Going through the Craigslist entries, I found this really interesting listing:
Friends of the York County Library Book Sale (Rock Hill, SC)
This one really got my attention. Remember back when I went to a community sale near my house and one particular couple, Terry and Cathy (who’d lived in New Orleans for many years), mentioned they had just donated a ton of cookbooks to a library? That got me really wondering about the types of cookbooks they would have to offer.
The next day, I called the number listed in the ad and was able to touch base with Debbie, the Community Affairs Director for the York County Library. She was really helpful and told me that the cookbook table had both donated and discarded cookbooks. With over 100 selections, there was a wide variety of vintage community cookbooks as well as newer ones being weeded out of the library’s collection. Sounds like a road trip to Rock Hill is in order!
Now, my biggest fear is being the back end of a stampede and getting elbows thrown in the process. (Oh, you know it would be me throwing the elbows…) My best chance is to become a member of the “Friends of the Library” to the tune of $10 and go to the preview night for members from 5pm – 8pm.
Which is what I did! The sale is in a gymnasium of a church in old downtown Rock Hill, SC. I’m a little ahead of traffic and the 24 or so mile trip doesn’t take too long. I actually showed up in the parking lot a little over an hour before the sale started and had my basket placed in the #2 slot in line.
Woo-hoo! Now, which way to go once the doors open? Luckily for me, Debbie shows up early to help get things ready for the sale and gives me a “heads up” on directions to the cookbook table. I am so ready!
And then ten minutes before the doors open, the #1 person in line comes back from her car and switches out the box for five really large and really deep canvas bags. I swear on all that’s holy, if she walks up with five people I will not be happy. A couple of minutes later, a guy walks up to her and takes three of the bags. I guess that’s her husband? Oh well, the doors open up and I’m smooth sailing to the back left table!
Not wanting to take chances, I grab anything with the plastic spiral spine that looks remotely like a community/church cookbook. I’ll sit down in the corner and go through them and put back any that I don’t want. As soon as I sit down and start flipping through my pile, a crowd starts forming around the table. I can’t describe the feeling of relief I had.
Here’s a shot of the crowd that showed up for the “preview” night!
Finally, after half an hour and much inner debate—here’s what I ended up snagging:
The Stuffed Griffin (The Utility Club/Griffin, GA), Cooking with Class: A Second Helping (Charlotte Latin School), Little Rock Cooks (Junior League of Little Rock), A League of Our Own (Junior Service League/Lumberton, NC), 300 Years of Carolina Cooking (Junior League of Greenville, SC), The Hartsville Cookbook (Women’s Auxiliary of the Byerly Hospital/Hartsville, SC), Company’s Coming: A Tarheel Guide to Entertaining (NC American Cancer Society), The Magnolia Collection (Gene Westbrook), Pioneers Cook Book (Alexander Graham Bell Chapter No. 15), Tarheel Tastes (NC American Cancer Society), Flora’s Fare Cookbook (Flora McDonald Highland Games/Red Springs, NC), Carolina Harvest (1994 SC First Lady Cookbook), Resurrected Recipes (Episcopal Church of Resurrection/Surfside Beach, SC), Picnic Under the Oaks (Oakland Ave. Presbyterian Church/Rock Hill, SC), Mama’s Recipes (June Thompson Medlin), Cooking Skills from Bradley Hills (Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church/ Bethesda, MD), Presbyterian Cookbook (The Evening Circles of First Presbyterian Church/El Dorado, Arkansas), Food for my Household (The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany (Newton, NC), The Hampstead Women’s Club Cookbook.
It’s been thirty minutes, would a quick trip over to the Young Adult table produce anything for my buddies? Duncan is halfway through the Harry Potter series; would any of those be left? Yep, the last three in the series are here (they still had multiple copies) and in hardback!
What a great road trip down to Rock Hill! I found a great selection of cookbooks and all the proceeds from the book sales benefit the York County Library. If you’re interested, there are a ton (and I mean a TON) of books still there. Give them a try, (they take credit cards!) here are the hours and location:
Friends of York County Library Sale
First ARP Church Gym
201 E. White Street
Rock Hill, SC
(gym is located in back)
Friday, October 22nd hours: 9am – 8 pm
Saturday, October 23rd hours: 10am – 3pm (half price day!)
Just by searching around craigslist and other sites, you can easily find the best place where you can go on a trip to, an experience that going to the beach can't compare. With my friends in Burlington, we went on a food road trip around Ontario and Quebec to find the best poutine that they can offer. But prior to the trip, we always have to get my friend's used car and my Mitsubishi Lancer maintained, for the whole trip to be as smooth as eggs.
Posted by: Clint Moore | February 17, 2011 at 09:03 PM