The red barn at 293 Lawrence St. used to sell lumber and later paint. This summer it filled with bicycles, tents and a bright red kayak, most of them carried in from Plumas County garages. The Plumas Sun reported in August that Crooked Trails, a consignment shop for outdoor gear, opened there on June 16. Its owner, Ryan Choate, grew up in Quincy.
The shop is now starting its first winter, and that changes what the stretch between Halloween and Sparkle is for. These weeks are when skis, snowshoes and winter jackets change owners, and this year Quincy has a storefront that does it on a published clock.
The Red Barn's First Winter
Crooked Trails' website lists the categories it accepts as hiking, camping, climbing, biking, paddling and snow sports. It also takes the odd item that doesn't fit a category, and gives a baseball glove and a pair of ice skates as examples. In August, Choate told the Plumas Sun he planned to add skis, snowboards, backcountry ski gear and winter clothing as the weather cooled, while keeping summer gear on the floor as space allowed.
The shop's site is direct about timing: "Skis sell better in October than in July." The site asks consignors to bring seasonal gear in as its season approaches.
Here's how it works. Bring your gear in during store hours, one bin per visit. You and the shop set prices together based on condition and demand, and you get a link to a consignor portal where you can track your items. The shop doesn't buy anything outright. You get paid by check or Venmo after an item sells. Your share depends on the sale price:
| Sale price | Consignor's share |
|---|---|
| Up to $50 | 50% |
| $51 to $250 | 55% |
| $251 to $500 | 60% |
| $501 and up | 70% |
If you take store credit, the shop adds 10% on top of your balance. Using the posted tiers, skis that sell for $300 would bring the consignor $180 by check or $198 in credit toward something else on the floor. "We never take more than the customer," Choate told the Plumas Sun.
The Markdown Clock Starts at Drop-Off
The schedule is what makes the timing matter. Each consigned item is marked down automatically: 10% off the original price after 40 days, 15% after 65 days and 20% after 90 days. The 90-day price is final until the item sells or the owner picks it up. Items are consigned for 90 days, and anything unsold and unclaimed after six months is treated as donated.
Counting forward from a drop-off on Friday, Nov. 6, the day after this post goes up:
| Days on the floor | Price change | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Full price | Nov. 6 |
| 40 | 10% off | Dec. 16 |
| 65 | 15% off | Jan. 10 |
| 90 | 20% off, final | Feb. 4 |
Gear dropped off in the first week of November sells at full price through Thanksgiving, Sparkle weekend and the first two weeks of December. The first markdown comes just before the holiday break. Wait until mid-December to drop off and the full-price window shifts into January, when much of the ski season has already gone by.
The calendar works the other way for buyers. A jacket that hasn't sold by mid-December gets cheaper on a schedule anyone can read off the tag, since the shop prints updated prices on the tags. Sales are final, with no returns, refunds or exchanges, so check zippers, bindings and edges before you buy. The shop also turns away gear with core shots, blown-out soles or missing parts.
Crooked Trails is open Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Library Runs Its Own Version on Jackson Street
The other big clear-out on the calendar is the Quincy Friends of the Plumas County Library's Fantastic Fall Book Sale in the library community room at 445 Jackson St. According to the Plumas Sun's announcement, it opens Thursday, Nov. 5, with a members-only preview from 2 to 6 p.m. Memberships are $10 per person at the door. The sale opens to the public Friday, Nov. 6, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and runs Saturday, Nov. 7, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Volunteers told the paper they received a record number of donations this year. Fiction is shelved alphabetically by author and nonfiction by category, with CDs, books on tape and videos alongside. Children's books are on the library porch and free, up to 10 per family. Organizers pitched it as a stop for "fantastic finds for your collection and holiday giving list." The next sale is in the spring, and updates are posted on the Friends' Facebook page.
Since the public days fall on a Friday and Saturday, you can stop at both: books on Jackson Street Saturday morning, then a bin of winter gear to Lawrence Street before Crooked Trails closes at 4.
New Gear Sold Upstairs on Main Street
When something has to be new, such as water filters, bear canisters or a stove, there's a second option this year a few blocks away. California Outdoor Adventures opened Aug. 28 on the second floor of the 231 Main St. business complex, Suite 203, the Plumas Sun reported on Oct. 23. Owner Greg Cameron, who usually has Buddy the shop dog with him, is a Marine Corps veteran who retired from law enforcement. His family has been in Plumas County since 1848, and he spent childhood summers in Quincy and Greenville.
The paper's list of the shop's stock includes gold-panning equipment, field rations, water filters, backpacking and camping gear, first-aid supplies, biofuel stoves and bear canisters. The fishing shelf carries regional gear, such as the Nealley's hex adult fly suited to Lake Almanor and handcrafted flashers from Paulina Peak, a Reno business. Cameron's stated goal is to save people the long drive out of the county for basic supplies.
Together, the two shops let much of the fall restock happen downtown, used gear on Lawrence and new on Main.
The Swap That Isn't on the Calendar Yet
Many skiers in the county have handled the winter changeover at the Plumas Ski Club's swap. Its 2025 swap page lists drop-off on Nov. 15 and the swap on Nov. 22 at the Johnsville Ski Bowl. As of late October, the club's calendar had no 2026 swap date posted. If one is announced, it will likely fall in the same weeks as Crooked Trails' full-price window, so it's worth checking the club's page before deciding where your old skis go.
Plan any drive toward Bucks Lake with the season in mind. The Plumas National Forest says the Oro-Quincy Highway closes at Bucks Summit in winter, the Oroville side isn't plowed, and the road can close at any time in fall, so check current status before you go.
Dates Between Now and Dec. 4
- Nov. 5 to 7: Fantastic Fall Book Sale, 445 Jackson St. The Thursday preview is for members only.
- Saturday, Nov. 7, 1 p.m.: Feather River College football hosts San Joaquin Delta on Sophomore Day.
- Wednesday, Nov. 11, 6 p.m.: FRC volleyball hosts Lassen at home.
- Thursdays at 9:30 a.m.: Storytime in the Quincy Library meeting room on Nov. 5, 12 and 19. The Plumas County calendar also lists one on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, so call ahead for that week.
- Monday, Nov. 23: Applications due for Sparkle vendor booths. Booths are free for nonprofits, schools, youth groups and free giveaways, $25 for Chamber members and $50 for other businesses. Drop forms at the Quincy Hub, 493 Main St., or email them to the Chamber. Light Parade registration is on the same page.
- Dec. 3 to 13: West End Theatre presents Roald Dahl's Matilda: The Musical at 541 Main St. Evening shows are at 7 p.m. on Dec. 3, 5, 10, 11 and 12, and matinees are at 2 p.m. on Dec. 6, 12 and 13. Tickets are $20 to $30.
- Friday, Dec. 4, 5 to 8 p.m.: Sparkle downtown, with the official tree lighting, photos with Santa, local performers and the annual Light Parade.
Lawrence Street will see more change after this season. Feather River Food Co-op bought 237 Lawrence St. earlier this year to expand the Quincy store's kitchen and retail space. In its Oct. 25 update, the co-op said plans and permits were still in progress, a roof replacement was aimed for the end of October, and sewer-line and easement work were moving through planning. Ariel Lawson is the Quincy store's new produce manager, and member-owners can now place bulk orders through Provisions.
If clearing out the garage this month is the first step toward a bigger move, or you're getting a cabin ready for its first winter, The Joy Group is happy to help with the practical parts, from local vendors to winter readiness. Let's Connect.
