Way too many clothing buys, but the best buy ever was an American of Martinsville cherry wood dresser for $17. One of the legs is cracked, but sheesh!! I’ve seen them for sale for no less than $500.
My sister’s new job is in an “Antique Emporium” in rural MO. She gets a lot of junk but a lot of cool stuff too. Like a cast iron pig with wings. Thats a definite score.
No offense, but dont you feel squeamish about wearing other people’s shoes? I can take worn clothing to the cleaners and get the funky “used” smell out but shoes …? Im para about toenail fungus infections and warts.
I only buy used shoes if they are pretty much like new. If I can see the imprint of someone’s foot in the foot bed, I don’t buy them. That’s too used. It’s amazing, though, how many brand new or barely worn shoes you can find.
My loot from Goodwill today, all for my daughter: An Old Navy thick fluffy white robe, a beautiful soft angora H-M sweater with a fox face on it, a nice blouse from Dress Barn, a pair of good quality suede clogs, and a sparkly velour dress all for 22 bucks.
Zyada and I got a sofa from Second Glance, a local store supporting victims of domestic violence.
It has carved hardwood arms, uprights and front panel, and was recently re-upholstered very nicely. It even came with a pair of matching cushions. It was originally tagged $150, and marked down to $75 by the time we got it. The best part is that somebody else was talking to the staff about it when we came in, but left to go get his wife’s opinion. Sorry, guy!
I found a first edition Stephen King “Drawing of the Three” for $1.00, and I picked up a Minnie Mouse phone for $5.00.
I buy close to all of my clothes and shoes from thrift stores in new or nearly new condition.
Most-use-for-the-buck for me would be skis. I’ve got a pair I paid 2 bucks for and used for many, many seasons.
My wife is a Thrift Professional. She scours all the shops for cashmere and good selling stuff and resells it for insane profits. One day, she dragged home a big box of vintage posters from the 70’s and 80’s. Over 100 and most new. Paid about $50 or something. I thought she was crazy.
The first one she listed on ebay (Paul Michael Glasser) sold for just under $100! :eek: I won’t even get into what the others sold for. Some Farrah posters, KISS, that kind of stuff.
I don’t question her anymore.
I bought a Bauhaus (reproduction) chair for $15.00-real leather and chrome steel. It was perfect, except someone had fixed a missing bolt with a hardware store part.
I found a copy of my (junior year) high school year book at the local thrift store about 15 years after I’d graduated. At the checkout counter, I opened to my portrait and had a laugh with the cashier and the people behind me in line. Then, the cashier (a middle aged Indian woman who I doubt has many opportunities for comedy at work) straightened up and said it was $15, an unthinkable price at this store. She held her face straight for about five seconds before the smirk appeared and she rang it up for the real price of a buck.
Another one wasn’t exactly a thrift store but a shop that buys and sells stuff like a pawn shop but don’t offer pawn/loan services. I got a hard case for my 88-key keyboard for $30. Incredibly, I found this at a time where I was doing some gigging and actively shopping for one and was about to pay full retail of a couple hundred bucks. It is an SKB brand almost exactly like this one but without the wheels.
i just found a pair of $100 Steve Madden lace-up boots I’ve had my eye on for a year but couldn’t bring myself to buy at full price, brand new for $25. Not an amazing price cut but a good one. And they look great on me!
Most of my nicest clothes and shoes were bought at thrift stores, with little wear at very low prices. I do love to shop though, and I love feeling like I got a deal, so the extra time it takes to look through various stores is all part of the fun.
Since moving to Chicago over the summer I’ve been stocking up on wool items to prepare for this winter. I have a nice little collection of Pendleton skirts and wool/cashmere sweaters, most of them cost me less than $10 and are in perfect condition. I’ll get years of winter wear out of them as long as I protect against moths. Anything new made of 100% wool is over $100…
I’ve bought lots of cool thrift store stuff through the years - especially nice clothing for great prices - but the most-used and -beloved bargain I’ve ever found was my Kitchenaid mixer. A nice little man had a thrift shop down the road, and when he decided to retire to warmer climes, he also decided to clear out the vacation home that he and his late wife had shared. He priced the mixer (a 6-quart bowl lift professional model) at $125, including a crapton of accessories. Needless to say, I bought immediately! I’ve no idea how old the mixer was when I bought it - probably four of five years, but still barely used - and I’ve used it for 12 years myself, probably an average of 5 times per week. I don’t expect to ever buy another mixer.
I also bought a complete set of Bulwer-Lytton once. About 12 volumes, printed in the late 19th century, in beautiful condition. Paid a quarter apiece for the set. At the time, they were selling on line for about $45-$50 per volume. I intended to sell them immediately, but my mother the hoarder decided she wanted them… Not that she’s ever read a word of BL, she just loves the “dark and stormy night” line. I guess I’ll sell them sometime down the road!
A beautiful Eames dining table for $60. I could resell it easily for about $3,000 but I love that mid century aesthetic.
But as some have pointed out before most op shops in Australia are picked over before the stock even gets into the stores by professionals. I blame American Pickers!!
I found a solid wood nightstand for $5. I have no clue how old it is-- just that it was clearly made by hand, and out of old-growth redwood. It was really dirty when I found it, but I cleaned up with just some scrubbing & polishing, and didn’t even need refinishing.
I also got a king sized wood sleigh bed for $90 (at a different store).
My “best” find has been a nice $10 framed landscape called “Hidden Valley” by Anton Gutknecht (apparently a painter of some minor repute). I don’t think it has any great retail value, but I love it because it reminds me of so many hikes I’ve been on in the California foothills.
My Dad (RIP) used to love auctions and flea markets. He found a bigazz crate of Torquay Ware one day and gave the whole thing to ME!! My sister did get the chainsaw tho.
Waterford candy dish for $10.00.
Most of them raise funds for charities here too (UK), so they’re called Charity Shops 
My favourite find so far was a brand-new-with-tags dress by Phase 8, would probably be at least £85 new, I got it for £4.99 in a Sheltershop
I enjoy going into Juicy Couture stores and looking at the $100+ velour jackets and pants, knowing that I have 3 pants and a jacket at home that I bought for $7.99 each.
My best jean scores are a pair of Paper, Denim & Cloth and a pair of Apple Bottoms. One day I found a pair of Versace jeans at Value Village but sadly they didn’t fit me.
I’ve done quite well at thrift stores. It’s amazing what people will donate. Best find probably has to be the Akris leather woman’s blazer for something like 10 bucks at goodwill. The two Riedel Sommelier Bordeaux stems for 3 bucks a piece was pretty good too. The sales gal asked me, “Are those decorative?” Yes, ma’am; yes they are.
Anyone find used underwear at thrift stores? I see a lot of old stained nightgowns too, like someone had died in them. WTFFFF??? I feel like I should wear latex gloves touching some of that stuff.