to clean house, mingle with your neighbors before the summer begins to wind down and turn some of your “excess baggage (and don’t we all have at least some of that?)” into a few useful dollars. So get your things together and put a table or two in front of your house on August 28th.
Looking forward to your participation!

When I posted yesterday’s piece about the Ford Street yard/garage sale, I had this nagging feeling that I was forgetting something. In addition to the Ford Street sale, there’s going to be an Oxford Street sale – also a block long – and a sidewalk sale.

On Saturday, May 15, residents a throwing a street wide garage sale on Oxford Street in Manhattan Beach. All are invited to sample wares, compare prices and buy stuff.

In addition to the two yard sales, Sheepshead Bay fixture The Learning Wheel is having their annual sidewalk sale. From test prep materials to toys and games, The Learning Wheel is offering up steep discounts. Located at 1514 Avenue Z, the sale is both Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.

This is not Ford Street. It's a random photo of a yard sale I found on Flickr. Did I need to use it? No. But studies show that including photos increases the chances that an article will be read. Did I trick you?

I don’t know about you, but I love hitting up garage and yard sales. I rarely buy anything, but it gives me a look into other people’s lives; it satisfies the voyeur in me and often I end up feeling less weird than I think I am.

Then I realize I just went to a garage sale for that very peculiar reason, once again confirming that I am, indeed, that weird.

Well, I get to go through this whole cycle of psychosis this weekend, at what sounds like a really neat event. On both Saturday and Sunday, May 15 and 16, the residents of Ford Street between Emmons Ave and Shore Parkway are planning to clean house. The neighbors are pooling together household goods, tools, electronics, Bric-a Brac and clothing.

There are also two or three other sales in the coming weeks we’ll tell you about as we near those dates. If you have a garage or yard sale and would like us to post it, just shoot us an email.

(l. to r.): Mary Powell, Pastor Ron Weinbaum of the King's Chapel, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, Ed Jaworski at MMHCA's 2009 Holiday Party

Madison-Marine-Homecrest Civic Association (MMH) is creating an award for civic-minded students of Marine Park Junior High School in memory of their long-time president Mary Powell, who passed away in February.

The Mary Powell Award is a $250 cash gift to an eighth grade student of the school that demonstrates a commitment to civic duty through volunteering in the school or community.

“After the passing of Mary we wanted some kind of fitting living memorial to her,” said Anthony Giacobbe, a board member of MMH that is coordinating with the school. “Not only do we want to be a watchdog, but we’re also trying to get involved in community activities … We thought that by honoring one of our local eighth graders at Marine Park Junior High School it would be fitting.”

The organization is planning to make the award an annual occurrence, taking place this year at the school’s end-of-year awards ceremony on June 16. This year, members of Powell’s family will present the award. The student will be picked by a committee at the junior high school. The school is contributing a plaque that with the recipient’s name, to hang in the hallways to inspire future generations.

Keep reading to learn about Mary Powell and how you can help support the award

The original title for this post was, Secret Sheepshead Bay Road Flea Market Exposed — but, that would have left you all saying, “There’s no flea market on Sheepshead Bay Road.”

Actually, there is a flea market on Sheepshead Bay Road — just that it’s also nearer to Coney Island than it is to Sheepshead Bay. Yes, folks, Sheepshead Bay Road is a cut-up road, with one piece of it way over by the Department of Motor Vehicles, near the McDonald’s fast food restaurant.

The flea market is run by Metro Festival Productions and it is just that — quite a production — with sales in five locations in Brooklyn and a few in Manhattan. This whole production is put on so that Southern Brooklynites who don’t want to trudge up and down on the subways with their purchases, can find some real goodies right in their own neighborhood. Continue Reading »

For those of you who like to hit the flea markets on Saturday mornings, take a walk out to Sheepshead Bay.

The weather forecast says there is a chance of showers. But you never know how those things work out, so there might be some surprise sun shining through. Even if it’s pouring, though, you’ll still find some great finds indoors at the Saturday Flea Market at the United Methodist Church of Sheepshead Bay.

The flea market coordinator, Jim, said,

This year, we’re also having the flea market indoors, inside the church. So, now, we have it inside and outside. If it rains, the vendors inside will still be there, selling their antiques, but the outside vendors usually pack up.

WallyG says, “The United Methodist Church of Sheepshead Bay, at 3087 Ocean Avenue, is the oldest church building in Sheepshead Bay, dating to 1869.” So, while you’re there shopping for whatever little knick knack you’re in need of, you can take in a bit of Sheepshead Bay architecture.

The flea market sale is held every Saturday, in good weather, generally from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vendors have a range of goods from handbags, watches, household decorations, and toys to unique little treasures. There were even some World War II memorabilia piquing browsers’ curiosity.

The organizers of the event welcome new vendors, as well as shoppers. So, if you are on your way to an afternoon of strolling the bay, you can get your white elephant find at Sheepshead Bay’s white elephant church yard.

Here are the details:
United Methodist Church of Sheepshead Bay Flea Market & Yard Sale
3087 Ocean Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11235
Saturdays, weather permitting, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
If you’re interested in being a vendor, you can ask for Jim.

Warmer days are here and summer is just around the corner, so it’s time to head to Manhattan Beach — but, not before you do some recession shopping at the Avenue Z Garage Sale.

This sidewalk sale operates out of one side of a two-car garage located on Avenue Z between East 18 Street and East 19 Street (across the street from the St. Mark’s School playground). It’s worth the trip just to see this rarely-found-in-Brooklyn residential parking phenomena. And when you have a two-car garage in Brooklyn, what do you do with it? You don’t park in it, of course — you hold a garage sale.

There are all kinds of general merchandise available at this flea market — from books, to toys, to overflowing baskets of kitchen gadgets. It was impossible to miss the main inventory in the garage, but one of the salespeople still pointed to the old LP’s stacked to the ceiling and said, “We have over four thousand records”.

Audiophiles who love the richness of vinyl sound, won’t have to spend a fortune to get their old vintage fix, because prices at this yard sale are too cheap to be displayed. All you need to do is rummage around a little to find some item you’ve been looking for and name your price. They can’t wait to finally clean out that garage!

Here are the details:
Avenue Z and East 19 Street Garage Sale
If weather permits, it runs from about 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday