It's President's Day weekend, and what does that mean? Everything's half off at the thrift store! And whoa, doggies. The place was packed.
Have you seen the average thrift store shopper these days? No you haven't, because all kinds of people shop at the thrift store now. Lots of artsy Gen Z, lots of handsome metrosexual men, and lots of school teachers. Tons of school teachers.
I have a favorite thrift store that I visit at least once a week for retail therapy. Over the years I have almost completely outfitted myself and my house from that store. I've gotten towels, bath rugs, sheets, bedspreads, throw pillows, small pieces of furniture, books, shoes, decorations, and small kitchen appliances there. Clothing? Almost all my clothing comes from the thrift store. The only clothing I buy retail is fairy attire!
Fact: Last week I went to Target to buy a Valentine's Day gift for Mr. J. I picked up the one thing I'm loath to buy at the thrift store (underwear) and saw a cute set of pajamas that I liked. With Mr. J's gift I spent ... get ready ... $70. My jaw dropped. That's three or four hefty hauls from the thrift store!
So you can imagine my surprise when Country Magazine, that chic bastion of finding cute stuff at the antique mall, came out with an article entitled "40 Things You Should Never Buy at the Thrift Store."
40, mind you. Should have titled it "Don't Shop at the Thrift Store, Buy Something Expensive Instead."
Needless to say, I was intrigued to see what Country Magazine deemed unworthy of purchase from a thrift store.
*Old furniture. Might have lead paint. As opposed to stuff at the antique mall, which is presumably pristine.
*Anything upholstered. Well, they don't sell such things at my thrift store, thank you very much.
*Bedding. Might have bedbugs. Except you can see the industrial-sized washing machines in the back room at the thrift store.
*Stuff for kids, as in, car seats, strollers, and toys. Excuse you, Country Magazine. While my local thrift store is chock-a-block with cutie pie young skinny guys, it's also always full of poor people. You know, the people the thrift store is supposed to serve. And those people might not be able to go out and buy a brand new car seat. Shit's expensive.
*Throw pillows. Again, bedbugs. The magazine's advice? Buy a throw pillow from Target, where it's $10 - $20. News flash: $20 will buy 10 pillows at the thrift store. It's a bedbug gamble, but so is staying at the Hilton.
*Clothes. Say that again? Yes, you heard me. Clothes! They might be torn or stained, and you can't return them! For the love of fruit flies. As if anyone goes into the thrift store, plucks something from the rack, flips it on the counter, and doesn't so much as glance at it to see if it's stained! I'll admit, I did buy a shirt two weeks ago that is missing the bottom button. But stains and tears? Everyone checks for stains and tears.
*Anything that smells bad. Duh. That's advice for trash-pickers, not Goodwill shoppers.
*Kitchen appliances. They might not work. Well, let's see. I got my crock pot there, and it works. I got my hand mixer there, and it works. Case closed.
In this slideshow article, the list goes on and on, and most of the stuff on it isn't stuff I see in the thrift store where I shop. Who buys old windowpanes at the thrift store?
I can't imagine that many readers of Country Magazine actually shop in thrift stores, but I guess maybe the sport is getting so trendy that even rich faux-chic snobs are going there now. I'm stretching it with this one, but do you think perhaps Target paid the magazine to run such a spurious slide show? Hmmm.
One last powerful point to this sermon, and it's the kind of whopper of a point that would bring any new congregant to the altar call. Have you read that little tag on the brand new pair of blue jeans you bought at Target? WASH BEFORE WEARING. WASH SEPARATELY. You see this on everything new. Everything. So how is that different from bringing home thrift store garments and flinging them in the washing machine? Well, maybe all the poisonous dyes have been leeched from the thrift store attire already!
I'll bet you're wondering what I bought today at the thrift store. Oh, readers. I got an NFL brand zippered hoodie with the Eagles logo, in my size, for $2.50. Have you priced out official NFL merchandise in the retail sector? Don't. Go to the thrift store, especially after the team has had a bad year.
There will be more in this space about the thrift store in coming installments. But this sermon has run long, and I know you want to get on with your day.
6 comments:
You make a lot of excellent points, Anne! Most thrift stores here in Canada no longer accept soft furnishings though (like couches, chairs, beds) precisely because of the bedbug danger. I think that's wise.
It's also very common advice NOT to buy items like car seats, strollers, toys, baby cribs and other baby furnishings at thrift stores or private garage sales. Such items are often subject to recall in their lifetimes for dangerous hazards and there's no guarantee when you're buying "used" that you are not buying something that was taken off the market previously as dangerous. I wouldn't even trust any baby-related "hand me downs" from relatives for the same reason. The cost of buying something cheap but hazardous can be very steep indeed.
What thrift stores sell windowpanes? Habitat for Humanity's Restore stores. If you're trying to do a renovation and the price tags at Home Depot cause heart attacks, go to a Restore store. Contractors donate salvaged material as well as totally new unused doors, windows, bathroom vanities, tubs, kitchen cabinets. . . Restore stores can be amazing.
I think buying such items at thrift stores is a sad necessity for some folks. Some charities address the needs, but not enough. Lead paint is a huge problem around here too.
Wow! I didn’t know that! So you buy it, strap on goggles and an N95 mask, and strip or sand that puppy down to the wood, which might be American chestnut like my doors.
I hope that article serves to keep the snobs out of the thrift stores. I rarely buy new stuff (except undergarments). I have been unhappy with the Goody in my region lately as they have been pricing things nearly as high as new stuff. There are some other stores that I enjoy much more - the humane society thrift store, the veterans thrift store (who will come and pick up donations from you!). I've been a thrift store shopper all my shopping life. I'm fine with keeping Snooty McSnootface out of our stores.
Our thrift store does sell fabric covered furniture but I figure if I decide to buy any, I'll steam clean before bringing into the house. As for clothes - well I wonder if they priced the "new" torn, ripped jeans. Our store won't accept any worn out, torn, ripped clothing.
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