Rye Sidewalk Sale Thrives Despite Changes on Purchase Street

Thursday marked the first day of the three-day Rye Sidewalk Sale, bringing out bargain-hunters to comb through tables and racks of goods discounted up to 75 percent from their favorite Purchase Street merchants.

More than 10 businesses, ranging from Town and Country Hairdressers, Havana Jeans, All Paws and Woodrow Jewelers, participated in the first day of the sidewalk sale, which runs from July 29 – July 31.

For shoppers, the sale provides not only a chance to get out, enjoy the sunshine, and mingle with friends and neighbors, but some serious bargains. Blush Beauty offered 50 percent off every product on their outdoor table—for example, lipsticks were marked down from $22.00 to $11.00. Its colorful makeup cases, marked down to around $10, were scooped up fast.

Learning Express offered 20 percent off storewide on its educational toys and games. Havana Jeans set out both a $15 rack and a $20 rack of clothing. All Paws, a pet accessory store, offered 50-75 percent off most items, including leashes, bowls, and Halloween costumes—and each purchase came with a free dog treat. Rhythm in Rye, a consignment shop, offered discounts of up to 75 percent on its selection, which includes new and used products from high-end brands such as Gucci, Prada, Chanel and Lucky Jeans.

Low prices allowed even young shoppers to come and buy independently. Many stopped at Weezie D.'s affordable table, which featured jewelry, headbands and hair accessories.

"Younger girls can come here and shop by themselves," said Weezie D.'s owner, Louisa. "They can bring their allowance and get something at the $3 table."

One such shopper was Rye resident Kate, 11.

"I came to browse, because of all the cheap prices," Kate said, as she sorted through the $10 kid's flip-flop bin at Shoes n' More. 

Kate's favorite store participating in the sidewalk sale was Lester's Clothing and Accessories.

"Lester's is the best store!" she raved. "It has all the fashions; it has whatever's in style."

Holding up a traffic-cone colored orange tank top she purchased at Lester's, Kate explained: "My mom's gonna kill me. She doesn't like neon."

Other young shoppers were perhaps too enthusiastic in seeking low prices. One young redhead went from store to store picking up goods off the table and asking owners, "Is this free?"

More experienced shoppers came for the bargains they've come to expect from the annual sale. Rye resident Louise Devine has shopped the sidewalk sale every year since she moved to Rye 44 years ago. While admiring cashmere sweaters on the table outside Great Stuff, Louise praised the low prices but observed that the sidewalk sale has changed because Purchase Street has changed.

"Lots of boutiques went out of business," Devine observed. "They've been replaced by banks and restaurants. We lost the little sweet shop down the street…it's so different than it was when I moved in as a newlywed."

Rocco Briganti, who has owned Town and Country Hairdressers for 35 years, echoed Devine's observation.

"It's a smaller sidewalk sale because there are less stores, less boutiques," Briganti said. "It's all banks and dry cleaners now."

However, for the stores and boutiques that remain, the event is a boost to both awareness and sales. For example, Weezie D. Ladies Boutique has only been on Purchase Street for three weeks (there is another location in Bronxville), and is using the sidewalk sale as an introduction to the community.

"We're getting familiar with new faces," said Louisa McTurner, the store's owner. "People are coming back from vacation and meeting us for the first time."

McTurner also said that Weezie D. will appeal to local residents because its offerings are at a "price point that's refreshing for Rye," with items that are quality yet affordable.

For Havana Jeans, the discount racks of the sidewalk sale offer a way to get rid of summer goods and make room for new fall inventory. Havana was also selling many military-inspired looks and lace tops, big trends for fall. Blush Beauty Bar used the sidewalk sale as an opportunity to not only move merchandise, said owner Ana Sobalvarro, but to "encourage people to shop in Rye."

Not only the business-minded, but also the charitable, generated awareness on Purchase Street. TD Bank collected donations for the Special Olympics. There was a booth for the Friends of the Rye Nature Center, one for the Rye YMCA, and one for a partnership of Venture Portraits of Greenwich and the Rye Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Fund. For a $50 donation to the scholarship fund, shoppers received a voucher for a family portrait session at Venture Portraits.

The youngest entrepreneur on the block was probably Harrison student Mary Grace Henry, whose "Reverse the Course" business sells reversible headbands and colorful ponytail holders, with half of the profits going to educate girls in developing countries. Henry's popular hair accessories booth was located in front of the Rye Country Store.

At midday on Thursday, the sidewalk sale was already so popular that cars were circling all the shopper's parking lots in the area, waiting for spaces. Traffic likely will increase Friday and Saturday, when parents off of work can come and browse the merchandise with their families.

After all, even with the changing storefronts on Purchase Street, the secret of the sidewalk sale, as Woodrow Jewelers owner Mike Woodrow said, is that it is a win-win for many local businesses.

"The merchants get to move merchandise," he said. "The employees get to be outside, for a change of pace, and the consumers get great deals.