Tony Madrinan’s house plans might have fallen through, but his taste in furnishings were a big hit.
Madrinan, of Crown Point, brought the furniture Saturday to the Whiting/Robertsdale Garage Mahal. He set up his U-haul in front of his daughter Mallori’s house on LaPorte Street and waited for people to arrive.
By afternoon, nearly all the things he had made a whole lot of other people happy.
“When his house fell through, I told him to come to my house and sell it,” Mallori Madrinan said. “I’m happy he could sell it.”
In its 15th year, Garage Mahal is a citywide garage sale emcompassing Whiting and Hammond’s Robertsdale section. Sellers register with the Whiting/Robertsdale Chamber of Commerce, which makes up a map for bargain hunters.
If there were any customers wanting to spend pennies, Madrinan has yet to meet any.
More Top Picks Jetson Spin
“We usually do it at my in-laws’ down the street, but it’s always really easy for me,” Madrinan said. “People are nice and always really easy to negotiate with. And it’s always easy to decide what to sell. I have a daughter, and last year, I made good money selling her stroller.”
Paula Flores has walked the streets of Garage Mahal each year for the last 10 years at least. Fancying herself a “collector,” she always enjoys seeing what other treasures people have hiding in their houses.
“I’m trying to fix up my basement, and I like looking for lawn furniture and other knick knacks. A little bit of this and a little bit of that,” Flores said. “It’s like treasure hunting.”
And this year, Flores had her own treasure for which to buy: Her daughter, Katrina Pena, just moved into a new apartment in Chicago’s Roscoe Village. Pena and Flores snapped up a pair of vibrant orange chairs from Tony Madrinan, among other things.
“The orange color will look great in the kitchen,” Pena said. “I’ve always loved seeing what you can find to make your own.”
Not to mention the gift ideas the two get by stockpiling things they find.
“There’s always someone who can use something, and it’s fun to look out for your friends to fit their quirks,” Pena said.
Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.