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How to shop JBF: A guide for first timers
Published: 8/23/2011 8:00 AM
Last Modified: 8/22/2011 11:25 PM

For seven days twice a year, Expo Square becomes JBF land.

That shorthand stands for Just Between Friends, the largest children's and maternity consignment sale in the country.

The Tulsa World has called it a garage sale on steroids, and that's just it. Row after row of clothes, baby equipment, bedding, shoes and toys take up 58,000 square feet. In all, more than 200,000 items are tagged and ready to be sold.

If it's your first time at the sale, it can be completely overwhelming. At my first JBF sale, it seemed I was the only person in the room who didn't know what I was doing. This I did know: I needed a double stroller, and I needed it at a good price. I headed straight for the strollers, found a perfect side-by-side, grabbed a pair of designer maternity jeans, and I was out of there in 30 minutes.

At his year's fall sale, I shopped for four hours and came home with a car packed to the ceiling.

So, if you're new to the sale, here are some tips for making the most out of this great sale.

1. Come with a list.
Once you walk in the doors, you might forget what you came for. Head for your must-haves first, then go down your list in order of priority.

2. Shop clothes last.
In my experience, sorting through the racks of clothes takes the most time, so if you're in the market for a highchair, nursing pillows or bicycles, shop for those big items first, then circle back to the clothes.

3. Bring a laundry basket.
The people at JBF are nice enough to supply big Ikea bags, but if you're planning on making a haul, bring a laundry basket, preferably with a rope or belt tied to one end, so you can pull it as you load and shop.

4. Know your sizes.
Have your kids feet measured and double check clothing sizes before the sale. You don't want to end up with six pairs of misfit, nonreturnable shoes.

5. Come armed.
Particularly if you're looking for baby items, like carseats and strollers, come armed with your favorite baby guides or Consumer Reports app ready to go on your phone.

6. Ditch the purse.
When digging through books and pulling clothes on and off the racks, a shoulder-strap purse will fall off in no time flat. Ditch it for a cross-body bag or, as nerdy as it may be, a fanny pack.

7. Come back.
If you're a real bargain hunter, check out the deals Thursday through Saturday. Most items are 25 percent off Thursday and Friday, and 50 percent off on Saturday.


Just Between Friends
When: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. now through Saturday
Where: Exchange Center at Expo Square, 21st Street and Yale Avenue
Cost: Free to enter
For more: tulsaworld.com/jbf


Reader Comments 2 Total
JettBlack (last year)
A lady I work with just asked me yesterday if I'd ever been to this sale. After reading your post, I forwarded to her, via e-mail, and she replied, "bless you. I'm always happy to learn from someone else's experience."
srubenstein (last year)


Expo square has a great variety of baby items to choose from.

Stuart
2 comments displayed


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Tulsa To Do

Nour Habib joined the Tulsa World in 2011 as a general assignment reporter for the Scene section. She graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in journalism and political science. Before joining the World, she covered education for a community newspaper.

She looks forward to keeping up with all there is to do in Tulsa and sharing it with you. Because, after all, the more she finds, the more she gets to do, too.

Send any fun or interesting events her way at nour.habib@tulsaworld.com.

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