A good picker likes to bundle. And bundling will be easy at Picker’s Haven, Saturday, July 20, at the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center Museum in Stevenson.
So what’s a picker? And what’s bundling? A picker is one who travels to yard sales, estate sales, even to the homes of collectors looking to buy antiques or other interesting items they will then resell. Many “picked” items end up on eBay or other internet sites, or in area antique stores. Bundling means grouping several items together and offering a single price, in hopes of getting a lower one.
Recognizing the trend, the staff and volunteers at the museum in Stevenson staged their first Picker’s Haven last summer. In addition to providing spaces, and tables and chairs, they set up a food booth that offered typical summer fare such as soft drinks, hamburgers, hot dogs and nachos. More than 20 spaces were rented, at $10 each, and hundreds of shoppers turned out to browse and buy. The food booth was a good source of fundraising for the museum.
Photo by Nikki Bharwani
“It’s a great place for this kind of sale,” said General Manager Rob Peterson. “There is no entry fee for buyers and we have plenty of free parking. There are a few shady spots and plenty of room for everyone, all of it overlooking the Columbia River.” Many sellers bring their own awnings, which they are encouraged to do. The gates will open to sellers at 8 a.m., and to pickers at 9 a.m.
The Interpretive Center will be open as usual that day and visitors are encouraged to see the museum, especially if they haven’t been in for a while. Artifacts are on a continual rotation basis. Most of the major collections are on permanent display but some, especially those tied to local families, rotate in and out. “We don’t have enough display space for everything,” said Peterson, “so we are constantly looking for ways to show off our latest favorites. The displays are ever-changing.”
The Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center Museum is adjacent to Skamania Lodge at 990 SW Rock Creek Drive in Stevenson. For more information and to reserve a spot at Picker’s Haven, call 509-427-8211.
