Giant Benton Co. yard sale brings holiday weekend shoppers to ‘Bargain Highway’

BENTON COUNTY, Tenn. — One West Tennessee community has taken the term “yard sale” to new heights, with huge sales happening this Labor Day weekend.

The massive yard sale, known as “Bargain Highway,” has folks setting up all over Benton County.

“They are getting deals from one side of the street to the other,” Benton County resident Lyne Cagle said. “They better come out and get it while the getting’s good.”

What started as a small yard sale 18 years ago has grown into a countywide event that stretches more than 30 miles.

“You go all the way from Holladay to Big Sandy in Benton County, Tennessee, and there are yard sales set up all the way down through this route,” said Sara Kilgore, executive director of the Benton County/Camden Chamber of Commerce.

Small shops have popped up at businesses, churches and even on the side of the road.

“It’s a good time,” Benton County resident Jordan Kee said. “There’s food, there’s nice people, there’s always kids selling lemonade.”

With school closed for the holiday weekend, folks have taken advantage on the open space and set up shop.

“There are absolutely no rules whatsoever,” Kilgore said. “If you want to sell it, you put a price tag on it and people are going to come look at it.”

Last year, more than 3,000 people came from outside Benton County searching for deals down Highway 69, filling local hotels and restaurants and giving the county’s economy a boost.

“I love it,” Kee said. “It’s a good way to not only for the community to come together, but it brings out-of-town people so they get to kind of see what our community is about.”

The Camden Police Department does have a warning though after a fake $100 bill was used to pay for items. They’re urging everyone to check their cash, especially big bills.