Thrift stores are expensive...I doubt it

Thrift stores have become trendy. I don't like it. With the advent of a lack of economic prosperity, all the hip rich kids who wish to show that they are one with the lower class have ventured to the places of thrift.

Now this has been happening for ages. Kids who have wished to look like crap realized that crap costs a lot less in thrift stores. After they get their allowance pulled from $100 to only $50, how else are they going to keep getting high and drunk on the weekends. I mean, torn jeans cost an arm and a leg these days.

The original owners of these jeans were killed by a bear. Oh well, I look GOOD

Now with a rush of the frugal rich, some people are challenging that thrift stores are getting more expensive because of the increase in demand.

Now I ain't no economics professor, but...

"Economics is something that I've never really understood"

I do believe that markets as a whole do not change simply because of one variable, that being new thrifters. I've been going to thrift stores for years. Maybe not for decades, I only have two under my belt, but it seems to me that thrift stores are still cheap as hell. I don't understand how they could be so much more expensive. Maybe the whole inflation thing is catching up to thrift stores and people have started to notice it after years of being oblivious to economic progress. Whatever the reason, I still can buy a ridiculous wooden picture of cheetah for a only dollar and that's fine by me.

He's currently residing on my living room wall.

For everyone else who has money to go to places that aren't thrift stores, go to those places and leave me alone. Go buy your torn jeans. Or I could sell mine to you for only $100.

And for those who are too old and have a cheap and non-loving heart towards the poor old thrift store, go live with your cats. I've got better things to do than to listen about the good ole-days and how Reagan was a good-looking young fellow.

(pics from gonomad.com, insidesocial.com, and thesinsider.com)

What about the students?

After continually spurting out my opinions to the world, I decided to see how integral thrift stores may be to a college population. So I talked to a few members of the OU student body to find out just how important they may be.

For the most part, there are three groups of college-aged thrifters: people who have never been thrifting, Halloweeners, light thrifters and heavy thrifters.

People who have never been thrifting are just that; they have never been to a thrift store. Maybe they never had the want or the need to stumble into a thrift store. Whatever the reason, this type of college student makes up the minority of the population.

Halloweeners are more of an Athens oddity. As you know, Halloween is kind of a big deal and thrift stores are often spread thin during that time of year. Sometimes, Halloweeners are shown the thrift store light and become light and heavy thrifters.

Light thrifters are people who only go to thrift stores when their friends do. A couple of my friends are light thrifters. Light thrifters are ambivalent towards thrift stores. They neither love or hate them, but go to them for something to do. Kyle Teders, one of my light thrifter friends commented on his general indifference, "They're okay. It depends on the thrift store."

Heavy thrifters are actually pretty common. Maybe half the people I spoke to were heavy thrifters, or people who go to thrift stores maybe once or twice a month. "They always have great deals. I mean it's obviously not the smell." said Johnothon Tenwalde, a junior. "It's an adventure"

Heavy thrifters realize the good that thrift stores do. "It's kind of genius," Sallie Christian, a senior, commented. Christian tends to visit once a month and look at the random stuff and the vintage clothing at local thrift stores. "I dig 'em." She prefers Re-Use Thrift Store.

David Miklos, a senior, often forgoes the local scene and checks out the larger thrift stores in Dayton. Miklos also brought up the guilt he sometimes thinks about as he checks out his thrifting oddities and clothes. "These clothes are meant for poor people."

Sallie Christian commented, "I'm guilty of giving clothes to thrift stores and then shopping there." I think Johnothon Tenwalde put it best. "I would feel like an absolute dick if I would buy a Christmas tree." He doesn't feel guilty about buying useless oddities but does when it means buying something that will light up a child's holiday."

I personally would qualify as a super-heavy thrifter considering I go about once a week. I'm the only one I know, which probably just means that I'm crazy. Considering I took the interview notes down with a foot-long pen I found at a thrift store, I'm sure my sources would agree.

These people I talked to brought up some good points that I may comment on in future posts.

Tis November the 14th

You know what November the 14th is?

'Tis my birthday!

Yeah, this doesn't have to do with my blog at all. In reality, thrift stores have kind of been left on the wayside because I've been so gosh darn busy. Also, the whole going to the same ones kind of gets repetitive. I just need some more choices. I can't go to Columbus either to visit some more thrift stores because my car broke down. After doing some fact-checking, the repairs could cost me up to $400. I don't have $400. I'm poor as they come.

So after driving around East State with some of my friends recently, I saw Mac's Thrifty Store. Now, I don't know if this is a thrift store. I couldn't go to it because it happened to be late at night and closed. The sign under it read "Carharts, books, and"...something else. I'm drawing a blank. I want to say that the word had two e's. This store needs further attention drawn to it. I can't believe I missed this.

With that in mind, I wonder. Is there any thrift stores that I may have missed that readers would like me to review and check out? I know one friend of mine insists on me going to Rag'o'rama in Columbus. I have yet to check it out though I swear it will happen someday.

This blog will probably continue to be updated as long as I have time. This winter break, I swear I will make my rounds to the big cities in Ohio and run some more thrift expeditions. Maybe that's how I'll do my Christmas shopping.

I've got some great ideas I want to try out for this blog once I take a much-needed rest. So whoever is out there, I would like it if they would stay tuned.

I encourage any thrift store ideas as well as anyone who wishes to accompany me into the thrift unknown. Maybe, they'll get mentioned in the blog.

Thrifters Unite!

Top 7 types of thifters...

I was going to do some interviews and make a nice audio piece and all that jazz, but then again I'm so tired and generally forget about this blog. Having more time will help and this winter break, I'm going to try to be more ambitious about this project. It's a fun idea and I know I need to write more. When will this damn quarter end?

Random side note: I think the word "bollox" should be used more in everyday speech.

Now, today I think I'm going to do one of this list things, so here is the top 7 types people who go to thrift stores.

1. The poor: These people need thrift stores to save extra bucks on clothes and other random items. If not, they couldn't pay their rent. Let's face it, $60 for a pair of jeans is ridiculous when you could buy some for $3. These are the most common people in thrift stores.

2. Down-on-their-luck-damn-it-I-have-to-thrift: These folks generally don't like to thrift because only poor people do it. They don't like to think of themselves as poor, instead, they are down on their luck. With the economy flat-lining at the moment, these folks are becoming more and more common.

3 Thrift store granny: This is the old grandma in thrift stores, walking around with a cart looking at the old linens. There's at least one in every thrift store. What she does with them is a good question. I don't really know. My own grandma would probably sew them together or something. I know she made rugs out of old jeans. Maybe there's some fraternity of old thrift store ladies who meet on Saturdays to quilt things. I don't understand woman, so I doubt I will ever know what exactly goes on.

4. Fashionistas/hipsters: These are the young folks surfing the clothing aisles, looking for something new or eclectic. They hold out for cheap brand names and are excited to find something they have never seen before. Thrift stores also are great for recycling old clothing, so the environmentalist hipsters can say that they care for mother earth. That's great by me. These people are generally pretty common near college campuses. In Columbus I always saw more the closer we got to the OSU campus.

5. The Dignified Black Man: I saw a great deal of these people in Detroit. Usually, young to middle-aged black men, these people stick close to men's suits and shoes looking for something sharp. It's hard to buy a sharp clean suit, especially when they are so expensive. Thrift stores are the alternative. There are nice suits out there. I once found a HUGE soft leather jacket but it was too HUGE for any of us to wear it. My one friend, Huck, tried it on but it went to his knees. Huck is probably around 5'9". Anyway, I've conversed with a couple of these fine gentleman and they do find nice jackets out there.

6. BORED: This is the group I fall in primarily. I'm bored. I want something to do. I haven't gone to the nearest thrift store to see the ridiculousness. So I do and I walk around and look at crazy stuff and buy somethings every once in a while. Women do this too. They walk around and try on the weird dresses and giggle uncontrollably. Whatever, it's fun.

7. Halloweeners: People who go strictly for Halloween for cheap costumes. They need a piece of clothing, they check out a thrift store. Simple as that. They come out of the woodwork every October and ravish the racks, so when I need something, say a white button down shirt, it is nowhere to be found.

So yeah, enjoy y'all's day.

Goodwill has failed me...

A thrift store has failed me.

This quarter, in order to look more hip and fresh (as the kids call it nowadays), the Singing Men of Ohio changed their uniforms from a tux shirt and button cover to a regular button-down and tie. Being a member of this esteemed organization, I was against the change but because majority rules it was decided nonetheless. So, after using my $160 current uniform for two years and, I now had to spend another $30 to buy a white shirt and tie.

This is where thrift stores come in. I am not buying another new white shirt for $20. I am poor. I have a broken car. I have bills to pay. I have college to pay for. I am not buying a new white shirt, so what do I do? I go to a thrift store.

BUT ALAS!

They had no white long-sleeved button-down shirts. It's really a sad day. We really need some quality thrift stores in Athens. I don't need to support the corporate nightmare that is Wal-mart or any other large stores in this town.

I am really just complaining at this point, but I hate when something I support so much not support my clothing needs. (It's hard to communicate sarcasm in the written word, so read that over with a different tone)

Anyway, my point...

Sometimes a thrift store doesn't have a whole lot in what you need, but a thrift store somewhere probably has it. If you live in a small town with few choices than you take what you can get. If not, keep looking around the surrounding area. Anything goes in thrift store-land. That's where the fun is.

Seriously...anything goes.

Thrift Store map...

Okay, this was a great deal more time-consuming than I thought. It took forever for the pics to upload so I could put them up, but anyway, it's done and it works.

This map shows the thrift stores I've been to since I've started this blog. I've tried to rate and take a pic of each store so far. I've color-coded the map icons to show the quality of thrift store: the darker the shade, the better the thrifting. If you look at the map, you notice that most of the good stores are in larger population areas. Athens is a much lighter area than population-heavy Columbus. There's a lot of thrift stores left in Columbus to be explored, so maybe it will happen someday. Stay tuned.


View Thrift Store Aggregation and Review in a larger map

Today is the 31st...

It's Halloween today. For thrift stores, Halloween is the busiest time of the year. Why? Procrastinators who need quick, cheap costumes. Now don't get me wrong, I love quick, cheap, and easy things. I just am not a huge fan of costumes.

For example, I hate clowns. I just do not like them. There's something naturally evil apparent in the forever-smiling, pan-caked-makeupped denizens of childhood hilarity. I refuse to talk to a clown. They scare me. I think my natural dislike for costumes comes directly for my natural hatred for clowns.

That would lead me to not like Halloween. It's true. I don't like Halloween. It's a time where you can be someone else for a night and it's socially acceptable, but I don't like pretending I'm someone else. I don't like costumes and more than anything, I hate hell-spawned funny-things called clowns. I don't even like to drink. It's not a good night for me.

But, it is a good time for thrift stores. More money for thrift stores means more money for the lower classes. In that aspect, I can live with Halloween. I will go up-town tonight, watch drunk people, clap my hands over my ears before I get sensory overload, and try my best to enjoy it. Maybe I can even be able to stand a clown or two, as long as they got their costume from a thrift store. Let's not assume too much though, I still hate clowns.

So anyway, for all my bickering, I still bid ye all to have a great, safe Halloween.

That musty smell...

In the halls of thrift stores, there lies an aroma particular to almost all thrift stores. Most of us know what it is, it's that musty smell. I don't actually know where it comes from.

When you first walk in, it's the first thing you notice, a wall of odor that smacks you in the face to remind you, "You are in a thrift store."

The smell is usually so strong, the clothes you buy from thrift stores usually have it lingering on it. If you end up going to ten thrift stores in a day, (I've done it) then you end up carrying it around with you.

I actually like the smell. I don't find it pleasing. It's not an aromic smell or anything, it's just reassuring. If it's there then there is a good chance that you are in a quality thrift store with a good selection of clothing. If not, well, you may be in a vintage clothing store.

There are exceptions to the rule. If the thrift store is relatively new, then the smell may not have settled in. Ohio Thrift Stores, (it's a chain) tend to not carry the thrift store smell. They bend the rules but still end up being good thrift stores. An interesting part about that particular chain is that they get so much business that most of them have a couple check-out lanes, complete with candy on the sides. The first time I saw this, I was blown away. Almost every Ohio Thrift Store I went to had no thrift store smell. At first it was disconcerting. Later it was pleasant. I would probably recommend any of these chain stores. Most of them are in Columbus. One store I went to even had two floors.

Anyway, if you believe you know the source of the thrift store smell, please comment.

A Lull in the Conversation...

I'm tired. Rather I'm exhausted. For the last 6-7 weeks, I've been constantly busy from random stuff. Now, with a slow spot in this quarter, I figure out that I'm very very tired. Oh well, I'll make it through without too much of a problem. I wish I liked coffee.

So...thrift stores. Today that poll thing on the side ends. Thanks for the 3 people who voted. One of them was my roommate. Thanks Austin! Anyway, unless there is a deluge of new people on this site who care deeply for what my Halloween costume will be, then it looks like the winner will be "soemthing sexy!!" posted by an anonymous. It was probably one of my weird friends from Facebook. So, now I have to figure out what that means exactly. Sexy is open to interpretation. I'm sure my form of sexy is a lot different than whoever's-reading-this's form of sexy. In a nutshell, I almost have unlimited possibilities out there for my costume as long as it isn't this guy...


He's a creeper.

Thanks y'all for narrowing it down.

Columbus trip

Okay, I'm a little rusty when it comes to iMovie, so bear with me. Anyway for your viewing pleasure, here's some excerpts and some photos from my trip last weekend to Columbus. As you watch, remember that all these weird things are sold at thrift stores, meaning that once before someone owned them. I personally enjoy the Governator picture..."keep pumping". Hilarious.

Random fact: the safety dance, the song in the video, was playing at one of the thrift stores. I felt that it was fitting.

Save the World.

I've been to a great deal of thrift stores. I've been to many dirty places, and I've seen some saddening sights. I've seen the poor and I've seen the homeless and I harden my heart. I curse myself.

This other world, the dirty, the poor, live far away from the privileged lives of a student. They live on our peripherals, but never our focus. They are not afforded a video camera, they do not receive an interview. Rarely do they mean anything. Society has dumped them on the outskirts of our cities to stay away from our green pastures, an entire group fallen through the cracks and forgotten.

I find it hard to write this. I always get so angry and I always sound so prophetic. I guess the point is simple, I hate how what our society has become and how it treats those less fortunate, here and around the world. I hate how people curse poor people for being poor. Sometimes it's their fault, great, but does that allow us to turn them into something other than a person. Is simple dignity too much to ask for? Some people have so much money in this world that giving some away for another to live comfortably isn't a hard thing to do. If I ever make more than I need, I won't keep it. I refuse to keep it.

I'm so privileged, and I have a loving family and I can live day to day without worrying about basic necessities. But there are 6.7 billion people in this world and only 20% of humanity lives on more than $10 a day. Shouldn't we worry about that. The "greatest" country in the world should be able to give a little bit more money to those in need instead of spending half a trillion every year at the defense department (that's a conservative amount). That amount of money can feed everyone in the world one meal 74 times. I don't know, but with all this money (U.S. 2008 GDP of $14 trillion) and hence all this power shouldn't we be using it for those who need it.

I think people become journalists for one of two reasons. Either they enjoy reporting and writing and are super curious, or they want to save the world.

I want to save the world.

Athens recap...

Okay, so here's the recap for Athens, OH in terms of thrift store quality.

For being a smaller Goodwill store and being somewhat expensive...

Goodwill: 2 out of 5


For a small yet eclectic college experience without the dirt and grime of a real thrift store...

Athens Underground: 1 out of 5 (thrift store rating)


For being a combined standard thrift store experience...

Columbus Rd thrifting experience (including New-To-You Thrift Shoppe and Re Use Thrift Store) 3 out of 5


Athens thrift stores combined score: 2 out of 5


I feel a little nice giving Athens a 2. In reality, Athens has an awful collection compared to larger cities. In all fairness, it makes sense that the amount of collection is correlated with how big a city is. If you do want a good thrift store experience, go to a city. The closest and best would probably be Columbus.

For the visual learners, here's some Athens thrift store pics.

More Athens Thrift Stores...

The third and final installment of Athens thrift stores include the two local stores on Columbus Road, Re Use Thrift Store and New-To-You Thrift Shoppe.

These two being only 50 yards apart I will review both as one thrifting experience instead of two separate stores. If you are going to go to one, then there is a good chance that you will go to both.

Before I start, I will encourage the thrifter not to walk from Athens. It's generally too far away for legs. I would encourage to go by automobile.

I walked there. It took forever and there's a good chance people thought I was some sort of drifter as I hugged close to the hill on the side of the road. On the good side though, I got some good exercise and the landscape was "perdy."

First, New-To-You Thrift Shoppe (NTYTS) is a good standard thrift store. It's not the cleanest place nor the most organized. By my book, that's fine. After going to Athens Underground, this place really felt like a good thrift store.

NTYTS (sounds like n'tits) had a small amount of disorganized clothing, some random shoes, but a decent amount of bric'n'brac. The clothes were thrown in somewhat of an organizational pattern with standard women's, men's, and children's section. Unlike the large chains, the clothes were not organized by size or by color.

The store had a decent bric'n'brac section with movies, cups, chairs, toys, books, statuary...blah,blah, blah, you know...the usual stuff. It wasn't an overwhelming selection but again, decent.

In fact, I made purchase there, a movie called BLAST: The Final Comedown, and no, it's not a porno you sick weirdos. It stars Billy Dee Williams and explores rascism, like Crash, except with Lando Calirissian as a martial arts master named Johnny Johnson. A great thing about this thrift store is that all purchases at NTYTS help foster children, so you can't really go wrong if you buy anything (unless you hate foster children). So altogether NTYTS gets a pretty standard 3 out of 5 for being an average-sized store with average selection that happens to give money to foster children. Also because I found a movie with Billy Dee Williams there...oh yeah...



Re-Use Thrift Store is one of three Re-Uses in the area. The others are located in Wellston and Albany, towns relatively close to ole' Athens town.

Re Use greatly lacks in the clothes department. Random racks are set up and are hard to maneuver around. I didn't really see anything that caught my eye at the clothing section.

Re Use does have a great amount of bric'n'brac and rare random finds. For example, it has one of the best book selections I have ever seen in a thrift store. It also has VHS tapes there. Re Use has a lot of VHS tapes. This is great for the three people in college who still use a VCR. I personally would advise everyone to look at the books behind the counter. These oldish leather bound books are very classy looking and any selection there would add character to any bookshelf.

Re-Use also has tons of furniture and some of it is naturally not in the best shape. If you need a new toilet, look in the back. I don't personally, but I'm sure someone out there is clapping in happiness after reading about cheap toilets...perhaps. Anyway, for a good bric'n'brac selection, tons of furniture, a kick-arse book library, but lackluster clothes, another standard 3 out of 5.

To sum it up.

New-To-You Thrift Shoppe: 3 out of 5

Re Use Thrift Store: 3 out of 5

Columbus Road Thrift Experience: 3 out of 5 (two standard thrift stores make for a standard experience)

Side note: People should be paying attention to this. You've got til the 17th to input ideas...

Athens Underground

I have a love and hate relationship with Athens underground. I love the weird clothing and the atmosphere. I hate the fact that it's not a thrift store.

First of all, Athens Underground is technically a vintage clothing store. The clothing there is generally not donated. The money earned there does not go to help the poor in any way except right at this moment courtesy of "Homecoming for the Homeless". Rather, the owner, or the little old lady who hangs over your shoulder watching your every move as you walk around, finds the clothes from auctions and sometimes from wholesale suppliers. This lady, or this "Barbara", was originally from New York and owned another vintage clothing store until she moved here to buy up the old vintage clothing store, Secondhand Row.

Apparently, Athens Underground (AU) was not the first vintage clothing store in this area. Instead, the dingy basement that is AU has been a series of different vintage clothing stores for the last 20 years or so.

Anyway, if you have been there, you will notice that AU is not set up like a thrift store. It does not smell like a thrift store. It plays eclectic Arabian music, not elevator music or 90's hits. It's bright and happy. Worst of all, it's expensive. Apparently, some of the stuff on the shelves is completely new, a sin in any thrifter's handbook. This place was made for college students, to entertain college students, and to steal college student's parent's money because most college students are afraid of mingling with poor people. I must say, the business model works. Ask anyone about AU on OU's campus and you get, "Athens Underground! I LOVE IT THERE! It's so hipster!"

Well, you're right. It is hipster.

One major problem I had with this store is lack of good clothes for men. Yeah, you got suit jackets and vests and shirts and pants. BUT, and this is a large but, most men can't get away with wearing a bright red jacket or the other weird eclectic clothing there. If you can, more power to you. I personally can't, so I stared at the clothes and just moved away to the weird vintage books. Women probably have a heyday in this place with all the different fashions. Like women really need more clothes and shoes.

Anyway, as I offend all my lady readers, here's the final rating.

Athens Underground: thrift store rating: 1 out of 5

Athens Underground: vintage store rating: I don't know. I don't go to vintage clothing stores. I hear it's good though.

"Shaking my fist..." Curse you Barbara! and your surly glances!!




Side note: Hey!

So Halloween is a Big Deal...

In ole' Athens town, Halloween is a big deal.

In the spirit of October and of the local thrift scene, I am thinking about holding a contest that would allow you, the readers, to pick my Halloween costume. Suggestions on what costume can be posted in the comments of this post. Once that fills up, I will hold a poll on this blog and there the winner shall be decided.

Any costume goes as long as I can put it together in a week. Again, any costume is fair game. I want some creativity. I want relatively simple and more than anything I want something because I don't want to worry about it. If you have any idea, post it. Comment it up people.

Once Halloween is over, the pictures of the costume shall go up on the blog. Let the ideas spring forth.

Oh, quick side note, within the next few days, the rest of the Athens thrift store scene shall be reviewed. Stay tuned.

Thrift Stores and Logic: part 1

There is a direct link between the quality of thrift stores and how poor the surrounding area is. The more lower class in the area, then the better the thrift store...in general. Sometimes, without a large backing through chains, smaller thrift stores fall apart from lack of donations in poorer areas.

Secondly, other types of businesses make most of their money from the poor, such as auto part stores, quick loan agencies, low-end martial art dojos, cheap Chinese food restaurants, and the mecha business of the poor, the liquor store. If you've never been to the ghetto, almost every block has a liquor store...seriously, pay attention next time you're there. Their signs are yellow, bold with LIQUOR spelled out at the top followed closely by WINE COOLERS and BEER in digressing order of importance.

Hence, these two statements form an almost guaranteed way to know a good thrift store before you even have to go in. The quality of a thrift store is almost always directly correlated to how many liquor stores are in the surrounding area. If you want a super thrift store, look to where the liquor stores are.

For example, the best city for thrift I have ever been to is Detroit. Detroit is falling apart. It's roads are deteriorating. It's economy is based on the failing American auto-market. There are a lot of poor there. From what I hear, from the sports knowledgeable, their sports teams are awful. Hence, a great deal of liquor stores erupted into existence in Detroit. And so have great thrift stores.

In summary, check this out.



Cleveland looks promising. Stay tuned.

Thrift Stores in Athens

I currently live in the small college town of Athens, Ohio. From what I know, there are four thrift stores in the immediate area. 1. the Goodwill on East State St. 2. Athens Underground on Court St. 3. Re Use Thrift Store on Columbus Rd. and 4. New to You Thrift Shoppe also on Columbus Rd.

This post will concentrate on the Goodwill. The Goodwill here in jolly ole' Athenstown is pretty small. I've seen Goodwills easily two to three times larger than the one we got here. Goodwill in general tends to be somewhat pricy compared to some other thrift store chains. For example, the cheapest thrift stores are one-owner entrepreneur thrift stores. Chains are a little more expensive. Goodwill is the most expensive of the chains. Still, being a thrift store, it's not like it's going to break your budget.

It's collection is little small. The clothing section in particular is one of the smallest I've ever seen. If you're looking for something for Halloween then you probably will still find something, but if you're looking for interesting clothing than move on. The bric'n'brac (thrift store slang for random stuff) is probably half of the store. That's a good ratio, but considering the store is generally small then it's not all that great. I would rate this particular thrift store on the low end of the spectrum...maybe a 2 out of 5. It's not completely awful but it's no Detroit Salvation Army.

Welcome to Scrooge Attack.

Shiny is the key. Does it sparkle? Does it gleam? Yes? We are gonna be rich. I got something better...it glows. It lights the way, kills the dark, it's a number 1 seller. Odd how most of our current market of anything plays upon tricks of light. Even our vernacular contains the sparkly.

If someone is smart, they're bright. That performer needs to have a certain sparkle to survive. How're you? I'm golden. Girl, you are just glowing! You're report is less than lackluster...so on and so forth, etc. etc.

So what about the less-polished among us? What happens to those people and things that emit only a faint glow, the dull and the mediocre. What happens to the below average? Not everyone can be the best. Not everyone is above average, not everyone is average. There have got to be people and things that fall below the medium. Why are they always forgotten? Where do they go? Well, some of them end up at thrift stores.

Ah, thrift stores, the bottom collectors of a consumer nation. I love'em. I love to swim through their weird halls of unhealthy aggregation. I love to look through the racks, sort through the bric'n'brac, and sit on extremely comfortable stanky furniture. It makes me happy to see the oddities and unique anythings that fall through the cracks of corporate America into the halls of the thrift stores. Thrift stores are undoubtedly connected to the forgotten. Together, The two form their own culture. Together, They are unique, and they are ultimately human. These things and people, they may be less-polished, but then not everything that is gold tends to glimmer.

Welcome to Scrooge Attack.