Boulder City's Country Store Rummage Sale Turns 79, Oct. 16 and 17

by Ryan Rose

What Happened

The Boulder City Review reported on Oct. 1 that Grace Community Church is getting ready for its 79th annual Country Store. The sale runs two days. Friday, Oct. 16 goes from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17 goes from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Everything takes place at the church at 1150 Wyoming St. in Boulder City.

The paper ran a correction on its print edition. The dates were right, but the days of the week were printed wrong. So if you saw the paper copy, go by the dates: Friday the 16th and Saturday the 17th.

The sale is big. According to the Review, donated goods fill the church and the basement of a school building that is now closed. The list of what you can find is long. It includes furniture, clothing, collectibles, electronics, housewares, jewelry, kids' items, holiday decor and baked goods. The church will also sell homemade chili.

Pandora Rider Ahlstrom is one of the main organizers. She told the Review the sale offers "incredibly low prices" on quality goods. She said it helps new families furnish a home, helps parents find school clothes, and gives vintage collectors a shot at unusual pieces. She also said the homemade chili and baked goods are a draw on their own.

Rider Ahlstrom gave credit to the people who make the sale happen. She told the paper the volunteers are passionate about their service and have a blast working the event. Every year, the sale draws a big crowd, the Review reported.

The Country Store is one of Grace Community Church's largest fundraisers of the year. Money from the sale supports the church's missions and building improvements. Some donated goods also go on to help other local charities. The article does not list a specific price for any item, and it does not say whether there is an entry fee. For questions, the church's listed phone number is 702-293-2018.

Hand-painted yard sale sign, the kind of bargain hunting shoppers can expect at the Boulder City Country Store

Why It Matters to Las Vegas Residents

Prices on almost everything have gone up over the last few years. Furniture, kids' clothes and kitchen basics add up fast, especially for a family that just moved. A sale like this is one of the few places where a whole room can come together for a small amount of money. Rider Ahlstrom said it plainly: the sale helps new families furnish their homes.

That matters in a valley where people move constantly. Families relocate here from California, Utah, Arizona and beyond. Renters move across town when a lease ends. First-time buyers close on a home and then stand in an empty living room wondering how to fill it. A dresser, a lamp, a set of dishes and a few framed pictures from a church sale can make a new house feel lived in by the first weekend.

It also matters for parents. Kids outgrow clothes in what feels like a week. The Review noted the sale is a place to find school clothing, and the timing in mid-October lines up well with the cooler months ahead. Jackets and long sleeves are easier to find at a sale like this than at full price.

The holiday decor is another reason to go. October is the start of the busy season for decorations. Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas items show up at donation sales because people clear out their garages before the holidays. Buying secondhand decor is a simple way to cut the cost of decorating a new home or an apartment.

And there is the local angle. When you shop here, the money stays in the community. The church uses it for missions and improvements, and some of the donated goods reach other charities. It is a rare kind of shopping trip where saving money and helping neighbors happen at the same time.

There is a practical side for homeowners getting ready to sell, too. Many sellers spend the weeks before listing clearing out closets, garages and spare rooms. Less stuff makes rooms look bigger in photos and showings. Giving usable items to a church sale like this one, instead of hauling them to the dump, puts them back into use in the same community. Just call the church first to ask what they accept and when.

Finally, it is a good excuse to spend a morning in Boulder City. The town sits roughly 25 miles southeast of the Las Vegas Strip, a short drive from Henderson, Green Valley and the southeast side of the valley. Many valley residents only pass through on the way to Lake Mead or Hoover Dam. A Saturday at the Country Store, followed by lunch downtown, is a different way to see it.

Background and History

The Country Store has run for nearly eight decades. That makes it older than Boulder City's own city government. The town began in 1931 as housing for the workers and managers building Hoover Dam. According to the City of Boulder City, the 1928 Boulder Canyon Project Act authorized both the dam and the creation of the town. For almost 30 years, the federal government ran it as the Boulder Canyon Project Federal Reservation. Congress passed the Boulder City Act in 1958, and Boulder City was incorporated in January 1960.

Grace Community Church has been part of that small-town fabric for a long time, and the Country Store is one of its best-known traditions. Older coverage in the Boulder City Review gives a feel for how the sale has worked over the years. In 2018, the paper covered the 71st sale. That year, the church office manager said items were spread across 16 departments, including appliances, linens, shoes, lamps, books, music, tools and furniture.

That 2018 story also described a cafe run by church members, with pie by the slice or whole, coffee, chili, hot dogs and bakery items. Shoppers and workers came from Utah, Arizona, California and other places. One donor gave 70 boxes of fabric that year. The paper also reported that Saturday hours were extended to 2 p.m. because shoppers wanted to come after their morning activities. Those 2 p.m. Saturday hours are still in place this year.

Those details come from past years, so do not count on every one of them this time. The 2026 article names chili and baked goods as the food on offer, and it describes the sale filling the church and the basement of a closed school building. What has stayed the same is the basic idea. Neighbors donate what they no longer need, volunteers sort and price it, and shoppers find bargains while the money goes back into the community.

Church rummage sales like this were once common in small towns all over the country. Many have faded out as online marketplaces took over. A sale that still draws a big crowd after 79 years is unusual, and it says something about how much Boulder City residents value their traditions.

In 2018, proceeds went to local groups including Lend A Hand of Boulder City and Emergency Aid of Boulder City, along with scholarships. This year's article says proceeds support church missions and improvements, with some donated goods going to other local charities. The specific charities for 2026 were not named.

Hoover Dam under a blue sky, the project that led to the founding of Boulder City in 1931

Boulder City has kept much of its small-town feel. It still does not allow casino gambling inside city limits, and its historic downtown is a mix of older storefronts, local restaurants and shops. Events like the Country Store are part of why people who live there say it feels different from the rest of Clark County.

What Happens Next

The sale opens at 8 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 16. If you are hunting for furniture or larger pieces, Friday morning is the time to go. At most sales like this, the best items tend to go early. Friday runs until 5 p.m., which gives working folks a chance to stop by later in the day.

Saturday, Oct. 17 runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. That is a shorter day, so plan around it. Saturday is also a busy day across the valley. The free Henderson Bluegrass Festival on Water Street and the final event at Cashman Field both land on Oct. 17. If you live in Henderson or the southeast part of the valley, it is easy to pair a morning in Boulder City with an afternoon on Water Street.

A few details are still worth confirming before you go. The Review article did not list an admission price, parking details, or payment methods. It also did not say whether the church is still taking donations for this year. If any of those matter to you, call the church at 702-293-2018. After the sale closes, the church will put the money raised toward its missions and improvements, and some goods will go to other local charities.

Looking ahead, next year would be the 80th Country Store. That is a milestone few community events in Clark County ever reach. If the sale keeps going, it will be worth watching the Boulder City Review next fall for dates and any special plans for the anniversary.

Ryan's Take

Events like the Country Store say a lot about a neighborhood. Boulder City is one of the smallest and most tight-knit communities in Clark County. A volunteer-run sale that has lasted 79 years is the kind of thing buyers ask about when they want to know what a town is really like. You will not find that on a listing sheet.

For anyone thinking about Boulder City as a place to live, a weekend like this is a good low-pressure way to get a feel for it. Walk downtown. Notice how close the neighborhoods are to the shops and parks. Talk to people. Boulder City homes are a different market from the rest of the valley, with older neighborhoods, a historic district and its own growth rules, so it is worth understanding how it works before you start looking. And if you just bought a home anywhere in the valley, a sale like this is a smart way to furnish it without stretching your budget right after closing.

Rack of secondhand clothing like the low-priced clothes and school wear sold at Boulder City's Country Store

What You Can Do

Make a plan. The sale is at Grace Community Church, 1150 Wyoming St., Boulder City. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 16, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17. Bring a list of what you need, and measure your space at home before you shop for furniture. If you plan to buy something big, bring a truck or a friend with one.

A few simple tips can make the trip easier:

Go early for furniture. Big pieces like dressers, tables and chairs tend to sell first. Friday morning gives you the best pick.
Check items before you buy. Open drawers, test lamps and look for wobbly legs. Rummage sales are usually as-is.
Bring bags or boxes. Small items like dishes, decor and jewelry are easier to carry home in your own reusable bags.
Think about the season. Mid-October is a good time to pick up jackets, kids' long sleeves and holiday decorations before you need them.
Make a morning of it. Boulder City's historic downtown has local restaurants and shops a short drive from the church.

Bring cash as a backup. Payment methods were not listed in the article, so call ahead at 702-293-2018 if you want to use a card. Come hungry, too. The homemade chili and baked goods are a big part of the fun, according to the organizers.

Bowl of homemade chili with beans and cheese, similar to the chili sold at the Boulder City Country Store

Share it. If you know a family that just moved, a college student setting up an apartment, or a friend who loves vintage finds, send them the dates. And if you have things to give away, call the church to ask about donating to future sales. Clearing out your garage can help a neighbor furnish a home.

If you are new to the valley, events like this are also one of the easiest ways to meet people. Small-town sales, festivals and church events are where neighbors actually talk to each other. Pick one or two local events a month and you will get to know your area much faster than you would online.

And if you are thinking about buying or selling a home in Boulder City or anywhere in Clark County, take your time learning the area. Visit on a weekend, drive the streets at different times of day, and go to a local event or two. You will learn more about whether a neighborhood fits your life from one Saturday morning than from a dozen online listings.

Have questions about how this affects your home or neighborhood? Reach out to Ryan Rose or text/call 702-747-5921 anytime.