When you go into thrift stores, are you a browser or a hunter? I used to be a browser. I would maybe have a list of items I was seeking, sitting in the back of my mind. I’d go up and down aisles, just enjoying the day. Now, though….NOW, I am a hunter. I know what I want, what to look for, and where to go first.
On my list of things to really look for are the following: vintage mason jars, tourist tshirts for my boys, cameras and/or lenses, craft supplies (buttons, zippers, thread, embroidery hoops, YARN, etc.), vintage sheets & pillow cases, and now…train cases. I found a blue one the weekend before last and fell in love almost instantly. I didn’t care how much it was because it was in almost perfect condition. Lo’ and behold, the price was fabulous!
Fast forward to last Saturday and we visit a thrift store we haven’t really had much luck at in the past. I’ve found a few things now and again, but for the most part we always leave empty-handed. AND…the place is kinda messy. It’s by far the cheapest place, but you reaaally have to look to find stuff. Well, it was my lucky day because not only did I find a 3-pack of Polaroid 600 film (for 99 cents!), a Polaroid One-Step Land camera (50 cents!), and a Polatronic 2350 (which I have no use for), but I found another train case! It wasn’t priced, but the guy at the counter sold it to me for…wait for it……TWO BUCKS! A score, indeed.
A few hours later, when we visit yet another thrift store after dinner (there are like 7 thrift stores all within a 10 minute car ride from us), I find an off-white American Tourister Tiara sitting on a table with old VHS tapes and random junk. I immediately snag it up and put it in my basket. Hu-flippin’-'ZAH!
So, the blue one is in the best condition. The green one is in the worst. By “worst,” I mean the outside is peeling off a tiny bit. There are a few flecks of wood showing through in the two spots it’s been peeled (~1″), so I could just continue peeling and then re-cover it. I’m waiting for the perfect wallpaper to fall in my lap. The inside of the white one smells like cosmetics. That’s better than cigarettes (as most of the vintage luggage I find does), so I’m not complaining!
What kind of thrifter are you? Anything you *MUST* look for when you’re at a store?
