Bargain hunt is on in Liberty Lake

Chances are few and far between to get a bargain on the perfect severed rattlesnake head, but the forces of fate collided Saturday and 4-year old Alex Smith got his wish.

Alex, who was visiting from Fort Lewis, Wash., with his family, got the kid-deal of the century on the decapitated reptile head, which cost less than $1 at Liberty Lake’s community yard sale on Saturday.

Stephanie Smith, Alex’s mom, put the fanged artifact into a plastic reptile carrier, which she purchased for her son’s live frogs.

“Isn’t it really weird? I kept telling him ‘No,’ but he really wanted it,” Smith said.

Liberty Lake residents rid themselves of old sombreros, VHS movies, oak entertainment centers and even a pinball machine during a massive community-wide yard sale.

The sale, in its 11th year, had about 265 households participating. Residents pay an entry fee of $10 to be included in a map that’s distributed through area stores and gas stations. Last year, 3500 maps were passed out, and this year, organizers expected even more people to attend.

Money collected pays for advertising and a large donation for the Fourth of July fireworks display and other community projects. People set up their own front yards with an array of sofas, shelves, boxes of novels and other goods. Shoppers make their way from block to block, visiting the houses sporting tables and boxes of wares.

Ruthe Sexton of Spokane was looking for baby furnishings for her 6-month-old son. “All the stuff, it’s so much cheaper to get secondhand. I’m hoping to get a portable high chair and a bath chair today.”

At Sharon Inman’s house, the only thing in the front yard that wasn’t for sale was Sadie, a loveable golden-retriever mix that wore a “not for sale” sign.

Inman said the furniture and appliances that she, her two sisters and a niece put out front sold immediately. “The sale is so well-organized. It brings in so much traffic and everything we just can’t beat it.”

Throughout the city, curbs were lined with cars as drivers meandered through narrow bottlenecks, while trying to dodge the occasional shopper that strayed too far into the street.

“I do think people could accidentally get new hood ornaments. It’s really easy, you just pick which gender you want,” joked Shari Chappell, a resident of Otis Orchard who attended the sale.

Chappell, who has lived in the area for 35 years, got lost among the winding streets, acres of houses and cars. She planned to go home and get her pickup to retrieve several large items that she’d purchased. “I lost my car and honest to gosh, I was wondering. I bought things and paid for them and I’m hoping that I’m going to find them.”

The event was particularly fun, Chappell said, because it’s a community effort and people get into the spirit of bidding a cheery farewell to their junk. “It’s just the people are all friendly, and they joke about their stuff and have a good time.”

Throughout the various neighborhoods, nonprofits had separate fund-raisers, selling everything from housewares to cotton candy.

Pat Dockrey prepared hot dogs at a front-yard concession run by the Liberty Lake Kiwanis.

The Kiwanis were raising money for their many community service projects. “It should be a pretty good day for it. We’d like to make $500 or $600.”

Cub Scout Troop 463 sold kettle corn at Pavillion Park. The popcorn, provided by a former Eagle Scout who runs River City Kettle Korn, in Post Falls, sold as quickly as the scouts could bag it.

“We’ve been booming in the business,” said 10-year-old Curt Beck, who passed along that the secret for the booth’s success. “It’s really good to have samples out there so they can smell it and then their mouths start watering.”

People lined up six deep to purchase mochas and lattés at Coffee Affair.

Jan Smith borrowed her friend’s driveway for the mobile espresso stand, which had a steady string of clients that started at 7 a.m. Smith, who caters private and public events, takes her stand to community yard sales at Camelot, where she lives, and Arrow Head. Smith said community yard sales get bigger and more popular every year.

“Any of the big developments’ yard sales are great because people love coffee.”