Throwing it All Away

Amid the walls of beads and stacks of carnival swag here at Toomey's Mardi Gras, Judi Upshaw is buying throws with her children. It's a busy day as she carts away about $500 worth of nick-knacks take.

“Well you have the people out in the crowd hollering for you,” says Upshaw. “It just gives you a rush and the more stuff you throw the more they cry and holler for you.” Beads are always one of the top sellers--moon pies too. There's no average throw or average bill total.

“We don't really get into averages because I don't think any two tickets out of all the customers we have are ever the same,” says manager Stephen Toomey. “Everyone always buys something a little different.” Managers here say this time of year is like running a marathon. They only really get to catch their breath next Tuesday afternoon. For now, the customers continue to stream in.

“It's very personal shopping here at Toomey's,” says Stephen. “We carry more than 3000 different items so everyone can find something to throw off a float.” It's so busy here that managers have already placed a few orders for next year. Sometimes you have to wonder where all these trinkets go.

“While people are sleeping and recuperating from Mardi Gras that the Chinese slip across our boarders get all the beads out of here and then we bring them back to sell again” says Stephen.