Local yard sale enthusiast Sue Owens and granddaughter Tatum Harlan were picking through items set up at the former Albany Ford location in the Snow Community Monday morning. One specialty item, which can been seen in the background, is an 11 foot tall bear carved out of a tree with the stump still attached.

The U.S. 127 Corridor Sale is set for this weekend and while the official dates include Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, August 1-4, many vendors in Clinton County have been set up and continue to get items in place since last Thursday, July 25.

One group of vendors have set up at the old Albany Ford building in the Snow Community of central Clinton County, near the intersection of U.S. 127 and KY 90 for the past 12-14 years, and love coming to the area to sell items for everyone.

Johnny McLerran from Celina, Tenn., said he enjoys coming to Clinton County and knows a lot of local people because of the 127 Corridor Sale.

“It’s fun … if we didn’t enjoy it we wouldn’t do it. I guess you can say it’s fun if you do it once a year. If you do it more than that it gets to become a job,” McLerran said. “All the locals will come this afternoon when it cools off. Some of them come out just to see us.”

McLerran has been setting his area up since last Thursday and said the previous weekend has been busy.

“Saturday and Sunday are going to be busy, but during the week, we are still going to be busy, however, we are still setting up stuff,” McLerran said. “By the time we get everything set, it will take us until Wednesday to get everything where we want it. A lot of the serious buyers come in the weekend before.”

Most of the people McLerran does business with are from out of town, as far away as Guatemala.

“We have regular customers from California, Arizona, Guatemala, Texas … it’s just amazing how far they come,” McLerran said. “It seems like every year there will be different states that show up. One year it seemed like everybody was from Texas.”

As far as the merchandise is concerned, McLerran said there is something for everybody at his location.

“If you walk around you will see we have a little bit of everything,” McLerran said. The majority of the people are looking for the odd stuff. We are here at a good location. We are at the junction of Hwy. 90 and U.S. 127, we have plenty of parking, Hunter puts in his Bar-B-Q across the street on Wednesday … they come off of all these curves from the dam and they are ready to stop at the first place they see. Motor homes can get in here, big trucks can get in … It’s just a good location.”

McLerran said there are five different groups under one tent at the Ford Garage including himself.

“We have one group from Tompkinsville, a couple from Indiana,” McLerran said. “I have an antique store in Celina, Tenn. and this is the only yard sale we do. We try to do it for 10 days.”

Mountain View Park Director Bobby Reneau was busy Monday morning marking off booth spaces. He said he sold five spots Monday morning and it looks to be full by Thursday.

“We have the tree guy coming back this year as well as the guys who sell all the tools,” Reneau said.

One thing new at the park this year will be the food vendors. The park board decided not to cook for the public this year, but have opened the park location up to food vendors which in the past has not been allowed.

The 690-mile yard sale extends from Addison, Michigan to Gadsden, Alabama. Headquarters for the event are at the Fentress County Chamber of Commerce in Jamestown, Tennessee.

This year will mark the 26th year of the sale and is labeled the World’s Longest Yard Sale.

Johnny McLerran, left, one of five vendors located at the Ford Garage on Hwy. 90, made a sale Monday morning, days before the 127 Corridor Sale officially begins. McLerran said it takes a while to get all of his items situated and in the right place.