CityView Magazine

56 | May/June 2016 help, but it makes me laugh." Lexi's southern hospitality shines, even early in the morning, as she usually offers patrons coffee or a little snack and has a box of free toys for kids. "Some- times, a good Krispy Kreme doughnut will make anyone buy anything," she laughed while musing on a new trend she'd like to start – the brunch yard sale. "Wouldn't that be great? If we could brunch, and shop?" When pricing items, Lexi noted the importance of determining motivation. Does a seller want to get rid of stuff, or do they want to make money? "To me, there is value in moving this stuff out of my home. I don't want to take it back in. My things are priced to sell," she said. Consistent with Lexi's motivation, all of her items are usually unmarked and cost $1. If something is more than the flat price, she marks it. "I think I'm either ef- ficient or naturally lazy," she joked. Lexi sets up a clear boundary and tells patrons that nothing behind the cash register is for sale, but still, yard salers will always try to venture out of bounds. "I always have to put a sign on Harriet that says, 'Not for sale.'" A self-described "people person," Lexi grew up working with the public in her family's restaurant and is now the director of the Women's Business Center at Fayetteville's Center for Eco- nomic Empowerment and Develop- ment (C.E.E.D). For Lexi, meeting dif- ferent people enriches the experience, even when they ask to go into her home and shop for more items or haggle over fiy cents. Finally, for someone interested in holding their first sale, she offered sage, potentially time-saving advice with cheer: "Yard sale patrons are an eclectic group and the questions you get are hi- larious. Don't take anything personally. I've worked around people my whole life, but if you don't like doing that, it's prob- ably better to just donate your stuff." "Saling" for the Introvert For bargain shoppers who do not enjoy the thrill or camaraderie of early weekend mornings, online yard sales are gaining popularity. While Craigslist has held a virtual corner on the online Vintage and retro finds Three brass nesting tables for only $5

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