The Bloomfield Sidewalk Sale began in Lower Bloomfield but now is an expansive, neighborhood-wide event with more than 90 participating residences and businesses. 

Thrifting Culture Thrives at This Year’s Bloomfield Sidewalk Sale

Bloomfield Sidewalk Sale organizer and resident Melissa Ciccocioppo is currently working on a blue-footed booby costume for Halloween. She had been stuck on executing the bird’s eponymous turquoise feet — until she visited this year’s Friendship yard sale and found a pair of $5 swim flippers that completed her avian vision. That’s the kind of serendipity she hopes happens at this event. 

“Thrifting culture is super big,” she says. “I love that, because you will find crazy treasures at these things.”

You, too, can find crazy treasures or a reasonably priced niche item you’ve been looking for at the Bloomfield Sidewalk Sale — taking place from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on September 12, rain or shine. The event combines the thrill of the secondhand hunt with a celebration of Bloomfield businesses and local artists.

Ciccocioppo has organized the event for the past five years after Dave and Terry Aiello, longtime organizers and “the best neighbors somebody could ever ask for,” asked her to take over, despite her having no event organizing experience. 

“I’ve always said to them, ‘whatever you need, I’m here for you,’” Ciccocioppo says. “And so when she said, ‘Take over the thing,’ I’m like, ‘I have to take over the thing.’ I thought, ‘How hard can it be?’”

Nearly 100 Vendors

In her first year organizing, Ciccocioppo expanded the event from Lower Bloomfield to encompass the entire neighborhood, with sign-ups from 30 houses. Last year, 90 houses took part. This year, 70 residences have signed up alongside participation from 23 local businesses — a first for the event.

Ciccocioppo floated the idea of business outreach last year to Gina Merante of Linea Verde Green Market, who thought it was a great idea and encouraged Ciccocioppo to follow through, creating an event that’s free, “hyper-local and just about this neighborhood and the people in it.”

“I made a [business] application that was just like, ‘Do you want to participate? If so, how will you do this? Are you going to offer a discount or special items?’” she explains. “Are you going to be utilizing your sidewalk space because it’s free? If not, would you be willing to donate your sidewalk space to either an artist or a resident who doesn’t have their own space to sell things?”

The response from businesses has been “overwhelmingly great,” she says. Participating businesses include Creative Chem Co, Bantha Tea Bar and Tessaro’s; community organization Assemble will sell food and drinks, host free workshops and house artists selling their work during the event. 

“Particularly this year with all this construction going on, the extra business is going to be super, super, super, super helpful,” Ciccocioppo, a manager at Yinz Coffee on Liberty Avenue, says. 

How to Shop or Participate in the Bloomfield Sidewalk Sale

Ciccocioppo is encouraging artists to sell their work for non-yard sale prices while offloading items that no longer spark joy. Ciccocioppo herself has “made a killing” on the work she puts out during the sale.

And, unlike other yard sales in the city, the Bloomfield Sidewalk Sale is free to participate, with Ciccocioppo arguing that the whole point of putting on a yard sale is to “make money, not spend it.”

“$5 per person would go a long way, but I don’t care,” she says. “This will always be free.”

A digital map with all participating addresses is available on the Bloomfield Development Corporation’s website and the official Facebook event page. Additional printed maps will be available at Yinz Coffee and Linea Verde Green Market on Liberty Avenue during the sale weekend.

Ciccocioppo’s call to attend is simple: Come for the treasure, stay for the community. 

“Speaking from experience, it’s a really lovely way to meet your neighbors,” she says. “Down on my street, it becomes like a block party.” 

Story by Amanda Reed
Photos Courtesy of Bloomfield Sidewalk Sale

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