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There was a woman selling TOILET PAPER out of the back of her truck at a gas station near my house. Can't believe it has come to that.

Anyway what items would you actually buy from a roadside vendor now and years ago? The selection has definitely changed since I was a kid. We used to could buy seafood in North Irving from a guy in a white delivery truck. I remember people selling blankets, toys, etc.

I would still buy melons and Tyler roses myself....

crocmommy wrote:There was a woman selling TOILET PAPER out of the back of her truck at a gas station near my house. Can't believe it has come to that.

Anyway what items would you actually buy from a roadside vendor now and years ago? The selection has definitely changed since I was a kid. We used to could buy seafood in North Irving from a guy in a white delivery truck. I remember people selling blankets, toys, etc.

I would still buy melons and Tyler roses myself....

What are the chances that the toilet paper was acquired as the result of illicit activities? Not saying it was, but if you have "hot" merchandise, a cash business on the side of the road is a pretty safe distribution method.

bodine wrote:

crocmommy wrote:There was a woman selling TOILET PAPER out of the back of her truck at a gas station near my house. Can't believe it has come to that.

Anyway what items would you actually buy from a roadside vendor now and years ago? The selection has definitely changed since I was a kid. We used to could buy seafood in North Irving from a guy in a white delivery truck. I remember people selling blankets, toys, etc.

I would still buy melons and Tyler roses myself....

What are the chances that the toilet paper was acquired as the result of illicit activities? Not saying it was, but if you have "hot" merchandise, a cash business on the side of the road is a pretty safe distribution method.

There's a good chance the TP is hot. Easy enough when you're doing a contract cleaning job to swipe a carton without getting caught. Problem is when you get greedy and get caught. We had some cleaning ladies here at the office who got caught taking office paper towels out to their car. Hope it was worth losing their job.

crocmommy wrote:

bodine wrote:

crocmommy wrote:There was a woman selling TOILET PAPER out of the back of her truck at a gas station near my house. Can't believe it has come to that.

Anyway what items would you actually buy from a roadside vendor now and years ago? The selection has definitely changed since I was a kid. We used to could buy seafood in North Irving from a guy in a white delivery truck. I remember people selling blankets, toys, etc.

I would still buy melons and Tyler roses myself....

What are the chances that the toilet paper was acquired as the result of illicit activities? Not saying it was, but if you have "hot" merchandise, a cash business on the side of the road is a pretty safe distribution method.

There's a good chance the TP is hot. Easy enough when you're doing a contract cleaning job to swipe a carton without getting caught. Problem is when you get greedy and get caught. We had some cleaning ladies here at the office who got caught taking office paper towels out to their car. Hope it was worth losing their job.

We had a maintenance supervisor that ran his own paper supply business out of our paper stocks....

A man stole a case of TP from a job....fired. Job paid $9,000/month

marti wrote:A man stole a case of TP from a job....fired. Job paid $9,000/month

But he gets to "squeeze the Charmin" all he wants!!!

A sign of the Crappy Economy.

Why toilet paper? I'm assuming she didn't have a permit to do that.

A buyer for a warehouse that supplied a large grocery chain in this market was fired because he wanted a $40 box of paper goods from the warehouse brought to his car/office.

We caught an employee who set up a "ghost" account and was having cases of towels/TP shipped to his home. ...selling it at Trader's Village. Fool thought he would not be caught.

Trixie wrote:Why toilet paper? I'm assuming she didn't have a permit to do that.

Everyone needs TP, big market.

LibraryLady wrote:

Trixie wrote:Why toilet paper? I'm assuming she didn't have a permit to do that.

Everyone needs TP, big market.

I probably should have gone inside and mentioned it to Racetrack but I was in a big hurry. I don't appreciate being hit up when I'm buying gas. It's not like you can walk away from them while you're getting gas.

crocmommy wrote:

LibraryLady wrote:

Trixie wrote:Why toilet paper? I'm assuming she didn't have a permit to do that.

Everyone needs TP, big market.

I probably should have gone inside and mentioned it to Racetrack but I was in a big hurry. I don't appreciate being hit up when I'm buying gas. It's not like you can walk away from them while you're getting gas.

I bet they would have left you alone when you asked them "where did you steal this from?"

I want the vendor GONE from the gas station parking lot. Tired of that AND the folks who have yard sales every weekend.

Getting are little Grumpy are we ?

Actually, I was hoping people would start answering my original question...

crocmommy wrote:There was a woman selling TOILET PAPER out of the back of her truck at a gas station near my house. Can't believe it has come to that.

Anyway what items would you actually buy from a roadside vendor now and years ago? The selection has definitely changed since I was a kid. We used to could buy seafood in North Irving from a guy in a white delivery truck. I remember people selling blankets, toys, etc.

I would still buy melons and Tyler roses myself....

I think most of the fruits and vegetables you see these days on the side of the road in the country are bought at large farmers markets and brought there. They will even go door to door and give you some song and dance how they're up from the valley and try to sell their stuff for outrageous prices.

I know my grandfather used to setup out of his truck sometimes with the extra stuff he didn't use, can, or give to friends and relatives. So there may still be a few honest ones out there.

My uncle (Sgt. for DPD) once arrested a guy trying to sell him hot jewelry outside of a store. The guy admitted it was stolen and that he worked as a janitor at Zales and that was where he got it. My uncle grabbed him by the wrist told him he was under arrest and asked my Dad to go inside and have the clerk call the station to send a out a car. This was pre 911 days.

Another time in the 80's my uncle and his lieutenant were on their way back from some sort of conference in Louisiana. They were in one of those unmarked Chrysler K-cars. His Lieutenant wanted to stop at the Tyler Rose place to get something for his wife and so they pulled in. The Lt. gave the guy his order and the guy told him it would be a bit for him to round up his employees because when they saw the unmarked car pull in they thought they may be INS and scattered out the back.

We sometimes buy watermelons from roadside pickups near Hempstead.

Do seasonal peach vendors at Stonewall count? Wife bought peaches there on Sunday...

crocmommy wrote:Actually, I was hoping people would start answering my original question...

A few months back me and my son stopped at a gas station in Sulphur Springs where a guy had setup shop. I bought a cool looking Texas themed rug and my son bought his girlfriend (at the time) a UT throw blanket. He also sold these little motorized scooters and mini 4 wheelers. He made the craft show and flea market circuit during the weekends and would setup at different retail places close to his next show during the week. He said he would give the store owner a piece of the profits for the privilege.

Several years ago my wife bought a western style purse from someone who had a similar setup. Figured it was Chinese crap, and it probably is, but it's held up well. Obviously she isn't in to designer purses.

When I was a kid, I picked dewberries and sold them on the side of the road.
I'd buy anything if I wanted it and the price was right.
I wouldn't buy any seafood or meat.
I don't buy frozen steaks from the guys who come around knocking doors, either.

I'll buy produce from a roadside stand and almost wreck the car trying to slow down for it. But I only do that in a rural area or as in Holland, TX at a stand that I've bought from for years. I know those tomatoes are homegrown! I bought some in Quinlan last summer and watched the guy pick them from the hundreds of tomato plants he had. If I hadn't been dressed for a party, I could have picked them myself. I don't think he wanted me in his garden in those heels.