By By JAMES COLLINS / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- Not only is the second annual "Garage Barrage" a great opportunity to get rid of some of that old junk in your basement, it is also a chance to spend some time with the rest of the community in downtown Niles.
The large scale, community-wide garage sale is being sponsored by the Main Street Initiative Promotions Committee and will take place in downtown Niles on June 12 from 9 a.m to 2 p.m.
The purpose of the event, being billed as the "biggest sale Niles has ever seen," is to give everyone an opportunity to clean out basements, garages and attics and come to downtown Niles for a day of fun buying and selling."
In addition to being a huge rummage sale, Lisa Croteau, director of the Niles Downtown Development Authority, said the "Garage Barrage" is also designed to get people to spend a day in downtown Niles.
Though this is only the second time for the event, Croteau said the idea was born out of the downtown sidewalk sales that began five years ago.
The Main Street Committee took the success of the sidewalk sales and built on it by applying the Main Street philosophy of community involvement.
With about 50 participants and 1,000 community members present, last year's sale was considered a huge success.
And Croteau hopes this year's event will even surpass that popularity.
Community members, businesses, clubs and organizations are all encouraged to make their presence felt by reserving a space for a sale or just by coming out to do some shopping.
Many of the downtown businesses will have some sort of sidewalk sale going on at the same time of the event.
She expects the Combined Sewer Overflow construction will be over by the June 12th "Garage Barrage," but said the streetscape construction may be underway by that time.
There will be booth space available on both sides of Main Street from Front to Fifth. A city parking lot will also be available for those wishing to sell larger items out of pickup trucks or vans. The cost for a 10-foot space is $20.
Participants must provide their own display tables and chairs and they are expected to take all unsold items with them when they leave.
Reservations for space will be assigned on a first come, first serve basis once applications are received. The $20 fee and signed indemnity form must accompany all applications, which should be sent to Lisa Croteau, at the Main Street Initiative Office at 210 E. Main St.
Applications may be picked up at the Niles Main Street Initiative Office, Majerek's, Elizabeth Bradford Designs, Signal Travel and Tours and the Niles District Library. For more information, call Croteau at (269)687-4332.