Surplus liquidation auction is set for Nov. 30

To prepare for a temporary relocation next door in the central receiving facility, ISU Surplus will hold a liquidation auction on Wednesday, Nov. 30 (5 p.m.). Ames-based Lynch Auction Co. will conduct the auction; viewing and auction numbers will be available at 4:30 p.m. in ISU Surplus' current location, 1102 Southern Hills Dr.

In addition to the typical items on the surplus sales floor -- office furniture, computer hardware, classroom teaching hardware, research and laboratory equipment, appliances -- the auction will include a few not-so-typical surplus items:

  • Upright piano
  • Band instruments (drums, trombones)
  • Industrial band saw
  • More than 200 antique vacuum tubes (40-plus years old, numerous sizes and designs)

Auction-goers may use cash, check or credit card to pay for their purchases. They may pick up their items until 9 p.m. that evening or 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. the next day, Dec. 1.

December move

ISU Surplus needs to vacate its current location by Jan. 1. The university has a new 10-year lease with the ISU Research Park for the entire warehouse building. It will be used by research park tenant Merck and Co., which had been leasing the south half of the building. Last year, Merck purchased Ames-based Harrisvaccines. The building is valuable to Merck because it has been licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

For now, ISU Surplus will set up shop in the south end of the university's receiving facility at 925 Airport Rd.

Here's a quick look at the near future in ISU Surplus:

  • Nov. 30: Liquidation auction of remaining merchandise
  • December: No weekly department or public sales; other ISU Surplus services continue
  • Jan. 3-4, 2017: First department and public sales in the new location