Food auction crowd grows with downturn in economy

For only about $50, "I've gone home with two coolers full of food; frozen vegetables, meats and drinks," the Edgewater resident said. "At a regular grocery store it would probably be $140."

Rightnour and 249 others cashed in a recent Friday night food auction run by Glen Burnie-based Wishing Rock Auctions. He was buying food for himself as well as his son's and daughter's families.

"In these times, you've got to look for bargains," he said.

The company has seen crowds steadily increase at each of its monthly food auctions. It used to hold the auctions at its warehouse on Roesler Road in Glen Burnie, which could hold 100 people. With a faltering economy forcing people to watch their dollars more than ever, 250 people came to the first auction held at Earleigh Heights Volunteer Company in Severna Park on June 5.

"We think it's a family-type thing, but we get single parents, people buying for work. And people from out of state come and stock up," Wishing Rock owner Kathy Allen said. "It's mostly a blue-collar, working-class-type person that we get."

At registration, people are given a number card that they hold up to bid on items, which can be single items or packages like cases of soda. Anything from snacks and candy to meat, poultry and seafood is available. Auctioneer Doug Allen describes food items as auction workers parade them up and down aisles for the audience to see.

"To determine the pricing … the auctioneer a lot of times has to be the best judge," Kathy Allen said. "If he thinks it's a $20 ham, he's going to try and at least start it at $10 or get someone to start it higher."

Since there is often more than one of each item, the top bidder gets to choose the quantity. People who didn't originally bid can buy leftover items after the bidders have gotten what they want. All buyers pay a 10 percent to 13 percent premium on the items they buy.

At the June auction, people walked out with deals such as a case of 20-ounce bottles of Life Water for $6.50. When there were leftovers of an item, the auctioneer would sometimes throw them in for free with the next item. For $14, a few people got a pound of frozen crab meat, a tray of croissants and a hard salami.

People came to buy food for different purposes. Kent Island resident Roger Tar came out to buy food for a recovery house and for barbecues he throws for 12-step program participants.

"It's really helped out because some people get in, sometimes they don't have any money," he said. "It helps them to have something there at their house."

Tar, who has been coming to the food auctions since January, started out spending $150 to $200. Last time, he walked out with $400 worth of food.

"At a regular store, the price would probably be double to more than that," he said. "We have some pretty good deals on things here. That's why we continue to come back."

Wishing Rock also holds auctions for new items, including housewares and gifts, and auctions for antiques and collectibles. The company gets the items for the food auctions from wholesale auctions and overstock. It also gets items that can't be sold in stores, like dented cans and cases that are missing one item.

Richard Betz, a small meat, poultry, seafood and fish distributor, approached Wishing Rock 10 years ago about starting a food auction. He has been selling his products at food auctions once a week for as long as he can remember, and has seen a definite increase in attendance at the food auctions.

"People have to save a dollar somewhere," he said. "It's half the money they'd spend in a grocery store."