A typical Saturday garage sale usually includes a house in a neighborhood with just a few items ready for new ownership; however, this is not the case in Auburn, on the second Saturday of each month in the spring.
Firefly Fields hosts a car boot (trunk) sale which means that for just $20 for a car or $25 for a trailer, you can purchase a spot to sell your garage sale items.
This is the first year that the Auburn/Opelika area will be hosting a trunk show. There are food trucks and entertainment during the event. The Adams, the owners of Firefly Fields, have been running this venue since January of 2021.
The idea for a trunk sale came from one of the bartenders that worked in the restaurant at Firefly Fields. They had originally had a monthly pop-up market, which started in November, but after hearing about car boot sales, the owners decided to give it a go.
"She said, 'You need to do a car boot sale,' and I thought she meant sell used cars... and she [was] like, 'No you sell out of your trunk,'" explained Gwen Adams, one of the owners of Firefly Fields.
Jenny McGoldrick, a vendor selling baked goods and books with her daughter, explained the idea behind a car boot sale.
"We actually lived in Scotland for seven years. In Scotland and Europe, it is the thing because nobody has yards. Most people live in apartments and I never saw anybody do a yard sale, but they do a boot sale," McGoldrick said.
Adams explained why she loves having the trunk sale at the venue.
"I think we've gotten used to Facebook Market where everybody just puts their things and it is not as much fun as the whole yard sale experience. So this way you can have a quick yard sale, you don't have to have people in your grass and in your yard and we can all come together and do it," Adams said.
In the parking lot of the venue, there are about 30 vendors selling everything from used books, children toys, jewelry and kitchen supplies.
Inside the restaurant are local businesses that have set up shop for the day. One of the main ways the vendors have found out to get involved in the FireFly Fields Trunk Sale is through Facebook groups.
Joe Galdis, a vendor in the front parking lot, explained that this was his second time being at the trunk show.
Galdis said his top selling items are the books that he has brought for about 50 cents to a dollar.
"To tell you the truth, other than that it's just been knick-knacks you know. Tupperware, measuring cups, and just little weird stuff like that," Galdis said.
He explained that him and his wife just recently moved to Auburn and while unpacking they found all of their items to sell at the trunk sale.
Adams discussed how Firefly Fields is currently up for sale. Adams is looking for a business partner that could be in charge of the restaurant and all things food, or she is going to sell it. Firefly Fields was open as a restaurant from June-November 2021, but are now just special events like the Car Boot (Trunk) Sale.
The venue itself can hold up to 2,000 people just in the backyard. At Firefly Fields, they have hosted a rodeo with seating for 1,000 people and events for various fraternities. "This could be a great space for private events," explained Adams.
Although the property is up for sale, the trunk sale will be around for at least one more month. The next trunk sale will be May 14 at Firefly Fields from 9am-2pm. Adams idea is to continue doing monthly trunk sales until the land is sold.
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