Rags store moved out of Rye in May 2012 but it is not gone for good. Owner and Rye resident Kevin Butler brought his business back to Rye for the 38th annual Sidewalk Sale today.
This date, July 25, is celebratory for Butler in two special ways because it is the first day he opened Rags and the day the Rye Sidewalk Sale began in 1975, he said.
"We used melon crates and milk crates for shelving," Butler said. He started Rags on the sidewalk before even opening his storefront because his building was not ready for move in by the time of the sale and he didn't want to miss out, he said.
The store expanded when Butler opened others in Martha's Vineyard, West Hampton and Block Island. Those stores are still open.
Not to miss out on another year of sidewalk success in Rye, Butler decided to return this year and plans to make it an annual visit. He has a home in Rye but spends most of the summer at Martha's Vineyard and the winter in Santa Barbara, where his daughter lives.
"We are happy to be back," he said.
And customers are happy to see them back with big discounts on designer clothes.
You can check out Rags' offerings at the Sidewalk Sale that runs through Saturday in downtown Rye.
(Tip: don't try to park downtown or allot for a significant amount of time to hunt down a parking space.)
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