“Stripes a plus. Must be small.”

That was my post on the UDC network a year or so ago. Instantly, I got a response from David from The Upscale Garage Sale. A picture of two perfectly matched, slightly used but excellent small chairs that swiveled and rocked, striped in colors I loved. I couldn’t believe my eyes, so The Huz (that’s my husband) and I hightailed it to Jeffersonville where we bought the chairs and a modern floor lamp for a very reasonable price.

And just like that, I became one of those people who says, “Oh this? I found it at a garage sale.”

Only this is not exactly a garage sale. This is a garage sale that went to design school, learned proper lighting, and developed opinions about textiles.

You know immediately you are not dealing with cracked fondue pots and VHS tapes of Matlock. The Upscale Garage Sale has actual taste. The kind where you suddenly start discussing upholstery as though you host your own HGTV show. And I should know, having once been a finalist on HGTV’s Design Star.

David and his partner-wife, Carolyn, didn’t stumble into furniture resale. They renovated about 500 hotels nationwide, including the original Marriott Times Square, the Peninsula, and the Grand Hyatt in New York. Later they moved to Miami Beach, opened a carpet and rug showroom in the Miami Design District, and imported Mexican furnishings and artwork.

Meanwhile I feel accomplished when I return a lamp to Walmart with the receipt.

What I love most is that they believe in repurposing. Real repurposing. Vintage pieces, antiques, designer furnishings, oddball treasures that somehow become exactly what your house was missing.

And there are stories attached to many of the pieces. Some they know for certain, others they can only guess at. You can feel it walking through the place. A dining room table that probably hosted decades of Thanksgiving dinners. A chair somebody famous once sat in every evening to read the paper. Art that once hung proudly over somebody’s fireplace before finding its way here.

They also carry custom-made and one-of-a-kind pieces all the time, and unlike some sellers who barely know what they have, David researches unfamiliar brands so he understands exactly what he’s selling. That kind of knowledge makes browsing there feel less like digging through leftovers and more like treasure hunting.

The inventory changes constantly. Sofas, dining sets, chairs, artwork, antiques, modern pieces, and one-of-a-kind finds. And unlike some resale places where dimensions seem wildly optimistic, David actually keeps measurements handy. This matters.

Nothing humbles a person faster than discovering the “perfect sofa” must enter the house through a window with three neighbors and a pulley system.

The pricing is also refreshingly sane, generally about a quarter to a third of retail elsewhere. They’ll bargain a little, as long as it’s realistic, and you don’t turn things into a flea-market drama. 

There is one hard-and-fast rule though. No holds.

Honestly, I respect it. We all know people who say, “I’m definitely coming back for it,” then disappear forever. If you love something, go home, measure, and call back.

Most sales are final too. Which seems fair. This is not Costco.

As for payment, they take Venmo, Zelle, and similar methods. Delivery services can be referred if needed, and deposits are fine for larger pieces.

And if you’re lucky, maybe David will answer your random online plea for “matching swivel rockers with stripes.” Mine are still in the living room. Still perfect. Still making me feel slightly more sophisticated than I actually am.

The Upscale Garage Sale is at 4838 Route 52 in Jeffersonville. They’ll open on Memorial Day weekend, Friday through Monday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Afterwards, the shop is generally open on Saturdays and Sundays. To inquire in advance, email graberdm@aol.com.