I've discovered a new thrift store that opened late last October. During December last year I would see offers on the local freecycle list for items to be picked up at the back door of a thrift store located at Beverly and Speedway. Only two weeks ago did I investigate further and make my first expedition to First Rate Second Hand Thrift Store. My initial reaction was disappointment. The giant room was full of collectibles and furniture at antique-store prices. Some glassware and shoes at Goodwill prices. A few racks of clothes at Savers prices.
But then, the Back Room.
Lit by a few fluorescent fixtures flickering above, dismal and disorganized, the Back Room is crammed front-to-back wall-to-wall with Junk. Like some old couple's garage where they and their friends deposit every broken thing they no longer use inside but can't bear to part with and plan on organizing into a garage sale some day. Rag and Bone. Trash. And we all know hidden amongst the trash you often find Treasure. I haven't found it there yet, but I've had a good time looking.
On my first visit to First Rate Second Hand, I bought two pair of knitting needles and two alien figures. (We already had one of the pink ones, and I was thrilled to find another along with his blue pal, because I'd given our original pink one to Aunt Bin for her alien collection).
On my second visit Jack and I met Aunt Bin and the Boys there. We went first to the Toy Room, where Jack right away found 4 Star Wars action figures and marched himself up to the clerk at the counter to ask how much they were. First Rate Second Hand does not bag its toys and make you pay $2.99 for a bag of junk with one treasure in it. The action figures there are loose in a bin. You can pick and choose what you want.
Buck fifty!
We took turns staying with the boys in the Toy Room and perusing the Antique Room. Then we all went to the Junk Room together. Again, we didn't buy anything there but we had a great time. Brazey almost went head-first into a cardboard box full of discarded remote controls. The boys played their Transformers game by pushing the buttons on various ancient microwaves and VCRs. Bin and I cackled over some of the ridiculous stuff we found.
Next: the Boutique Case at the front of the store. The clerk showed us various items and told us about the store's nonprofit status by affiliation with a Jewish organization in town, hence the large section of Judaica in the corner by the books, where I found a brand new still-in-the-shrink wrap 2008 Star Trek calendar for $2.00. From the Boutique Case Bin bought a tiny keyless cuckoo clock. I looked at scrimshaw ivory earrings that were out of my budget. But a pair of pewter earrings became mine for $2.50, and a tiny crocheted animal has found a home with me, too.
We had too much fun, and when you come to visit, we'll take you there.
But then, the Back Room.
Lit by a few fluorescent fixtures flickering above, dismal and disorganized, the Back Room is crammed front-to-back wall-to-wall with Junk. Like some old couple's garage where they and their friends deposit every broken thing they no longer use inside but can't bear to part with and plan on organizing into a garage sale some day. Rag and Bone. Trash. And we all know hidden amongst the trash you often find Treasure. I haven't found it there yet, but I've had a good time looking.
On my first visit to First Rate Second Hand, I bought two pair of knitting needles and two alien figures. (We already had one of the pink ones, and I was thrilled to find another along with his blue pal, because I'd given our original pink one to Aunt Bin for her alien collection).
On my second visit Jack and I met Aunt Bin and the Boys there. We went first to the Toy Room, where Jack right away found 4 Star Wars action figures and marched himself up to the clerk at the counter to ask how much they were. First Rate Second Hand does not bag its toys and make you pay $2.99 for a bag of junk with one treasure in it. The action figures there are loose in a bin. You can pick and choose what you want.
Buck fifty!
We took turns staying with the boys in the Toy Room and perusing the Antique Room. Then we all went to the Junk Room together. Again, we didn't buy anything there but we had a great time. Brazey almost went head-first into a cardboard box full of discarded remote controls. The boys played their Transformers game by pushing the buttons on various ancient microwaves and VCRs. Bin and I cackled over some of the ridiculous stuff we found.
Next: the Boutique Case at the front of the store. The clerk showed us various items and told us about the store's nonprofit status by affiliation with a Jewish organization in town, hence the large section of Judaica in the corner by the books, where I found a brand new still-in-the-shrink wrap 2008 Star Trek calendar for $2.00. From the Boutique Case Bin bought a tiny keyless cuckoo clock. I looked at scrimshaw ivory earrings that were out of my budget. But a pair of pewter earrings became mine for $2.50, and a tiny crocheted animal has found a home with me, too.
We had too much fun, and when you come to visit, we'll take you there.
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julie