Park Slope Picker

I just returned from a classy stoop sale on Polhemus Place in Park Slope. I have been to this family's stoop sales before. Once every year or two, they have a sale in front of their house, advertised by an annoucement on Craigslist. In Brooklyn there is rarely a garage sale, because few homes, especially brownstones in Brownstone Brooklyn, have garages. We do, however, have lots of stone stoops, so that is the place, together with the wrought iron fences in front of our houses and the adjacent sidewalk, where our "garage sales" take place.

Saturday mornings are the big day for stoop sales every weekend when the weather is good. The season starts around April, gets into high gear in May and June, and practically disappears over the hot summer months. The deluge picks up again in September until the weather gets cold. The jackpot for stoop sales are usually "block long" sales, in which many neighbors organize to have their individual sales on the same day. This creates a festival-like atmosphere, with lots of souk-like bargaining going on, and massive amounts of goods and money changing hands.

Brooklyn is famous for its stoop sales. This is one of the traditions of living in many parts of Brooklyn that will remain in our collective consciousness for years to come, in the same way that stick ball games and Dodger baseball games in Ebbetts Field were fond memories.

So what can one buy at these stoop sales, of which there might be dozens on a good day in many Brooklyn neighborhoods? Think about what is for sale at any flea market and you will get a good picture of the available merchandise. Some people, like my friend Alice B, usually confines herself to fine women's clothing. My friend Lynn G, on the other hand, walks around with a shopping cart and has more eclectic tastes. In my case, I travel around on my bike to cover maximum territory and prowl mostly for useless but beautiful tchotchkes. Occasionally I also accept orders from family or friends to be on the lookout for a particular item, like a kid's bike or an aquarium tank.

In another blog, I will discuss some of the treasures I have managed to unearth and carry home. Let me just emphasize that "stoop-saleing" serves a number of worthwhile functions, besides the ecologically useful role of redistributing rather than trashing or simply storing goods. There is a feeling of camaraderie in the air; I have made a number of new friends and acquaintances in my travels. It's also a great reason to get out and go for a walk. It obviously also raises money to buy new clothes or replacement things.

The common element in all of these stoop sales is price. Usually, but not always, these sales come with bargain prices. The search for good things at bargain prices, normally well below flea market prices, is what keeps us Park Slope and other NYC pickers motivated and on the move.