HawthorneVillager.com

Just came in from running errands and passed by a home with rolling racks/display racks full of clothes in their garage and a wooden sign placed on their lawn advertising the contents. This is not your standard garage sale; it is a full on in-home/garage store.

Just wondering if this is legal? If so, I am done with selling on Kijiji lol.

what do you think is illegal about it?

As long as they own the items they are selling... there isnt much wrong with what they are doing.

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True enough I just didn't think you could do it without permits or some kind of permission from the town. Garage sales are one thing but this a full on garage store. From what I saw when I drove by, there are hundreds of items of clothes. Granted someone within the house could be a seamstress/designer but it seems like a lot of clothing for one dwelling.

I inquired as a friend of mine does design accessories (purses, jewelry, hair clips/bands, etc) and we often joke about a home store. She currently pays for advertising and a website but this could certainly be a more cost efficient way of doing things as long as it is legal.

There is someone on Yates who has been selling stained glass items for years. They put one out by the curb with a sign, I guess the rest are in the garage or house somewhere. Never struck me as illegal, I don't know if selling things from your home is legally any different than having a home office and running a business from it. The only implications I can think of are tax-related.

Where on Yates?

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There are lots of bylaws (eg maximum of 25% of home area is allowed to be used for a business) but unless you have a specific infraction you want people to look up I doubt they will list every possible bylaw.

Maybe if you claim his business is retail?

The guy on Yates is between Thompson and March Crossing. He is on the right side if you are heading East.

This sounds more like a retail outlet than a home business. There is no way the house is zoned for retail so that would make it illegal. I'm pretty sure I know which house the OP is referring to and there's no way it's allowed.

what does it really matter anyhow

Parking and traffic associated with a retail location. If the area is not zoned (designed) for it, then there is a problem.

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I agree with Batman, there's a difference between a garage sale and people who are basically running a retail store and not paying taxes. As a neighbour why should I have the home next door looking like a constant flea market? The odd garage sale is fine but I've driven by several homes at times that are obviously running a store and it looks dumpy.