Can Secondhand Stuff Create A Brand New You in 2016?

Another revolution around the sun,  another resolution made. After all the whistles and noisemakers have been blown and the last of the celebratory champagne has been drunk, you likely swore a silent resolution to self-betterment. And in that regard, I hope that you have a healthy, happy, and productive new year. Now I'm here to help you make strides towards some goals you've set for yourself the only way I know how: thrift shopping. 

Resolution: Weight Loss
I'm going to start with the #1 most mentioned resolution, losing weight. While I believe that health and wellness doesn't always equate to numbers on a scale, if your goal is to lose a few pounds, then you can consider the thrift store to be your weight loss ally. 

You can find aerobic machines such as treadmills and elliptical rowers at a fraction of the retail cost. And workout DVDs are almost guaranteed to be found at relative ease. You can even find dietary cookbooks for recipe ideas, and use thrifting for clothes as  a means to dress for less when you find yourself between weight loss goals.

Resolution: Learn Something New
Hit the thrift for a dose of inspiration. Maybe you'll find foreign language software, a beginner's sewing machine, a box of magic tricks, a loom, a blank canvas, a DIY sushi set----who knows!? But with enough time and a little luck, you'll find something that both strikes your fancy and sparks your interest. 

Resolution: Better Finances
Plan your budget. Put more into your savings account. Clip coupons. And don't forget to go thrifting with a purpose. Thrifting is cool as a pastime activity. But buy what you need and what you'll actually use. 

Resolution: Increased Cleaning & Organization 
Sure, you could go thrifting for bookcases, filing cabinets, folders, and storage boxes. But before you go to the thrift store to bring more into an already cluttered home...consider purging the excess first. Ask yourself: "Have I used this in the last six months/year? Am I going to use it? Is it properly stored when not in use?" If the answer to any of these questions is no...well, it might be time for it to go. Bag it up and donate it to the thrift store, so someone else might find some use for it. And don't forget to get that tax-deductible donation receipt! 

Resolution: Helping Others

Visit your local thrift store and ask if they offer volunteer opportunities that would fit your time schedule. Even if you are unable to make a long term commitment, your services would likely still be appreciated. And if you are unable to volunteer in-store, you could ask about which non-profit agencies the thrift store benefits. Maybe those agencies are looking for volunteers on a day-by-day basis. 

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While thrifting may not be the answer to every question, or the means to meet every resolution head-on...it might be a good place to start for some. As for the rest? Seek help from the best resource you have available to you: a solid support system of family and friends. Here's hoping for a thrifty and productive year!

 Best of well wishes for a wonderful 2016, everyone!

Secondhand Storage Solutions: How You Can Keep It Neat For Cheap

Vintage White Owl Cigar Box, $1.00. 

Thrift shoppers are often met with skepticism. Sometimes, thrifters are met with disgust. And on the rare occasion, we're faced with just honest curiosity. And since the advent and popularity of Hoarders and Hoarding: Buried Alive, there's one curious questions I'm asked more frequently than others. 

"Where do you put all this stuff?"

While some thrifted wares, such as clothing, accessories, furniture or electronics have a functional purpose, others serve only as a decoration or display piece. These are always dangerous buys. Too much decor in a limited space can run the gamut from kitschy-clutttered to complete hoarded hell. 

The simple solution would be to simply buy less stuff. And while I do place more value on quality of vintage thrift store finds over the quantity, sometimes you just can't talk yourself out of sweet thrifted temptation. 

So how do I balance between the stuff I want and the space I'm working with? 

Talk about "vintage filler." Look how pretty and practical it is!

I've been making my thrift purchases do double-duty. That vintage White Owl Cigar box is cool. But it's super cool now that it holds my favorite ephemera. It's a functional display piece that stores my old maps, post cards and photographs. 

When you think storage solutions, your mind probably goes to that dark place in the corner of your closet that's stacked ceiling high with Rubbermaid totes and cardboard boxes. But the next time you go thrifting, think outside the boring old box. Instead, hunt for a beautiful vintage storage piece that you can display proudly.

Small Wooden Crate, $1.00.

Take this wooden crate. I'm planning on painting it a creamy egg shell color and using it for storing spices and dried herbs on the kitchen countertop. Can you see it in your bathroom holding clean washcloths? Or maybe it would be good for keeping craft supplies handy instead of scattered in that black hole of a junk drawer. (Don't worry. We all have at least one junk drawer).

Galvanized Pail, $1.00

Galvanized pails are secondhand gold when it comes to stylish storage solutions. I've always wanted a collection of vintage pool balls to display. And when the same rummage sale yielded that set of old pool balls for a buck and this galvanized pail also for a buck...I plopped those balls right in the pail and went skipping down to the checkout counter. 

You could use a pail for gardening supplies, for countertop cooking utensils, for storing all of the dog's toys when you don't want guests tripping over them...pretty much anything your frugal little heart desires. 

When looking for practical display pieces that can function as storage, there are three main things to consider: purpose, space and value. Is the item both aesthetically pleasing and a functional means for storage?  Will bringing the item into your home mean more usable space or less? And of course, does the form and function of the item validate its cost? When you take all of these factors and an open mind to the thrift, you'll find yourself making thoughtful choices of what to bring home and what to leave behind. 

So the next time you're fretting over space, stuff and storage, don't lose sleep over thrifting less. Just thrift smart instead. By making your secondhand hauls act as creative storage solutions, you'll never end up on Hoarders...Well, unless you hoard storage items. And in that case we might need to call a specialist. 

What secondhand storage have you found lately?

1, 095 Days of Thrifting: Happy 3rd Blogiversary To Me!

Sometimes it's hard to believe that I've made something of a name for myself as a thrift blogger and when I visit my favorite secondhand venues, I get recognized as such. Three years ago, the idea for Let's Go Thrifting was hatched. I had been happily digging up secondhand wares since I was 16 years old and it was high time that I share some of my thrift-pertise with the world. 

Three years later and here we are! I certainly hope you've enjoyed some of my tips and tirades, my waxing poetic on the secondhand lifecycle, my wacky finds and wish lists for future thrift trips. God knows I've enjoyed it. The interviews, the photo shoots, the DIY projects, the product reviews and giveaways----it would be a lie to call this work. 

With that being said, I hope this upcoming year is filled with more ideas and inspirations, more fabulous thrifted finds to share and more virtual friends to make. As always, a great big thanks is due to all of you awesome readers who make Let's Go Thrifting the community it has become. 

Sister selfie shot! 

And speaking of thanks, I owe my ridiculously talented sister, Ashley, a HUGE debt of gratitude for this adorable owl-themed blogiversary cupcake-cake! She's the professional cake decorator for Fritz's Bakery in Bensalem, if anyone local to the Philadelphia or Bucks County area is in need of some lovely decorated cakes. This was almost too cute to eat...almost. Thanks for making this 3rd blogiversary especially sweet, sis! 

And now that I've had my celebratory blogiversary cake, it's time to relive some highlights from the last year. 

Here's to another amazing year of Let's Go Thrifting!

Guest Blogger Jen Knightstep Takes Us On A Thrift Tour Of Detroit, MI

My name is Jennifer and I'm a thrifter.  

I've been hooked since I was six, when my frugal mother took me back-to-school shopping at our local Value Village in Sacramento. Over the years, my passion for saving money while dressing like I paid retail prices has become more of a mild obsession than a habit. For me, it's about the thrill of the hunt. Sure, I bring a list with me when I shop. But it's just to make sure I don't forget the things I need, and not an indication I should stop and head to the register when I'm done. You'll find me scouring the racks at my favorite thrift store once a week. And this week, I'm looking for picture frames, overalls for my daughter Sophie's Halloween costume, more little buildings for Sophie's St. Nicholas Square Village, a pretty camera bag and some long-sleeved tops for running. But who knows what other treasures I might find? 

Now, say what you will about Detroit. But bankruptcy and corrupt government and all, we still have some of the best thrifting on the planet. My favorite is Community Thrift Store, located at 37545 Gratiot Avenue, just north of the city. I’m there at least once every two weeks. I’d go more often, but… my friends and family might sit me down for an intervention. WHAT. I CAN STOP ANYTIME I WANT.

Why hello there, beautiful! 

The Basics:

• The hours are 9-6, Monday thru Saturday. 
• Cash only.
• Ample parking.
• Unisex restroom.
• No fitting room.

Those “basics” don’t tell you much about the place, so let me fill in some details. Let’s start with the sheer size of the place. They have everything and lots of it, all neatly organized. The organization of the racks of clothing makes the OCD going on in my closest look tame. Each section is sorted by type of clothing and then by color. Long-sleeved shirts never mingle with short-sleeve shirts. Tees are in a separate aisle from button-downs. 

And they have more than just clothes. They have everything up to and including the kitchen sink: furniture, housewares, small appliances, shoes, handbags, books. You name it. 

Oh good lord, the shoes! All sorted by color and type. 

The prices are delightfully low, as well. And as an added bonus, every day they offer the “color tag of the day” for half-price. Sometimes, there are three colors of the day, occasionally with one that’s 75% off. The day’s sale colors are posted on a bulletin board at the front of the store, right as you walk in and grab a cart…something which you’ll want to do, for sure. 

Today, I’m looking for picture frames and rain boots. If I don’t have a lot of time to spend, I’ll just put blinders on and only shop for the items I need. But as luck would have it, I have the time to spare today… so I’m going to shop the whole store. 

Photo frames? There are lots, but none that are exactly what I want. On to housewares, where I see a pile of white plates that match the theme I want when I re-do my kitchen. They’re by Crate & Barrel, heavy and in perfect condition with the stack of three priced at only $3.95. Onward to lamps, where I find the most adorable St. Nicholas Square Village “Gumdrop Shoppe” for Sophie’s collection. My smartphone says they’re selling for about $25, plus shipping on eBay. But here it’s $7.95 originally, then half off. Into the cart it goes! Down the toys aisle, then to shoes. Oh, shoes. I spend a good half-hour here. Rain boots? They’ve got a few.

A small selection of rain boots.

After shoes comes books, where I find the AJ Jacobs books I’ve been dying to read for ages. Only 95 cents. Yes, into the cart. And though I don’t normally, I also skim through the CDs and actually find one I lost in a house-fire back in 2006. It’s also only 95 cents. 

If God was one of us, he'd shop here. I just know it. 

Now it’s time to dive down each clothing aisle, where the possibilities are endless. I find a tee shirt I love, by Lucy, with a tiny quote on the hem that says “I believe in sweat.” Into the cart!

I do believe in sweat, actually.

Up and down the aisles, from tank tops to shorts to athletic wear, on to long-sleeved button downs, short-sleeved button downs, tee shirts, long-sleeved tee shirts, sweaters, dress pants, casual pants, jeans, skirts… and my cart is packed. I couldn’t fit another item of clothing on top of the pile without something sliding off. I make my way to the back of the store, where it’s time to try everything on. 

Now, about the lack of fitting rooms... If you arrive appropriately attired in a tank top and long skirt, it is possible to try on clothes. There’s a single unflattering warped mirror at the back of the store where everyone gathers to try on their fashion finds. Granted, the area does occasionally attract opportunistic pervs. There was one embarrassing incident when I accidentally mooned the world when my skirt got caught in the back of the jeans I was trying on (But it was totally worth it, though. Those jeans were AWESOME and TOTALLY ON SALE). There’s no return or refund policy. So be bold. Be daring. Be slightly immodest, and try on everything before you buy it. 

As my cart empties, some things become apparent. I have way more here than I can afford to buy. I have a thing for the color blue, and I may also have a thing for shoes. Of course, not everything in the cart fits, so it goes neatly on the rejects rack. I end up with one cute coral colored top with crochet accents from Abercrombie (with the tags still on), the three white Crate & Barrel plates, the AJ Jacobs book and the St. Nicholas Christmas house for Sophie. The line at the register is short, which gives me little time to regret not buying that Lucy tee which was just a little too big. 

Today's haul was less than $13!

It’s almost bittersweet to be leaving… but it’s okay. I’ll be back next week… and maybe I’ll see you there. *wink*

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Many thanks to Jen, writer/editor/thrift shoppin' professional, for sharing her firsthand experiences of secondhand shopping in Detroit. While Jen shops some 600 miles away from my Philadelphia stomping ground, if I ever find myself in the Detroit area, I know where I'll be hunting and who will be my thrifty tour guide. 

Have you entered for a chance to win a FREE Diamond Candle? 

The Great Summer Wrap-Up: A Season In Pictures

Dearest Summer, 

Thanks for the memories!

XOXO

Jackie 

The Man Cave: Thrifted Artifacts, Dirt Cheap

As a self-professed collector and purveyor of cultural artifacts excavated from the secondhand, it greatly surprised me on just how little I knew about how the other half lived. 

But on recent trips to the thrift, I've been drawn away from the cute designer clothes and bags to the slightly more...masculine aesthetics. We all remember the story of how I came about finding a brothel token from the Mustang Ranch on my first rummage dig at Impact Thrift. 

Well, these finds were unearthed from dusty boxes and bins just a few days later. It wasn't until now that I cleaned and staged them for photos. And it wasn't until I began the staging process that I even realized the connection. It's all man cave approved! 

Whiskey! Women! Pool! It's complete debauchery, I tell you. 

After showing off my newly assembled secondhand man cave on the Let's Go Thrifting Facebook page, I invited fans and friends to play a Name That Price guessing game.

Well, since I scored every single find from an unprocessed bric-a-brac sale...I had to dig these artifacts from the rubble. But the price was well worth it...

And here it is folks, the grand total. 

$6!! 

Mustang Ranch Brothel Token and Key: $1

Vintage owl: $1

Bar room mirror: $1

Dickel Whiskey pitcher: $1

Vintage pail: $1

Vintage pool balls, all of them except a missing 11 ball: $1

Thanks for playing, everybody! And many thanks to Impact Thrift Stores for hosting the biggest, company-wide rummage sale this thrift blogger has ever seen. 

What man stuff are you thrifting for your caves? 

Bow Chicka Wow Wow: A Thrift Score, Indeed.

Consider this a small disclaimer: The following contains suggestive adult material which some thrifters may find unsavory. Now, with that out of the way...On to all the sordid details!

It was during last week's rummage-o-rama at  the Feasterville Impact thrift store when I found it. Something so dirty, so taboo, so wickedly a part of American history that I just had to have it.

Hiding beneath a stack of mismatched dinner plates, tangled in a mess of Christmas decorations in an over-stuffed tote of unsorted 99 cent bric-a-brac was a bronze keepsake that just didn't quite belong.

I held the shining bronze medallion in complete shock for a moment. There, amidst some sweet ol' Granny's charitable donations was a customer token from Nevada's most infamous brothel.

The Mustang Ranch was Nevada's first licensed brothel in 1971, which led to legalized prostitution in certain counties of the state. Now advertised as an "adult resort and spa," Mustang Ranch is a recognized name in the seedy annals of Americana. 

Taboo? Yes. Inappropriate? Yes.

Likely found in a thrift store rummage sale? Um. No. 

And whatever your personal opinion of brothels and prostitution, admit it. This vintage brothel token is quite a find.

Apparently, the former owner was given this token by Arlene, a lady of Mustang Ranch. From what information I could find, high tippers and valued guests of the brothel would be given these tokens as a reminder of which lady to request for a future visit. 

I date this particular token to maybe the mid-to-late 70s...and found it buried beneath Christmas decorations...at the thrift store...for 99 cents. 

Talk about a thrift score!  Now, only one question remains: What does that single key open? I wonder...

A Sweet Little Storage Solution for 99 Cents

In following my own advice, I took to Facebook to find some thrifty tips on sales and other secondhand happenings. Lo and behold, one of my top spots was having a huge rummage sale all week long. So I drove to Feasterville, PA to check out the goods. And oh, what a rummage sale it was. 

In hindsight, I should have taken photos of the rows and rows of totes filled to the brim with assorted bric-a-brac. But to be honest, I was a little overwhelmed by the mysteries within those totes just waiting to be unearthed.

According to the Impact Facebook page, they were recently flooded with small-item donations that were just too much for the staff to process and price. So they decided to pack 'em all up in totes...load those totes on wooden pallets and ship them out to all four of the Impact locations in Pennsylvania. And lucky me, there they were. All lined up and ready, everything inside those totes was just 99 cents each. 

So I rolled up my sleeves and proceeded with my very first thrift-dig. It was damn near archeological.  I'm not kidding. Young and old alike, thrifters hovered over those totes, digging through the great unknown and pulling  out all kinds of secondhand artifacts. It was so much fun, in fact, I went back to the Feasterville location a second day this week and to the Montgomeryville location once as well. 

I will be focusing on some of the found items individually, like in this post. And I'll also be doing a grand thrift wrap-up just to recap the experience. 

But as per this particular find... I saw that poof of faux flowers hiding beneath a pile of Christmas decorations. I moved some things aside and pulled out a creamy white tin with not a single scratch or dent.  This lovely tin used to hold Bon Bons. Now it's the perfect little storage piece for all my hair ties, headbands and bows. 

Now, isn't that sweet? 

The Top Five Tips On Being An Expert Thrift Shopper

"How do you find this stuff?" 

I've been asked that question a lot. Friends, co-workers, Facebook followers, they all want to know what I know about thrift shopping. So I'm going to share five helpful tips on how to score everything you want and more from the thrift. 

• Thrift and thrift often. The best part of thrift shopping is the frequent turnover in merchandise. Donations are constantly coming in and new-to-you items are being processed, priced and moved to the sales floor every single day. Visit the thrift stores near you as often as you can. You won't always find secondhand gold, but when you do, it will be because of your tenacity. 
• Looking for boardgames? Check the shoe section. Whenever possible, graze every single aisle. Hunt every department. Scavenge through every nook and cranny of the thrift. Like any other retail environment, shoppers change their minds on  items and carelessly discard them in any spot nearby. Even the most organized thrift store has this issue. This is, however, something that can work in your favor if you happen to find that perfect piece of Pyrex sitting in the toy bin.  
• Know your labels. If you're a  treasure hunter looking for high-end wares, it helps to know designers' signature traits. The same can be said for finding authentic furniture, stemware, vases and even first-edition books. You might not be an expert in everything, but knowing what to look for in specific pieces can save you from getting duped by an impostor. 
• Charge those smart phones. If you're a lucky owner of a smart phone, you have one multi-purpose thrift tool at your disposal. Google brand names, dates and anything you're unsure of to find more info on an item before you purchase. Map out a route for a day trip in the area and visit all the thrift stores you can. Take pictures to send to friends for a second opinion on an item...or just call them to brag about all the awesome junk you're scoring for cheap.
• Get social.  Make your Facebook count for more than just Candy Crush and "like" your favorite thrift stores. If those thrifts have a dedicated employee who posts announcements about mass donations, pop-up sales or in-store events, you'll have some know-how that other thrifters may not. Use your social media outlets to virtually surround yourself with like-minded thrifters local to your area who will share the wealth. If I hear about a surprise sale or a new thrift store opening its doors, I spread the word. And I have plenty of friends who do the same for me.

It's true. A lot of the thrift experience can be chalked up to luck, simply being at the right place at the right time. One can even say there's an element of karma, or fate...that a much sought-after item just finds YOU. But sometimes hoping to find that certain something is not enough. Sometimes it means rolling up the sleeves and digging through those bins and boxes. It means visiting several thrift shops, several times a week. But it's a task that I do well. And now that you know a little more about how I navigate the thrift store, you're ready for the job. Happy hunting! 

Have A Green Thumb With Greenbacks To Spare

Butterfly garden stick, $1 from Goodwill.

If you're anything like me, you love getting your hands dirty in the garden. You ditch the gloves and go for bare palmfuls of dirt to plant those seeds right into the earth. And maybe--like me--you also love flaunting a little decorative flair with planters, indoor and out. 

There's nothing so fresh and so naturally gorgeous as a blooming flower or foliage contained within some cute little planter. 

Our front lawn has a new mascot. 

Or in this case, maybe not so little...

I bought this oversized handmade wooden elephant from a local flea market last year. It originally had a removable wooden rack in its body, and was designed to hold magazines. But for me, Sir Artemis Stompington (Yes, that's his name) was a fine record rack indeed.

Hand-carved wood elephant, $5 from the flea market. 

Since scoring a lot of awesome thrifted jams and therefore expanding my record collection, I realized Sir. Stompington needed to roam free... as a repurposed outdoor Petunia planter. 

First we drilled a few holes at the bottom for drainage, then we plopped him outside and  planted the flowers right in there. His wood is solid and shellacked, so he'll survive the season out in the wild. 

A collection of thrifted planters.

As for the inside, our picture window is the perfect display area for my little assortment of thrifted planters. (And yes, that's another elephant). I can't pick a favorite, but that pair of vintage owls...well they're just charming! 

I love having a few house plants and succulents here and there. They provide a nice pop of color and they really do oxygenize the room.

Vintage candy dish and heart-trimmed bowl, $2 each from Goodwill. 

I bought these two non-planter planters from Goodwill and knew immediately some succulents would do them well. A bright orange cactus for the candy dish and a waxy-leaved Peperomia plant for heart-patterned bowl. 

The trick to repurposing planters lies in the drainage issue.  Given the right sunlight and watering conditions, many plants can thrive year-round indoors. But not one of my indoor planters has holes for drainage. And this is exactly why I chose cacti and succulents. They require little water and little drainage. The root system sucks the water up and stores it, which means more creative planter options for thrifters like us. 

So the next time you see a mod little box or a kitschy mug, maybe you'll consider sticking a succulent in there. It's two green thumbs-up, thrifters! 

In Memoriam, The Salvation Army Tragedy

It was 10:45 on Wednesday morning at the corner of 22nd & Market St. in downtown Philadelphia when tragically and without warning, an adjoining building that was under demolition collapsed onto a Salvation Army Thrift Store. Employees and shoppers alike were trapped under the heaping rubble of what was once a bustling thrift store in Center City. 

Thanks to the heroism of first responders and well-to-do civilians who first witnessed the collapse, a total of 13 people were saved.

It is with a heavy heart that I must tell you that 6 people lost their lives in that Salvation Army. 

As a regular shopper of this Salvation Army Thrift store when I was in college, I'm deeply saddened by this event. 

So, with our shared passion for vintage, for bargains, for thrift stores and secondhand relics, let us gather together for a moment of silence for the following: 

Anne Bryan, a local student, artist and thrift shopper at the time of the accident.

Mary Simpson, a talented figure skater and close friend to Anne Bryan who was shopping at the time of the accident.

Kimberly Finnegan, A Roxborough Salvation Army employee who transferred to the downtown Salvation Army Thrift Store. Tragically, her passing was on her first day of the job at this location.

Borbor Davis, a loyal employee of The Salvation Army who never missed a day of work.

Roseline Corteh, an African immigrant who loved worked at The Salvation Army. 

Juanita Harmin, a treasure hunter who visited The Salvation Army every Wednesday looking for bargains.

Having visited this Salvation Army thrift store with my sister and friends many times in the past, I cannot believe how this tragedy came to be. It's with extreme gratitude for their services that I am proud to say that Philadelphia has no shortage of heroes...the everyday citizens who spring to action without weighing their own personal risk...the fire fighters digging for signs of life for over 24 hours....the police who guarded the area and aided in the search and rescue... the EMTs and hospital staff who cared for the injured...everyone involved in helping those affected. 

Still, this loss of life in the thrift community is truly a tragedy. I never stop to think that one moment I could be thumbing through a box of records at the thrift store, and the next I could be seriously hurt...or worse. And honestly, I'm not sure I'll step into a thrift store again without the thought of those poor people weighing on my heart and mind.

64 Years, 3000 Miles and Back Again

As some of you lovely longtime readers may recall, this isn't the first time that the photo above has been featured here on the blog.

 

The original post was back in October of last year and was titled Beautiful Abandon. This was The Ball House of Skagit County, Washington and it had quite the history. 

The Victorian style construction of the home in 1903, the terrible tragedy that provoked The Ball family to abandon the home in the 1930s, the decades of neglect and decay that followed...and the eventual collapse in 1996. Thanks to some internet research and  Bill Osbourne, the photographer who snapped and inscribed this shot back in 1949, I learned almost everything that I could about the infamous Ball House.

But a few weeks ago, I came to know something else. I learned that aside from some sketches and old photographs on the county website, no tangible photos existed of what was once an impressive stretch of property. I was contacted by Charlene, a resident of Buckley, Washington and longtime admirer of The Ball Estate.

For years, Char took her family camping in the Bayview area, where they would pass by The Ball House and see the slow and steady decline of the property. And then one year, nothing of the home remained at all.

After a few email exchanges, I decided that Char's personal connection and close location to the legacy of The Ball House certainly warranted selling her a prized piece of my vintage photo collection. 

If you're reading this, Char, I hope you and your family get to relive some of your past travels in owning this photograph. I would have loved to see what remained of the property in person while it was still standing.

I couldn't be happier that someone local to that area rediscovered the only tangible relic of a legend that no longer exists through Let's Go Thrifting! This little exchange only validates my own personally held credentials as a thrifter and hunter of cultural artifacts and further explores the mysterious cycle of secondhand shopping.

How did a photograph of a Skagit County, Washington home from 1949 end up in a Montgomeryville, PA thrift store in 2011? How many people in how many towns had their hands upon this photograph in those 62 years before it ended up in mine? And the cycle continues, as the only tangible reminder of what once remained of The Ball Estate now belongs to Char and her family two years after I rescued it from the Impact Thrift Store. 

Enjoy the memories, Charlene! And do let me know if you find a photograph of any legendary Philadelphia properties at your local thrift store.

The Ball House   

Skagit County, Washington

1903-1996

Photographed in 1949 by Bill Osbourne.
Thrifted in 2011 by Jackie Jardine.

Sold to Charlene of Buckley, Washington in 2013.