The town of China Grove is ready to forcibly cleanup Daisy Bowers’ property on North Main Street.

But don’t expect Bowers to put up a “Going Out of Business Sale” sign yet.

For one thing, she might not have room.

Since the 1980s, Bowers has run a continuous yard sale at her 501 N. Main St. home.

She served briefly on the China Grove Board of Aldermen in 1993 and has run unsuccessfully for the town board and Rowan County commission.

This week the town’s code administrator served Bowers with a citation, giving her until April 10 to clean up or face penalties.

Code Administrator Tony Cline said the town could fine Bowers $50 a day. The town also could get a magistrate permission to hire a contractor to haul off “trash, debris and rubbish improperly stored or discarded on the property and within the road right-of way.” The town could then bill Bowers for the expense.

“It’s the No. 1 complaint in China Grove,” said Cline.

Bowers contends that this “trash” is the source of her livelihood and isn’t planning on giving up.

The 74-year-old says she runs a sort of recycling center. Folks avoid paying landfill fees by bringing their used appliances, tires and furniture to her yard.

And she sells some of it.

“That’s recycling,” said Bowers.

Bowers said the town board and various citizens have been after her for years.

“China Grove is a Klan town,” Bowers said, claiming she is being hounded because she has a lot of black customers and hires black workers.

Bowers admits her yard is a mess but said she has back problems.

She’s also gotten behind trying to help friends beset by family illnesses.

A lot of the stuff in her yard, on her porch and inside her house belongs to other people. “I try to help people out,” Bowers said. Over the years, she has sold a lot of stuff for other people, including some of the town’s aldermen.

Bowers also cites financial problems going back several years, to a town water bill for over $300.

She said Thursday that her operation is legal and there’s not a whole lot the town can do.

Bowers said some people think she is dumb for putting wooden furniture out in the weather.

“It’s the easiest way to get the veneer off,” she explained.

Town officials say the Bowers property has drawn complaints year after year, almost since she moved there in 1979.

She described her operation as something of a tourist attraction, ticking off customers from several states and Japan.

Cline said he has made several visits to Bowers’ property and has spent more than a year trying to get her to “neaten up.”

But she hasn’t.

Cline said the town offered to park a truck on her property and let her discard some of the debris. He said she refused.

Bowers has added a line of appliances in her side yard. Various pieces of furniture, including a sofa, dot the front yard.

For nearly a month, Cline attempted to serve Bowers with the citation, first through the registered mail. She wouldn’t sign for it.

He then made several trips to her house and finally caught her there Wednesday.

Bowers property is zoned for business, and Cline gave her a warning citation for violating the town’s pubic nuisance ordinance.

Bowers can ask for a hearing before Cline, the code administrator, prior to April 10. If she doesn’t ask for a hearing, the town can impose the fine and go to the magistrate.