When the weather's nice and you want to be outside (but aren't really one of those "outdoor" types), try your hand at outdoor shopping.
While other places of the country (shout-out to Short Pump, VA!) may have open-air malls, South Bend's delightful winters aren't as accommodating. However, that does not mean residents of the 574 have to miss out on this experience. Fall yardsales and sidewalk sales provide the perfect opportunity to get some fresh air and a great deal.
This past weekend, the row of local shops along East Jefferson Ave. (incl. Marigold's, Just Goods) held a sidewalk sale that featured 30 percent off merchandise I had been eyeing a week before. Another vendor was selling a bevey of books, from "Marketing for Dummies" to the latest pyscho-thriller, for a dollar each.
And the yardsales! Nothing is more rewarding than buying that piece of junk that you don't really need and won't ever use because it doesn't work but it was such a good deal that...except for those items that you DO find that become indispensable. My five-dollar pine coffee table, I'm looking at you. The best place to find the weekend's yardsales is either on Craigslist or in the South Bend Tribune's classifieds on Saturdays.
Happy shopping!