Best of 2000: Best Swap-Meet Dealer

George's Liquidation
Kobey's Swap Meet, Booth #T2-4
San Diego Sports Arena Parking Lot, Midway District
(619) 226-0650

"We get stuff people don't even know they want until they see it," says Tom Gray at George's Liquidation. "Every week, there's new stock. We buy liquidation merchandise, brand new, like pet supplies from an out-of-business store we priced at two-thirds off retail. Used stuff always sells -- LPs, books, generators and compressors, collectible dishes, pottery, and tools. We had a portable sandblasting machine with the gloves you slide your hands into and everything, that sold for $500." Other stock is acquired at estate sales and by purchasing the contents of unpaid storage lockers. "They're auctioned to the highest bidder, and we can look inside the lockers but not [enter] to see what's there, so we bid based on what's visible. Sometimes we end up with treasure, sometimes it's trash, but it'll all sell eventually."