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Sunday, June 26, 2016

Could It Be My Fascination With Thrift Stores...Is Waning?


Before last week, I hadn't been to my favorite thrift store in months. Working a couple of jobs can limit a lot of a person's free time. But last weekend we had some stuff to donate so we decided to stop and go inside.

I think something's happened to me. The place is just not the same.

There was a time that going to thrift stores was one of my favorite things to do. Not only could I get necessities (like clothes...), but every now and again, I'd find a hidden treasure. It's so cool to find something that you could spend years searching for. Of course, this was before the internet and Ebay, but even in the years since, I've enjoyed going and seeing what's there.

And as I've gotten older, I've spent less and less time at the thrift stores. The cool stuff is just not there anymore, or if it was, it's long gone before I can get to it. Many people go everyday. They're there when the doors open and they wait until cart after cart of stuff is brought out. There's no way I can compete with that.

Nor, do I really want to anymore.

Something happened last week. I came across an item, one of thousands for sale. I suppose if I found this in a first-hand store it might be something we'd consider. It was a bed riser, four plastic lifters that go under each corner of the bed. Sure it might mean a higher climb to get into bed (and a farther drop if I fall out of bed--something I haven't done in decades...), but the extra space to store stuff would be great.

The problem was, as you can see by the picture, the item for sale at the second-hand store only had three of the four risers. When I first picked it up, I didn't notice the missing riser, but when I realized I was holding essentially a piece of junk, something died.

I know many people who think the whole store is full of junk, just like the risers. Maybe one day I'll enjoy shopping there again, but right now, I'm beginning to agree more and more with those people.

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