Citywide sale in Hazel Park set for June 7-9

HAZEL PARK — Free and affordably priced items await buyers at locations across the city of Hazel Park the weekend of June 7-9. For sellers, it’s also a chance to make money while decluttering the home and keeping items out of landfills.

Vendors are currently signing up for the Hazel Park Citywide Yard Sale & Freecycle. The map of participating locations can be found at hpsale.carrd.co (not “.com”).

As of June 4, more than 150 sites are listed. Most are residents operating out of their yards and driveways, but there are also other venues such as a local church and the public library.

Organizers said that they plan to promote the event during the Hazel Park Memorial Weekend. Participation is free, and those interested can also opt for phone or email notifications with updates about the sale. Once a vendor is signed up, their location will be added to the map within a few days.

The citizen group Hazel Park Neighborhood Enrichment coordinated the sale for years before disbanding in 2023. This year, the sale is being organized by Kathryn Ellywicz and her sister-in-law Margaret Donnelly. Both are young mothers and residents of Hazel Park.

“We married brothers and have become good friends. Our kids are like siblings,” Ellywicz said.

She said their involvement in the sale started when Donnelly sent her a screenshot of a Facebook post where the previous organizers asked if anyone wanted to take over the event.

“Margaret and I have been looking for ways to be more involved in the community, but it can be difficult with us both working full time and raising kids. This seemed like something we could organize in the evenings after our kids went to bed, and that we already participate in,” Ellywicz said. “There are also opportunities to involve our kids, like when we walk in the Memorial Day Parade, or when we gave some fliers to the library.”

She said the term “freecycle” is a modern term for keeping items out of landfills by giving them away for free. At press time, at least one-third of participating venues were offering some free items. Vendors will usually set up a table or bin with free items, and shoppers can help themselves.

“There are even a few houses offering all of their items for free. Items that are free will be marked and labeled as such,” Ellywicz said. “We encourage shoppers to ask if they are not sure.”

Sites offering free items are labeled on the map of participating locations at the website.

For sellers, Ellywicz recommends accepting payments in a cash app such as Venmo, Zelle or PayPal, since this allows people to shop even if they don’t have cash on hand. Sellers are also advised to clearly label each item with a price tag. The general rule of thumb for pricing at a garage sale is 10-20% of the retail price.

More information is available by calling or texting (248) 716-4999, or by emailing organizers at hazelparksale@gmail.com.

Ellywicz said that in addition to the benefits of buyers finding deals and sellers making money on unwanted items in an eco-friendly way, the sale also benefits the community by creating awareness for different businesses around the city and driving foot traffic through the area.

She said it’s also a way to carry on the legacy of Hazel Park Neighborhood Enrichment. Former members of the group have been providing Ellywicz and Donnelly with support, such as materials and connections.

In addition to running the original sale, the group contributed to local parks and promoted beautification of the city. One of the last acts of Hazel Park Neighborhood Enrichment was donating funds to improve the pool at Hazel Park High School for its open swim season — something that the families of Ellywicz and Donnelly enjoy today.

Ellywicz said she’s thankful to have inherited such a popular event.

“We hope to build on that momentum,” she said.

Mary Boertmann is the head of circulation at the Hazel Park District Library, located at 123 E. Nine Mile Road. She said the library will be participating this year, with items displayed on the patio. Proceeds there will help pay for library materials and programming.

“We’ll probably have a lot of household items and other things that were donated to us, and many books as well. Sort of like a mix between a garage sale and a book sale,” Boertmann said. “We’re just really excited by it. It’s a good opportunity to bring people into the library. We like to bring in new people. We did one of these a couple years ago — a patio sale to sell picnic tables — and that also went well. So we love to be involved. We always try to be involved in as many community events as we can.”

Hazel Park Mayor Mike Webb praised the event as a beloved hometown tradition.

“The (Citywide Yard Sale & Freecycle) is just a great event. Every year, it’s a huge success,” Webb said. “So many people participate, getting rid of their extra things, making some extra dollars. It’s also great for the community, getting people outside, neighbors meeting neighbors, spending time talking to each other. It’s just a wonderful event.”