Shakopee Auction

My usual stomping ground is Northeast Minneapolis, Uptown, South Minneapolis, etc. This is as much a function of where I live as where I prefer to wander. But I like getting out of the city.  There's something to be said for less stoplights and a supper for 2 that clocks in for less than $30 (with tip). Throw in a beautiful church, friendly faces, and the opportunity to bid on 20+ pairs of earrings for $25 and I'm officially charmed by downtown Shakopee.

This was my second time to the Friday night Shakopee Auction. It's a bit intimidating walking in if you've never participated before.  You register at the payment window and they give you a number for bidding.  You can wander the room and poke around at the various goods for sale.  If you're just there to watch and non-committal about bidding, just grab a seat and see if anything strikes your fancy.  I went with my Dad and we decided to express bid a box of costume jewelry.  To do so, you just grab the item (the "lot") you want and are willing to pay at least $10 for, and place it on the shelf at the front of the auction hall. From there you wait for your goods to be called and hope for the best! We thought the box was a good buy for $30 or less and grabbed it with $5 to spare on our rough budget.  And having poked more thoroughly through the haul at home, we did well! 25 pairs of earrings, 3 necklaces, 2 nice pins, and a couple Care Bear bracelets (good for laughs, even if they're headed for the trash) is well worth the $25. My kid sister is already excited about the jewelry-laden care package in her future.

My Dad bid on a luggage rack a few minutes later and lucked out at $5.  Couches and other furniture went for as low as $15 so if you're looking for furniture odds and ends, you could get lucky. You can review the items up for auction online beforehand so if you're serious about certain types of goods, you can peruse the offerings before committing to attending. But even without a spending agenda, it's just a fun way to spend a Friday evening.  They usually have food (this evening's provider canceled so they ended up ordering Domino's), always have cokes for purchase, and the atmosphere is very family-friendly (although, fair warning, there were stuffed animals up for bid and if I had been 7, I would have begged my Dad til I was blue in the face for anything cute). 

It's not a typical Friday night for me, but maybe it should be.

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