Royal Rummage Sale draws crowd of bargain hunters

A line of about 430 people was ready to pick through deals when the Royal Rummage Sale opened its doors. 

The parking lot was filled, the line of people extending almost to Gulf of Mexico Drive. When the crowd of people was let into the building, it was a frenzy to find the best deals. 

St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church held its annual Royal Rummage Sale on March 8-9. The early bird sale was March 8 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the second day for the sale was March 9 from 9 a.m. to noon. 

Patty Baker was first in line, and said she got there at 7:30 a.m. to secure her spot. She’s been coming to visit Longboat Key for about seven years, and said she has been first in line for the past three years. 

Usually, she leaves with her whole car full, she said. 

Photo by Carter Weinhofer

Joann Sifuentes with St. Mary’s estimated that a little over 800 tickets were sold this year for the early bird special, at $5 a piece. 

"We had a lot of happy shoppers, I know that," she said. 

The sale, which has continued for almost 30 years, broke a record last year when 809 tickets were sold for the early bird sale. 

Inside the church, tables were filled with gently used clothing, household wares, small appliances, blankets and decorations. There was a good selection of used books, as well. 

Photo by Carter Weinhofer

Continuing outside, there were tables filled with wall art before arriving at a small parking lot filled with furniture and what Ginny Akhoury described as an “ocean of lamps.” 

Akhoury donned a cowboy vest, hat and a star lapel that dubbed her as the “Sheriff of Rummage.” She walked around the inside of the sale, answering questions for people and saying things over the microphone like “you’re guaranteed to find something you’ll love.”  

Photo by Carter Weinhofer

St. Mary begins accepting donations in September until December, according to Akhoury. After a short break, they start again in January. Meanwhile, volunteers sort the donations to get ready for the sale, 

Akhoury said it seemed like there were slightly fewer items for sale. One of the reasons was because the office was under construction, leaving less room for storage. 

The money raised from the sale goes to different local charities, Akhoury said. Anything that isn’t sold gets sent to St. Michael’s Thrift Store in Wauchula, Florida.