7 Stops Not to Miss on the Route 127 Sale (Kentucky – Day 1)
This is one of my favorite trips and I’m so excited to be sharing it with you! I’ve done the Route 127 Yard Sale off and on for more than ten years. You can pick up some tips about the sale here. I’ve gone alone a couple of times which is fun, but not as much fun as going with friends. I even managed to get Chris to go along once (just once) so at least he has some perspective about the trip. This year, my friend Terri joined me again.
I was kind of surprised that Chris was OK with me teaming up again with Terri. When we went two years ago, we came back looking like the Beverly Hillbillies with the truck piled high with everything including a four-piece mid-century modern patio set that I picked up for $200!! His only restriction this year was that I couldn’t buy anything larger than the cooler we were taking along. OK, but you didn’t say how many coolers I could buy😊
If you try to stop at EVERY single stop, you probably wouldn’t go more than thirty miles in a day. Having said that, the random stops can be opportunities to find a real bargain or a hidden gem. Here’s where its helpful to have a friend along so you can scope out the smaller sales you pass along the road. Many of them are clothes, baby stuff, and other things you would see at your everyday garage sale. If that’s what you’re into, feel free to stop. If not, keep moving down the road. I try and do a couple of random stops each day just to see what’s there.
Getting There
To start the sale, on Thursday I make the drive from South Carolina all the way up to Frankfort, KY. There’s a Hampton Inn that is right on Route 127. If you like Thai food, Thai Smile is less than a mile up the road. Their fried rice is scrumptious, and you have plenty left over for dinner the next night. From there, I make my way south. After seven trips on the sale, I’ve found certain stops that are always good. They have dozens, if not over a hundred vendors and I usually find something that I want to buy (whether I do or not depends on the price and my willpower). Here’s a list of the stops for day one. The mileage listed is from the previous stop unless otherwise noted so set your odometer to zero whenever you pull out. Hopefully, you can use it when you decide to go on the sale next year!
Day 1 Stop 1 – New Harvest Church (on right) – 1.6 miles from Hampton Inn
This stop is kind of sentimental to me. My first year on the sale, I bought a burlwood dresser here with a marble top. I still have it in my dining room today. There’s parking right in front, but plenty of parking in the back. They are really good at having volunteers around to guide you. For the past couple of years, I’ve tried to do this stop on Thursday so we can get a jump on the day on Friday.
This stop is great for all kinds of items. In years past I’ve bought my garden arch, my carnival picnic table (a project still to be done), and a weathervane for the green house we’re building next year. This year was no different. I picked up a lantern ($8) for Chris and a cute retro wagon that somebody had already turned into a bookshelf ($20).
Day 1 Stop 2 – Collision Body (on right) – 4.9 miles
At the light, you’ll see the sign for Collision Body. Turn right and you’ll see the outdoor vendors on your left. There are also dozens of vendors inside as well which makes for a nice cool break from the summer heat. There’s plenty of parking in between the indoor sales and the outdoor vendors. I’ve bought cool jewelry made out of antique silverware here. This year I bought a mid-century modern lamp ($25), a milk glass tray for my holiday party ($10), and some Christmas ornaments ($2). And the find of the trip – a (practically) complete set of Ben Seibel Lazy Daisy Iroquois Informal set of china. It is gorgeous. It is mid century modern (can you see a theme?). It is beautiful!! I paid $200 for it (they were asking $269) and was thrilled! I just love the pattern and the lines.
DON’T TAKE THE BYPASS
This is a choice. There’s a neat winery on Business 127 that has 3-5 vendors. It’s also a really pretty drive and you don’t lose that much time.
Day 1 Stop 3 – House, barn and fields (on right) – 7.9 miles
I know that this isn’t a great description (and there are a lot of houses, barns and fields in Kentucky). You’ll have to keep a close eye on the mileage for this one. It is a good stop with 20-40 vendors so you’ll probably also see traffic start to slow down for people turning in. The field where you can park comes first so keep an eye out.
This is a great stop for old things. I picked up some twelve-inch factory wooden spools ($2.50 each) this year. Last year, they had a great moon gate for the garden that I am still sorry I didn’t get. Several years ago, I picked up some vintage single and double file drawers that I painted for our nephews for Christmas. That year it was starting to rain, and the vendor sold them to me for $5 each! I should have bought the lot!
Day 1 Stop 4 – Barn and house (on left) – 3 miles
I know, still not very descriptive, but its on the left side of a divided highway so you will pass it to go up and make a u-turn. You’ll see a road that goes behind the sale that leads to a couple of fields for parking.
Over the years I found a solid walnut bathroom stall door here ($70) that I plan to turn into a table, an iron ring that I want to fasten to a rock with a bell ($20), and a three-foot ceramic tiger ($5). This year, I found a cupola ($45) for the top of the greenhouse we’re building out of reclaimed windows next spring. It’s a combination of wood and metal that I just love. It will need some TLC, but the bones are good.
I spent $12 on the cutest vintage baby bouncy chair that will be turned into a planter for my garden and bundled an Esso toy truck and some antique alphabet blocks for $35. Terri found a collection of vintage cameras and accessories for $10 for the lot!!! She also found a vintage small drafting table that we were able to get for $35! You never know what you’ll find!
After this stop I usually take time out for some crackers and a banana for lunch as we head to the next stop. There aren’t a lot of options for lunch and many are extremely crowded due to the sale. I hate to waste time, so we plan for lunch on the go.
Day 1 Stop 5 – Mud pit (on right) – 2.2 miles
I realize if its not raining, this in not a good description, but there are really no good landmarks for this place. The good news is that there are probably close to 100 vendors so you really can’t miss it. Turn in and go up the hill and past the vendors for parking. There is plenty. This is a great spot for almost anything – and I should know since that’s pretty much what I’ve bought there over the years. There was a cat shaped wooden cutting board ($3), a group of metal drawers with stand ($20), a bird cage ($12), a bell to go with my iron ring ($75), a cake stand for Christmas ($7), and an old picture frame ($2), just to name a few. Terri also found a cute hatbox there the first time she went with me. I think it was only $5 and in great shape.
DO Take the Harrodsville Bypass
Again, this is a choice. In past years, I took Business 127 and didn’t see much of anything. If you do decide not to take either bypass just remember that your mileage will be off.
DO Take the Danville Bypass
If you want to hit the next stop you will need to take the Danville bypass as it is on the bypass
Day 1 Stop 6 – Boyle County Fairground (on Danville bypass on left) – 16.9 miles
I just found this stop last year by taking the bypass. It’s got probably thirty or so vendors with a wide variety of items. I’m determined to start crafting with vintage picture frames and I picked up a few for $1 each. I also found an instrument kit of some sort for Chris (he loves gadgets). The case wasn’t in great shape which probably accounts for the price ($10), but all the pieces were there, and he loved it so SCORE! I also found two mid-century modern bar stools ($100 for the pair) that had great lines. They were reproductions, but solidly made and will be great in one of our future projects.
Day 1 Stop 7 – Exposition Hall (on your right back from the road) – 26.1 miles
This stop is easy to miss because it is back off of the road. It is a busy stop, probably 40-50 vendors, so you will probably have to slow some for traffic. I’ve been stopping here for years and actually drove right past it this year. I bought some 1960s LIFE magazines this year for $2.50 each and was talking to the vendor. He said that when they first started using the exposition space there were no garage doors on the big openings so when the storms came everything would blow away. Since then, they’ve added doors and the gathering has grown from a dozen to what you see today.
On one of my solo trips I picked up ten wooden folding chairs from the 1960s that had been taken out of an old church ($10 a piece). This year, Terri found an adorable gas grill ($5). Its on a single legged stand and takes the small gas canisters – too cute and perfect for her cabin. I also picked up three grapevine wreaths in assorted sizes ($5 for all three).
Baymont Inn & Suites (on left) – 45.7 miles
This is really the only convenient hotel for the end of Day 1. When I know I’m going on the sale, I make my reservations in January/February for August. Call the hotel to make your reservations and you can save $30-40. It is a two-story hotel with interior corridors (plus), but no elevator (minus) so if you’re on the second floor, try not to take too much in for the night.
Since there was a slight chance of rain in the forecast, Terri and I repacked the truck before checking in. While the truck bed has a cover, its does have a few places where water can get in if it rains hard. The goal was to get all of her baskets, cameras, my lamp and the other small stuff as well as the two bar stools. We also wanted to repack the mid-century modern china in the bubble wrap we’d brought along for a little bit of extra protection. We managed to get it all in (with room for our backpacks) after we moved the cooler to the back. When we finished we actually had some decent room for Day 2 if it did actually end up raining.
Leftover Thai heated up in the microwave was dinner and an early bedtime. You are on Central time in Albany so you lose an hour on Day 2 when you cross back into Eastern time. The good news is there are lots of vendors right around the hotel and they open around 7-7:30am so you can get an early start.
Stay tuned next week for Day 2 of our Route 127 Sale. I hope you’ve found this helpful in planning for your trip on the Sale!
