See You at the Garage
Le Garage boutique sale returns to Austin with winter collections and cooled prices
Le Garage Sale brings more than 100 Texas boutiques under one roof for shockingly great deals.
By this point in the winter, Austinites' holiday presents are now cherished or returned; sweaters are broken out of their closeted confines just to reveal snags and much tighter arms than last winter. Whether they're following the momentum of the season or looking for a reason for a complete overhaul, the place to do it is Le Garage Sale, Austin's impossibly large, semi-annual sample and overstock sale.
From January 21-22, small Texas boutiques (defined by the sale as those without nationwide distribution) will fill the Palmer Event Center with vintage clothes and accessories, handmade displays, haphazard bargain bins, and more. Some boutiques sell actual samples from their manufacturers (usually only one of each used for ordering, dressing models, etc.), and others bring a normal selection expected to perform well and draw new customers. Booths are sold out — to more than 100 vendors — meaning this is the kind of sale a super-motivated shopper could spend two, eight hour days fully exploring.
Unlike many sample sales, these boutiques don't shy away from plus sizes, and not everything started at $795. Still, there is a wide range of styles and qualities, starting at T-shirts and extending out to recognizable luxury brands. Go early to snag the stuff in really high demand, or wait out the end of the weekend to start seeing 90% off signs and haggling with vendors who will make a deal to save effort on packing. Entry is a separate charge both days, but shoppers can easily make up for the doubled cost in savings.
To ensure the shopping experience is pleasant enough to visit each booth, there is a DJ, hourly raffle prizes, and a snack bar (expensive, but it probably beats leaving and coming back). The sale has been active since 2001, so many vendors are old pros happy to welcome newcomers into the marketplace environment, and may even recognize repeat shoppers.
Le Garage Sale lists some of its favorites to expect:
- Beehive (returning)
- Wood & Rose (returning)
- Estilo (returning)
- Blue Suede Shoes (returning)
- Katie Kime (returning)
- Kelly Wynne (returning)
- Man Outfitters (returning)
- RVCA (returning)
- Hurley (returning)
- Caddis Eyewear (new)
- Fine Line Clean Beauty (new)
- Frankie Jean (new)
- Saint Lo (new)
- Stash Cashmere (new)
Le Garage Sale will open at the Palmer Event Center on January 21 at 9:30 am for a VIP pre-shop until 11 am. Regular shopping hours on January 21 and 22 are between 11 am and 5 pm. More information is available at legaragesale.net.
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