A bargain-hunter's paradise

08/15/2005

United Way’s warehouse sale attracts thousands.

BY Susan Gamble
EXPOSITOR STAFF / BRANTFORD


The early birds caught the best selection but the stragglers snagged the bargains at the annual United Way Giant Warehouse Sale.

With thousands of people pouring through one of the King and Benton warehouses on Mohawk Street, the sale was an acclaimed success, featuring pallets of cleaning supplies, blue jeans, T-shirts, runners, and candles, candles, candles.

Cherie Ainger of Brantford didn’t realize what a great deal she had until she got home.

“I went home this morning and figures the value of everything I bought was more than $1,000 and I only paid $116,” she said gleefully.

“So I came back!” Ainger, pulling another huge cart full of cleaning supplies and candles, said she made her first foray into the sale right off the bat by standing in line at 6 a.m.

CANDLES BEST DEAL

The best deal in the place, she said, was the candles from SC Johnson. “I bought two of these candles this morning for $6 and now they’re $10 a case.”

Shortly after that, the price of the candles dropped to $5 a case as organizer Paula Tysoski stirred up the bargain-seeking crowd.

“We don’t want any leftovers,” grinned Tysoski, who is also the United Way campaign manager. “We want everything to be gone at 4 p.m.”

Tysoski sold off 18 cases of scented oil in six or seven minutes and then hurried to the tables of picked over blue jeans, sports vests and T-shirts.

“All clothing items are now one dollar!” she shrieked, causing a mild stampede.

“We have a megaphone somewhere but I prefer to run around and yell like a crazy person. I’m having so much fun.”

About 5,000 people attended the sale, Tysoski said. People began lining up at the door at about 3:30 a.m. and, by the time the doors officially opened at 8 a.m., there were thousands in a zig-zagging line that wended through the parked cars.

TWO-HOUR WAIT

The longest wait time was about two hours in the early morning but others deliberately waited until the line lessened to put in an appearance.

“This is my first time at the sale,” said Sharon Ferguson from Brantford.

“I’m really happy with what I’ve got – they’re great deals – but I’ll only come back if I don’t have to stand in line.”

First run in 2003, the sale was the brainchild of Brain Tuffin, who was then the president of SC Johnson.

While Tuffin was replaced on the warehouse floor by Johnson’s new president, Drew Franklin, the sale has continued to be a huge success.

Local companies, including Levis, Adidas, Nu-Gro, ITML, Procter and Gamble, Saxon Athlete, Brant Pack, Marco Sales, Nuts to You and Dure Foods, all donated products but some of it went so quickly that many buyers didn’t see it.

SC Johnson made a huge commitment to the sale with various products plus about 70,000 candles, which proved hugely popular.

Putting the giant sale on takes between 225 and 240 volunteers, said Tysoski.

Last year, it bought in about $177,000 in a single weekend. On Sunday, Tysoski said she didn’t have a final tally, but expects the figure to be lower than previous year because there were slighter fewer products for sale.

“But it was hugely successful because we almost sold out. The only thing left was candles and some water bottles.

“If we can get the products again next year, we’ll do it again,” she said. “And I think with P&G and Ferrero Rocher moving in, we’ll be successful.”