Ask around Northwest Florida about learning the ins and outs of yard sales, where and how to find the best treasures and who to go to for pricing and advice, and one name is sure to come up: Bill Tinsley.
Bill owns T&B Hidden Treasures in Chipley, and while he’s been in business there for years, his experience goes far beyond the aisles and booths of his antique mall.
“I’ll be 70 years old in May,” Bill notes with a smile, adding his interest in finding treasures and making sales has grown through the years. “I’ve done yard sales, church sales, rummage sales; I’ve done it all. I’ve got it in my blood.”
Bill started the business for his father-in-law 20 years ago.
“He was trying to make extra money and was setting up a yard sale every weekend,” he says.
At the time, Bill was renting a booth in a Dothan, Alabama, market. He found a building in Chipley and started the new venture. What began as a spot for Bill and his father-in-law to sell their wares grew into a business that supports more than 50 vendors. There are more than 35 others on a waiting list to get a spot at Hidden Treasures, but a vacancy only becomes available every couple of years.
Each vendor has booth space that is their “little store,” Bill says. “I’m going to try to help them. That’s what I do. Every mall has its personality, and owners have their own philosophy. I tell people our mall tries to keep to antique-related items. And to have things for men, women, kids and teens.” That variety, he says, is what keeps people coming back.
Through the years, Bill has researched items he’s interested in and learned what makes other collectibles valuable. From molded plastic Christmas decorations to classic record albums, he knows what can enhance an item’s value and what’s trending. But he says keeping an open mind is the best approach to finding “just that right something” at a sale.
“I will tell you one secret I’ve found,” Bill shares. “Have no preconceived idea of what you’re looking for. If you do, you may find it, and you may not, but you might pass by something that’s a valuable item. People get blinded by looking for one thing. When you’re able to find one item that you’ve never seen before, that stands out.
“I look for the things other people don’t look for—historical things. That’s what I like. I don’t get out and pick as much as I used to, but I stop at yard sales anytime I can. I have people who are my ‘unofficial pickers,’” he adds. “They’ll call me if they find something I might be interested in.”
Twice a year, Bill hosts the largest concentration of sellers across the entire state. He’s the Washington County coordinator for Florida’s longest yard sale, Flea Across Florida. The event started more than 10 years ago in Live Oak to help boost the economy of small towns along Highway 90. Today, the yard sale stretches 275 miles, from Live Oak westward to Pensacola.
Held the second weekends in April and September, the event has become a favorite for vendors, bargain hunters and many small communities in Northwest Florida. Chipley’s location makes it appealing for shoppers from far away who want to take in as much of the two-day event as possible.
“We’re about halfway across the panhandle,” Bill says, “so people will come and stay here. From here, they can travel one day toward Pensacola and come back, then another day toward Tallahassee.”
Approximately 350 vendors participate locally, with sellers from Alabama, Georgia and other states joining those who come from across Florida. The variety of vendors draws large numbers of customers. Bill estimates 3,000 or more come to shop.
“When you draw 3,000 to 4,000 people, it’s a win-win for everybody,” he says. “Gas stations, restaurants, the community market, they all see the benefits of having the shoppers in town.”
Coordinating the event takes lots of planning. Lining up advertising and booth sales, securing locations and ensuring safety are just a few of Bill’s tasks.
“On March 1, we’ll start taking reservations for spaces,” he says. “We have to think about food, safety, restrooms; it’s a lot of planning.”
The effort is worth it for Bill, who’s happy to see his store, his vendors and the entire community enjoy the benefits.
In addition to being the local coordinator for Flea Across Florida, Bill also finds other ways to support the community. A table is reserved in his store year-round for the local library to sell books, with all proceeds going back to the library. He also recently hosted an antique appraisal event that raised funds for a local charity.