A bargain at any price.

Taking advantage of summer's easygoing pace, malls across the country entice shoppers with bargains at annual "sidewalk sale" events. The city of Rochester, Minnesota, is no different--except that its citizens are treated to a sidewalk sale where bargains truly abound, and where nearly every nickel, dime, or dollar spent is returned to the Rochester community.

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Where is this altruistic mall? Where does it get its eclectic merchandise? The "mall" is Charter House, a 22-story CCRC in Rochester. Physically linked to the Mayo Clinic, Charter House serves nearly 400 residents in various levels of care. The building is an intergenerational campus that is also home to 50 physicians-in-training, who are friends and neighbors of the seniors.

The idea of holding a sidewalk sale was proposed by two residents in 1989, according to Charter House Administrator Richard C. Edwards. "They suggested that this would be a wonderful opportunity for residents to downsize as they move to a different level of care. Donations also come from families who need to clean out the apartment of a deceased loved one and want to dispose of unwanted belongings conveniently and charitably," explains Edwards. "But the concept of downsizing or disposing through resale didn't stop there. Because our residents are successful people who built careers and communities, the money raised from this event is distributed as grants to two or three worthy nonprofit community organizations."

The Charter House Resident Council is the primary overseer of the event. It appoints volunteers to work with the activities coordinator to stage the sale, and it recruits volunteers to receive, sort, price, and sell merchandise. And, although this is a resident-driven activity, staff eagerly support it and assist in whatever capacity is required.

Inventory is accumulated throughout the year. "We have a partnership with a local moving and storage company that provides storage space in its huge warehouse," says Edwards. "This company does a big book of business here. When they move someone in or out of the building, the movers stop by our office to see if there's anything to take back to the off-site storage space." The dishes, sofas, dressers, clothes, and other contributions are stored until the week of the sale, which is held on the first or second Friday in July that does not conflict with the Fourth of July holiday.

Along with residents and families, Charter House itself contributes items to the sale. New carpeting in this heavily used community resource is installed every five years. When the lobby is redecorated or improvements, such as new cabinetry, are made to the apartments, the items removed are donated. A shopper can pick up carpeting or kitchen cabinets to furnish a summer cottage or install in a garage at truly bargain rates.

Preparing to donate the proceeds, the Resident Council solicits grant nominations for not-for-profit organizations that serve young people and families. Generally, the proceeds are divided equally among two or three beneficiaries. Past recipients have been local youth charities, a food pantry, and a women's crisis center.

The days surrounding the sale are an exciting time, says Edwards: "There's a lot of hustle and bustle getting ready for sale day. On the Monday before the sale, two or three 18-wheeler trucks pull up and disgorge the merchandise that has been amassed." Staff create a giant staging location on the lobby level of the building to organize the merchandise. Presale activities allow less-active residents to participate, as well. They sort, group, and cluster items, and then price them. "Pricing is categorical," explains Edwards. "All blouses are a quarter, all paperbacks are a nickel, all belts are ten cents, and so on." He adds that over the years the residents have become quite good at pricing everything--even furniture. "Just to be on the safe side, though," he adds, "a friend of Charter House who is an antique dealer and auctioneer does a walk-through to make sure that we're not selling a Rembrandt for $15 or a Chippendale chair for $5."

A near-calamity was averted one year when a valuable piece of costume jewelry--a Georg Jensen grape cluster pin--was found stuck in the pocket of an Ultrasuede bolero-type jacket about to be sold. That pricey pin was removed from the jacket and later sold to a local jewelry store, with proceeds added to the Sidewalk Sale's receipts.

The best publicity the event receives is by word-of-mouth. The Mayo Clinichas 23,000 employees, some of whom schedule a vacation day to attend. Prior to opening, attendees receive clear instructions on how to shop the sale. "This is not a free-for-all. Everything is priced to sell, and we don't dicker on price because the objective is to recycle goods and raise money," says Edwards. On sale day, attendees find the lamps, collectibles, clothes, and furniture all arranged, priced, and ready for sale. Concession stands are available to refresh frazzled shoppers, and each checkout station is manned by a resident/staff member team to sort, bag, tally, and collect the money.

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A sidewalk sale of this type has its share of surprises. Edwards smiles when he recalls one sale when an older lady approached him carrying a pair of Capezio-style shoes and said, "Do you have these in 7AA?" Another time, a woman purchased a Hawaiian print shirt at the sale and took it along on her vacation to Maui. "Although I thought it was plug-ugly, she recognized the value of the shirt. It was hand-painted, and a shirt shop on the island paid her $100 for it," says Edwards.

One of Edwards' favorite recollections is about the young physician whose grandfather was a doctor at the Mayo Clinic. After his grandfather passed away, his grandmother moved to Charter House. When she passed away, her belongings were donated to the sale--which, fortunately, coincided with the arrival of the young doctor on the staff. He was able to furnish his apartment with his grandmother's possessions.

Two weeks following the sale, after everyone has rested up, a check-presentation ceremony is held. "The recipients of the residents' fund-raising efforts come to Charter House for a get-together and check presentation," says Edwards. After receiving their oversized "photo-op" checks, each organization is invited to give a short talk about the program that the money will support. To date, the Charter House residents' Sidewalk Sale has raised more than $130,000 to help community organizations make a difference in people's lives.

Charter House sale planners then go on hiatus until the end of the year "to recuperate," says Edwards. Every year, though, the enthusiastic residents are back with new ideas on how to place items, improve traffic flow, or streamline operations. And, every year, the youth and families of Rochester benefit from their hard work and giving hearts.

BY SANDRA HOBAN, MANAGING EDITOR

Richard C. Edwards is Administrator of Charter House in Rochester, Minn. For more information, phone [phone] or e-mail [e-mail].

To comment on this article, e-mail [e-mail].