Downtown Retailers Host Inside Sidewalk Sales This Weekend

Downtown Brighton retailers are continuing their tradition of having sales on the last weekend of July. They're just moving indoors.

A few retailers are having inside sidewalk sales this weekend. The deals started Thursday, and continue today and tomorrow, with participating stores open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The sales are inside because the merchants usually had Main Street closed down in the past, allowing them to sprawl out onto the street.

The event takes the place of the Brighton Summerfest, which up until this year was held on Main Street every year for at least 30 years. The event, organized by the local merchants, was discontinued this year because no one stepped up to organize the big occasion, Lisa Nelson said, the owner of Hush and the chief organizer of it last year.

"It took 100 hours of payroll just to plan it out," Nelson said. She said that the event started with just sidewalk sales. Over time however, it grew into a big festival, with food vendors and other activities.

Joyce Schuelke, owner of Wildernest, still wanted to have some sort of sale during this weekend, so she persuaded her fellow retailers to continue the tradition.

"A bunch of merchants got together and decided to still do sidewalk sales this weekend, because people have grown to expect that the last weekend of July," Sandy Denhof of Fabuless Jewelry & Thingz said.

As to if Summerfest will ever return, the retailers have already been hearing about it from their customers.

"We've had a few people say they'll keep asking because they love Summerfest and hope that it comes back," Schuelke said, "When you have a long-term tradition, it's too bad when it ends."

Nelson said that not having it for a year might persuade more merchants to step up and help organize it.

"I hope we do something more next year," she said.

In the meantime, check out all the deals available at the retailers below this weekend:

: 30 to 40 percent off a lot of jewelry and 30 to 40 percent off seasonal summer items.

 Toys and clothing, including summerwear and beachwear, from 10 to 75 percent off.

 30 percent off all summer items, 45 percent off crop pants, and up to 90 percent off older inventory. Impulse is also extending its sales to Sunday, from noon to 6 p.m.

: 10 percent off basic bras, 20 percent off fashion bras, 30 percent off panties, 20 percent off sleepwear and lingerie and 10 percent off shapewear.

 20 percent off regular-priced items on the main level, 50 to 80 percent off clearance and 30 to 50 percent off red tagged items.

 30 percent off summerwear, 50 percent off winter clothing, 30 percent off Uggs slippers and sandals and 30 percent off some purses.

: Discounts of no less than 50 percent off on all red tagged items.

 20 percent off new furniture and 10 percent off consignment furniture, but both have to paid for with cash or check.

: 20 to 50 percent off on most items. There are also specials on hand-blown Russian glass animals. With the opening of the new Smurfs movie, they also have a lot of Smurfs-related items on sale.