We have several here in Independence. A couple have a bunch of old antique stuff that looks like all the crap in your great grandmama's house. I've found some cool old LP records, old blues and lounge stuff like Dean Martin and Louis Prima. The things I look for most are kitchen stuff like pots and pans, glassware (especially bar glasses like beer pint glasses, wine glasses and martini glasses) and gadgets like a garlic press. Electronics I like old radios. I just bought a Craig AM/FM/Ipod tabletop set for $5. It works, but it has a broken antenna, Replacing the antenna and buying some contact cleaner to clean up the switches inside will cost more than the entire radio! I got a red copper non stick skillet for $6. They're still sold on Amazon, and brand new it's $25. How bout you? Got a good deal on anything recently?
Originally Posted by Buehler445:
BL, I have a plan for you. Get a cabinet setup like this, but Mixer, use the hell out of it because it’s convenient, stop worrying about justifying the cost because you’re using the shit out of it. I’m here to help :-)
I've bought a fair amount of furniture over the years at antique stores. Not fancy antique stores for the most part, but the mid-range ones. They're good for getting things like side tables. Our dining room table and a couple of our living room end tables have been with us for 20+ years, so they were good buys. [Reply]
There's a complex in Volo, Illinois (far, far northwest suburb of Chicago) that has a couple of large buildings for flea market vendors in addition to a classic car museum. Obviously I go for the cars, but it's neat to wander through all the stalls. I've bought a handful of things there over the years. [Reply]
I also bought one of those short little roman style columns that you put a plant on top of. It was pretty dingy and dirty. Brought it home, gave it a good bath in the bathtub, let it dry out and spray painted it gloss white. looks nice. I'm going to keep in on my screened in porch and put a fern on top of it. I'm so Martha Stewart! The column was $12 and a can of spray paint was $6. [Reply]
Originally Posted by gblowfish:
I also bought one of those short little roman style columns that you put a plant on top of. It was pretty dingy and dirty. Brought it home, gave it a good bath in the bathtub, let it dry out and spray painted it gloss white. looks nice. I'm going to keep in on my screened in porch and put a fern on top of it. I'm so Martha Stewart! The column was $12 and a can of spray paint was $6.
We have one of those that we bought from an antique store.
Weird story, though. About a year after we bought it, we received a check for the purchase amount from a large grocery store chain that had nothing to do with the purchase, and our receipt for the column was attached. I have no idea how they got our receipt, why they considered it to be a bill, and why they paid it. I contacted their accounts payable department and they had no idea, either. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Baby Lee:
Does anyone who does frequent thrift shops lately have any handle on how often KitchenAid mixers come around.
That's one big ticket kitchen appliance I often daydream about, but can't muster the number of uses to justify the price. I know they're worth it if you use it, but I also know they last forever, so if I can find one at thrift shop rates, I'd be sufficiently incentivized.
Originally Posted by Baby Lee:
God, you are so persistently aggressively utterly worthless.
Nobody's asking for your effeminate psychotic obsessive DC schtick in the main lounge.
Do the world a favor and put a bullet through your ****ing sinuses.
Originally Posted by Baby Lee:
Does anyone who does frequent thrift shops lately have any handle on how often KitchenAid mixers come around.
That's one big ticket kitchen appliance I often daydream about, but can't muster the number of uses to justify the price. I know they're worth it if you use it, but I also know they last forever, so if I can find one at thrift shop rates, I'd be sufficiently incentivized.
I've always wanted one, but like you couldn't justify the price for something I figured I'd rarely use. Some friends of mine were downsizing a couple years ago and asked me if I wanted theirs. I figured that I'd be able to finally get one reasonably priced so I said sure. They surprised the crap out of me when they refused any money for it.
I typically use it once a week for anything from baking to homemade pasta to grinding my own meats for ground beef, sausages etc. Best gift ever! [Reply]
Originally Posted by gblowfish:
We have several here in Independence.
It's one of the Mrs and mine favorite past times. We drive all over the state looking for little treasures at flea markets, antique shops and consignment shops. We're not really into thrift stores though. We come home empty handed most times, but the hunt is half the fun.
The Mrs loves antique coffee grinders and I'm into old kitchen gadgets. [Reply]
Originally Posted by FlaChief58:
the hunt is half the fun.
That's a key aspect. Of all the types of shopping there is, flea market or rummage shopping is the most fun, because you never know what's around the corner, and you kind of go into this calculation and imagination journey as you go. From 'who would ever want that' to 'what would I do with that' to 'oh, that would be perfect for . . . '
You're both looking for deals and looking for things you didn't even know you were looking for until you laid eyes on it.
And even if you don't purchase something, you get these fun new memories of 'I haven't seen one of those in xxx years' or 'I didn't even know that existed.'
Kind of like a trip to a museum where you can take home something if it catches your fancy. [Reply]
I drop into the DAV store near my office once in a while to look for cool shot glasses and beer mugs/glasses for my bar. Found 6 pint handled mason jar glasses for $6 [Reply]
Very seldom check out thrift stores anymore. Seeing so many chain thrift stores anymore no buy to be had there.
On total rainout days we would hit many spots around town. Our favorites were freight salvage on Noland Rd. Riverside had Sal's at NE corner of 9 and 69 highway in Riverside, Any of the Goodwill or DAV were good. My best ever finds were a Vintage Sansui 8080 DB receiver and a pair of Advent 3 speaks. My brother is the caretaker of both now as apace limitations came into play. The receiver needed a complete cleaning and new power cord still working like a charm. The speakers had to have the surrounds replaced but my brother did all that they still sound sweet. [Reply]
