Saturday, November 15, 2008

Socks Anyone?

Every year, after the fact, I hear on my local TV news station that Cabot Hosiery (a proud Vermont company) had a fantastic sock sale to coincide with the opening of deer season. Year after year I have heard this so this year I decided to go.

The news reporter said 10,000 people were expected in the tiny village of Northfield, Vermont, population about 4,000. Surely, I must have heard wrong. I failed my hearing test yesterday. Perhaps they were anticipating sales of 10,000 pairs of socks. WRONG!!!!

I arrived and cars were parked, and double parked for several miles. Thinking positive, I drove to the entrance and was able to get a parking space.

I had the presence of mind before leaving the house to bring my walking stick with me. My legs can only stand so much. SMART ON MY PART!!! People will be careful not to bowl you over if they see you with a cane or walking stick. I was also moved to the front of the register line as a result as well...thank goodness as I would have had to just leave. I have severe arthritis in my legs.

The picture above was taken through the glass of one of the doors. Colorful and inviting as was the staff greeting you at the entrance. A sign states that the company is proud to say that there is no outsourcing. "Uncle Sam", dressed in his finest, walked around the facility. (Sorry, no picture.)


A peek inside the factory.

Sock blockers, anyone! Lizzie, for some reason I thought of you when I saw these, perhaps because I remember the sock blockers you made.


When arriving, a staff person advised you to immediately stand in line to cash out while a friend shopped and then you could trade places. Expect 1 hr.+ in line. No lie, there were at least 600-700 people waiting to pay for their purchases and I arrived less than two hours before the doors opened.

Just a small sampling of my purchases.
And several layers more.
Everyone I know is receiving socks for Christmas. Feels a little sacrilegious because I usually gift hand-knitted socks.
So, if all of this wasn't insane enough. I went to the other sale about 1/2 mile away. All t-shirts were $2 with other items slightly higher. All new and discontinued or slightly irregular items. Proceeds going to support the local police department and youth athletic programs in town.
Picture is a little blurry but the place was about 8 times larger than what you see.
People were walking out with garbage bags full of t-shirts, sweat pants, etc. (Note the cloudy, rainy day in Vermont (again).

Next stop planned was attending another knitting book signing in Montpelier but I decided to just return home. I was exhausted.

Oh, did I tell you I think I have a thing for socks. When I was newly divorced, every week I would purchase a pair of socks and a bottle of nail polish. It was comforting at the time.

Happy Knitting!

13 comments:

  1. Wow! Check out all the cool socks. :) And wow again on all the people there.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow! What an outing! See? You did get a start on your Christmas shopping after all!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Unbelievable! I haven't been to a sale like that in...well, I don't think I ever have. I wait in line at Disneyland for that long, but.... ;)

    Pretty socks, though!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I had wanted to go to that book-signing, too, but had to work. I didn't even know about Cabot Hosiery - I'll have to check it out someday.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow. What we missed! Glad you got to go and that people were so gracious when you needed them.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh my gosh, that is quite a pile of socks, I take it that they were on sale as well? What a wonderful price on the t's as well!!! Lucky girl!!!! I don't envy the lines tho, sheesh.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh, wow, I would love to attend something like those sales!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Those are gorgeous socks! And what awesome Christmas presents. I'm going to have to go next year!

    ReplyDelete
  9. WOW ! I wish my area had shops like those! We just don't have anything like that. The failures of a BIG city. I'll take small cities any day.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Sounds like quite an outting. The factory looks interesting.

    Thanks so much for the good thoughts and prayers for mom and all the goings on here of late, truly it is appreciated.

    Sandy

    ReplyDelete
  11. I thought you were going to say you bought a pair of socks and a bottle of booze for comfort! ha! Nail polish makes more sense, particularly in the long run.

    Those are some pretty socks!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'm hoping to try my hand at socks after the holidays when I plan to take a wee break from charity crafting.

    Thanks for the good thoughts etc regarding Mom.

    Happy Thanksgiving.
    Sandy

    ReplyDelete
  13. I hope that all is well you you, and that you had a blessed Thanksgiving with friends and family. :)

    ReplyDelete