Rummagers from far and wide flock to fall rummages

Sheila and Mike Samsel love to run rummages. 

“It’s just fun to meet the people and see what they buy,” she said. 

Samsel and her husband, Mike, have been manning a multi-family rummage at her brother Lee Schelling’s house every spring and fall in Brandon for the past five years. 

Last Friday they had a little bit of everything, and a lot of some things. The sale was busy with buyers, and the spread was wide – furniture, tools, toys, board games, dishes, sewing materials, linens, holiday décor, shelves, baby equipment, fabric, frames and a lot more. There was an old mailbox, board games, headboards, Michael Jordan memorabilia, an inkjet printer, dozens of Precious Moments collectibles in their original boxes and hundreds of vintage Hot Wheels, also in their original packaging. A Yo Gabba Gabba Halloween costume peeked out from the top of one box. Remington gun supplies filled another. 

“We like doing it,” Sheila said. “Everybody brings stuff and we just man it.”

In addition to herself and her husband Mike, the spread came from Samsel’s brothers and sisters, four nieces and nephews and her mom, Shirley, 77. 

Everyone cleans their houses out and next season, they start all over from scratch.

“Right now the Christmas and Halloween stuff is selling, but different stuff sells in the spring,” Samsel said.

They moved some vintage beer memorabilia Thursday and sold about 15 red metal tractors from the 1990s Friday morning. Those went for $50 apiece. Half a dozen were still left. 

“It’s the big boy toys,” said Mike. 

He said he likes running the rummage because it’s something different from the everyday grind. 

“I sit at a desk all day looking at a screen. Here I get to talk to people and get fresh air. I don’t get that at work,” he said.

His wife said they’re willing to entertain some haggling if it’s within reason.

“It really helps having citywide rummages,” Samsel said. “If you didn’t have them you wouldn’t have the traffic. A lot of people come every year.”

She likes asking people where they’re from. So far she’d had customers from Wessington Springs, Madison, Iowa and Minnesota.

Arlin and Tori Bakker came from Hull, Iowa, with their brood. The Bakkers homeschool and had picked out some of the old books at the Elm Street sale.

“We’ve been coming every spring and fall for the last few years,” Tori Bakker said. 

Samsel said after only one day the merchandise was down significantly and traffic had been steady.

“All day it hasn’t let up,” she said. “Our tables are down considerably. This holiday stuff over here – it was piled. You couldn’t even see the table before.”

They’d already sold a crib, two dressers and a lot of new-in-package Hot Wheels that Mike collected. At least 100 were still on display ranging from the 1960s to the 1990s. 

“Last year was neat. We had somebody come and buy a lot of chicken baskets – you know, the ones you use to gather eggs,” Samsel said. “Have you seen Flea Market Flip? They were going to re-purpose them and use them around their house.”

The couple hoped the rain held off another day so they don’t have to consolidate everything and move into the garage, but Samsel is used to re-arranging items and displays during lulls.

“We’ll hold it as long as it’s not down-pouring,” she said. “Hopefully we sell a lot.”

She said everything would be half-priced on Saturday. Their goal was to move as much as possible. Anything that didn’t sell, they’d donate. 

In the spring, they’ll start all over again.