Editor's picks: General Store tent sale

By John Ewoldt, Star Tribune

Last update: September 12, 2007 - 5:10 PM

It's a gift-giving fact -- wait until the last minute and you spend more. The solution is to stock up on gifts during sales at great gift shops. The General Store tent sale (14401 Hwy. 7, Minnetonka, 952-935-7131) is worth a stop even for Twin Cities easterners. The creaky wood floors and rusty brick walls may speak nostalgic, but the vast, sophisticated selection includes country, Victorian and contemporary home furnishings, Minnesota themes, kitchenware and children's items. The tent items, one-of-a-kinds, overstocks or scratch-and-dent are discounted 50 to 75 percent. The sale is from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday (new items are added Sunday). Earlybirds on Saturday can catch coffee and muffins in the cafe at 8:30.

Children's clothing and accessories sale

A good sale on used children's items needs quality control. The organizers of the St. Paul Mothers of Multiples sale say they have just that -- clean clothes. In fact, sellers are penalized if their items are in poor or fair condition. Most of the clothing is size 4T and under for infants and toddlers but sizes go up to 10. Only a few items are sold in multiples. Most are singles. Other items include car seats, cribs, high chairs, strollers and books. Admission is $1 for the sale from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the New Brighton Family Service Center (400 10th St. NW., New Brighton, 952-223-1321, www.stpaulmoms.org). For a list of the organization's other sales, including a larger one in Eagan on Sept. 29, go to www.mvmom.org. Cash and checks are accepted.

Home and garden clearance

Great Estate Home and Garden revamps in spring 2008, so it's out with the old Friday through Sunday. If you haven't been to one of their sales for a while, this one will have more variety and lower prices, said owner Robb Whittlef. Prices on lighting will be $20 to $40, cabinets from India $300 to $600 and a lot of accessories under $10. Garden urns ($50 to $150) and baskets (about $30) will also be cleared out. The sale is at 10001 Minnetonka Blvd., Minnetonka, 952-933-9924 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Everything's on sale at Bibelot

All four locations of Bibelot gift shops (Grand Avenue and St. Anthony Park in St. Paul and Linden Hills and northeast in Minneapolis) will discount everything in the store 20 percent during the anniversary sale Saturday and Sunday. Online purchases (www.bibelotshops.com) also receive the discount. Shipping is $6.50 per order.

John Ewoldt • 612-673-7633 or jewoldt@startribune.com.

Recent Your Money stories

First-time buyer rules - September 12, 2007

First-time buyer rules - The first-time home buyer tax credit is heating up the lower end of the housing market, but homes of any price can qualify. Here are the requirements: More