Road Trip

When antique (vintage junk) dealers get cabin fever they take a road trip.  Today we went to a Goodwill Outlet store.  That’s a place they put out all the stuff they were going to throw away and customers get to paw through it before it is tossed.  It is dumped out and only stays there for a few hours.  Then more is dumped.  The dates on the pictures are a day off since I recharged the battery in my camera yesterday and reset it wrong. 

Inside it is well organized in rows of bins full of stuff. Every now and then you hear a crash of broken glass as people rummage.

There are usually a lot of flea market dealers there.  There is competition for first pick when new stuff is brought out.  See the people lined up waiting?

They cover the new bins with quilts or blankets to keep people from grabbing as they go by.

 

When the covers come off the people dive in.  I couldn’t get too close to take the picture for fear of my life. 

The strange part is most people are looking for different things so it doesn’t really matter when you get your turn to rummage.  Some men grab all electronics they can find, then go find a corner to really check out the finds.  Others are after dishes or toys or decorative items.  There are also a lot of books, shoes, and clothes. 

Then when we are done we have to admire one another’s finds.  My finds are in the basket.  Three colorful bowling balls at $2.00 each, to be used for gazing balls in the yard.  I now have 6.  2 stuffed animals for dog toys, a cocoa gift set never opened, 3 pieces of clothing, and 5 mariachis for the great grandsons to make noise with.  A total of $12.84.  Your cart is weighed to determine the price except for the bowling balls and clothes, 79 cents a pound.  Clothes are $1.49 ea.  A few years ago it was 19 cents a pound.  Inflation has hit here, too.

After that it was lunch at Kentucky Fried Chicken and then on to another shop where some our friends have space.

They said the shop was on Facebook but I haven’t checked that out yet.  Very nice place and fairly reasonable prices. 

We also checked out a new shop in Germantown, it turned out to be a yarn shop so we didn’t stay long.  No knitters in the group.

Our last stop was a small antique shop also in Germantown.  They have downsized due to the economy. 

All in all it was a fun day even if only three of us were able to go.  My bowling balls are already out in the yard.  I’m trying a cannon ball style stack in the front yard.  The dog toys have been checked out and slightly chewed, and I am hungry again.  That is a good day.

Later….