For some of us, thrifting is a way of life. Walking into a thrift
store is a new
adventure each and every time, because inventory is always changing. You never
know what youβre going to find hidden among the racks and shelves, and there are
so many different reasons for hunting through a store that I thought Iβd list a few.
Savings. Depending on the store and how they price things, you can find
incredible savings on clothing and home goods. Name brands are mixed in with
unknown labels. In some households, shopping at the thrift store is necessary
because of their budget, and trust me, been there, done that. Why spend $20 on
one shirt at the mall, when you could get four like-new shirts for the same
money at a thrift store? Or $80 on a service-for-eight dish set at Macyβs, when
thereβs a gorgeous pattern sitting on that shelf for $25?
Costuming. Back when the Lord of the Rings trilogy first released, some
friends and I wanted to cosplay a few of the characters. So where do you go to
find cheap materials to manipulate into Middle Earth costumes? The thrift store.
The costumes never did get made, but we collected some neat, inexpensive pieces
during those first few weeks of excited determination. But thrift stores are a
great place to find items from other decades for parties, Halloween, or just
because you like to wear vintage stuff.
Nostalgia. One of my favorite recent thrift store finds was an original
stuffed Care Bear still attached to its display box. For a dollar. I couldnβt
resist it. Eighties toys continue to be collectible, and I love finding
something that makes me nostalgic. Sometimes I see the old Corelle pattern we
had when I was a kid, and oh, the memories.
Upcycling. This has become a trendy word in the last few years, but itβs
basically taking something old/broken/boring and creating something new with it.
Turning old radios into planters, or a chair into a wall shelf. Thrift stores
are full of cheap things just waiting to be repurposed and made new.
Books. I saved the best for last. Books, books, and more books, and so
cheap! Iβve made many a large book purchase from thrift stores over the years.
Books for me, books for family members, books to give away as gifts. The best
part? You havenβt spent much on them, so once youβve read them, you can donate
them againβwhether to a library, another thrift store, or even to your friendβs
summer yard sale.
Whatβs your favorite thing to hunt for in a thrift store?
No stranger to the writing world, A.M. Arthur has been creating stories in
her head since she was a child and scribbling them down nearly as long. She
credits an early fascination with male friendships and "bromance" (and "The
Young Riders") with her later discovery of and subsequent affair with m/m
romance stories. When not writing, she can be found in her kitchen, pretending
she's an amateur chef and trying to not poison herself or others with her
cuisine experiments.
Or at least, he doesn't want to admit it. Because there is no way Jonas
Ashcroft is gay. He's a straight, carefree frat boy player, just like any good
son of a conservative state senator. If only his struggle to convince
everyoneβespecially himselfβdidn't leave him so miserable. No matter how many
girls or bottles he drowns himself in, Jonas can neither escape nor accept who
he is.
Enter Tate. He's smart, confident, and instantly sees right through Jonas's
surly exterior. Sure, he's done things in life he's not proud of, but he knows
who he is and what he wants. And what he wants is Jonas. As their easy
friendship intensifies into something more, Tate introduces Jonas to a life he's
never known. One filled with acceptance and sex and a love that terrifies and
excites them both.
But some inner demons refuse to be shaken off so easily. When Jonas's old
life barges in, he faces a shattering choice, one that could destroy everything
he and Tate have fought so hard for. Sometimes love just isn't enoughβand
sometimes it's exactly what you need.
The thrill of the hunt at a thrift store gets my shopping juices flowing. With ten grandchildren, ages 1yr to 20yrs, I luv to find birthday items for them: books, toys, etc. For me finding an item for repurposing is my quest. (Joanne Hicks 10:42am April 30, 2016)
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