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Biz Aid reports good turnout at garage sale
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Posted on Nov 16 2008
Despite the financial crisis, some have found ways to keep their business activity going while others prefer buying things at half their original prices. Garage sales are the right places for both.
Biz Aid Saipan Enterprises Inc., the company that launched the International Garage Sale in front of Gentle Brook Café at the Marianas Business Plaza in Susupe, reports a continuous influx of buyers of both used and brand new items.
Is this good turnout a result of the financial crisis, forcing more people to shop at garage sales?
“Maybe, especially since we are nearing the Christmas holidays,” said Biz Aid administrative assistant Divine Sotto.
The Saturday market-style garage sale started six weeks ago on Oct. 11.
“The most total number of booths was 23 last Saturday. People keep coming to the area and booth owners are saying they have good sales every Saturday,” said Sotto.
She also said the Saturday market activity has also helped increase the number of customers at the Gentle Brook Café.
At least two owners of three booths said their sales figures are good, saying, “maybe people want to save more for other things.”
“Food is more important now than clothes or decors.”
“We actually open at 10am but customers are coming in at around 7am,” said Yoshiro Kishimoto, president of Biz Aid.
He said this market is patterned after the famous Akiba Street in Japan, where stall owners gather in one place to sell children’s toys and products, primarily animation heroes. The scheme initially targeted tourists but more local residents frequent the place.
“This is what we initially planned to do but people prefer clothes and other things more useful to their homes, so we continue to do this,” Kishimoto said.
Stall owners offer their customers brand new and secondhand items that include clothing, shoes, computer gadgets, kitchen wares, fishing gear, children’s toys, office supplies, ladies accessories, etc.
Some of the items come directly from Japan. Five Japanese entrepreneurs have joined the Saturday market.
