go to the bathroom. I've got the stomach flu bad, but I'm trying to distract myself from it by sitting at the computer.
Oh, and by the way, I've discovered a great way to read books, especially in the summer. Buy them at a thrift store. 1) They are super cheap 2) If you read it slowly, you won't have to worry about overdue fines from the library 3) If you hate it, you are only out 29 cents. I have the best luck with books at, of course, my new favorite home away from home, Mission Mart, and then Goodwill, and then the Hospital Thrift Store. The Simple Kids like the book selection at the Hospital Thrift Store, otherwise, I swear I wouldn't go there. I never find anything.
Anyway, here's my review about the local thrift stores (I know you've all been dying to hear this).
#1) Mission Mart - I love, love, love Mission Mart. They have the best overall items (I was going to say junk, but it is junk that I love and want to buy and put in my house, and I don't put junk in my house, so therefore, I'll say items. It sounds classier.) They have the clothes arranged by sizes (one of my biggest beefs with Goodwill - they don't organize the kids' clothes by size.) They have classic children's books, and adult fiction books besides Danielle Stelle and Tom Clancy (no offense to people who read these books, I just would like to have a wider selection than that), non fiction books separated into categories (what a concept!), funiture, and overall just more of the "items" that I like (retro glass, wood toys, wool clothing, etc.)
#2) Goodwill - This store is way closer to me than Mission Mart. It used to be the only thrift store that I went to. I still find some things here, in fact, I picked up a bicycle for Jelly Bean not too long ago for $3, and I usually end up with a book or two. But overall, the selection has been not great for months now. They upped their prices about a year ago too, and so now, I find myself saying "Is this glass dish really worth $3?" which I'm sure it is, but I didn't question back when it would have been priced at 97 cents.
#3) Hospital Thrift Store. I went to this store once in, oh I don't know, 2000 maybe? I was underwhelmed, and hadn't been back until this summer when I decided to expand my thrifting opportunities. The first time I went there, I found 3 or 4 things, and I thought "Well, this place has possibilities." I've been back three times since, and zippo. Like I said up there, I wouldn't go if it wasn't for the kids.
Oh, and not a thrift store, but a consignment store, #4) Cute As A Button - This store just makes me mad. They only take clothing if you are one of the first 10 or something of the day, and everything there is way overpriced, and the quality isn't that great. I'm still mad about the day I went in there, and Super somehow ended up there without shoes on, and we were going to be doing more shopping that day, so I had to buy him some there. The only shoes in his size were some junky sandals that I would have maybe paid 25 cents for at a garage sale, and they were priced $4! They were very worn, and Super wore them maybe 5 or 6 more times before they broke. Grrrr. I didn't go back there for at least a year after that, but then last summer I bought a couple of things there that I really needed for the baby I was watching, and couldn't find them at garage sales. That were, of course, overpriced. Grrrr. I went there a couple weeks ago when I was on that side of town and needed to kill some time. They wanted $5 for hardcover kids book. Seriously? Don't they know that I could get the same book, in hardcover, at Mission Mart for mere 49 cents?
But here's the deal: Now that I've given this review, you have to promise not to buy all the stuff that I want at Mission Mart, o.k.?
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4 comments:
I agree with you about Cute as a Button. I took a bunch of stuff in there-good stuff-not the crap that they mostly have on their racks. As a consignor-my beef is that they steal 60% of what my clothes bring in and then they make you wait 90 days to get your money. I took stuff in May 1st and have to wait until Aug 1st to claim my money. Of course you can spend your credit in there anytime you want-yeah right! Anyways, I can find brand new clothes on the clearance rack for what they have their stuff priced for in there. They also claim they only accept "name brand" clothing and then say what they accept. I have seen a ton of "Cherokee", "Arizona Jean Company", etc... As you can guess, these aren't on their "name brand" list but are all over their store and overpriced. Okay, I am done griping about them. I have dreams of running my own resale shop and it would be done MUCH differently. I am glad you have discovered and LOVE Mission Mart.
Stacey,
You should totally do the resale shop thing! You would be GREAT at it!
I am not impressed with "Cute As A Button" either. They tell you what they won't accept, but as I'm looking at the clothing on the racks -- there are clothes they supposedly don't accept (i.e, stains, rough knees in pants, etc.) Their prices are so ridiculous when you can go into Walmart and buy it cheaper!!!
BroMenn Thrift Store (you called it Hospital Thrift Store) used to have a lot of great kids stuff. But, with the new law about reselling kids stuff with too much metal or something in it -- they stopped kid's toys all together. They at one point stopped selling kid's clothes, but I see they've gone back. BroMenn used to be very expensive, but under new management they have come down. I used to buy a lot of Matthew's clothes there, but the selection isn't great anymore. For you smaller sized women -- great clothes and great buys.
Goodwill -- I used to buy books (kids and adults), but not much to choose from now. I can find and have bought a lot of board games and puzzles there -- sometimes still wrapped in plastic and never used. I haven't seen much of anything I want to buy in there now . . . especially since the prices went up.
Mission Mart -- I have bought 99% of Matthew's books there, but it is very hit and miss. They have expanded, but I rarely find anything there anymore.
I think I am in the "getting rid of stuff" stage and not finding good deals anywhere. I don't even think I've yard saled this summer.
I am going to go through Matthew's toys again, but I think I'm going to do an online sale (dirt cheap prices) just so he can have some money to buy his Legos.
Sorry to be so long winded and hope you guys are feeling much better!!
Julie,
Hmm, I've never bought any of the games at Goodwill. I figured that they would have missing pieces or something and then I'd be all annoyed. I'm glad to know that they aren't all that way.
Last year, I was definitely in the "get rid of stuff" mode. I didn't garage sale at all.
Good luck with your on-line sale. Boys and their Legos!
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