Thrift Store finds

[Goalee1]

When I lived in Chitown about 8 years ago, there was a thrift store I'd stop in every now and then. I was lucky enough to find a couple of game worn white sox jerseys and a nice leather jacket for a few dollars. Flash foward to today, We were at an antique place and were hungry so we went to the five guys (best burgers in the area) near by thanks to the yelp app on iphone. Low and behold, in the same plaza, there is a thrift store with the same name as the one in Chitown. I asked if this was related and the manager told me yes and there were actually 4 in the md/dc area and another 3 in VA. So after eating, we went in and browsed. The place is fairly large so I lost my wife for a few. As I was walking to the back of the store, there were cassette and 8 track players, keyboards (saw a Fender Rhodes), went to the sporting goods area-golf clubs, treadmills, nordic trac's. My eye catches a tub with some olympic plates. In the tub, there are basically brand new olympic plates, pairs of 45, 35, 25, 10, 5, and one 2.5. I look at the prices on them and almost passed out. If you guys know what olympic plates run, they can be anywhere from 50cents a pound and up. These were Hampton and basically brand new. The made in sticker was still on them and again, new looking. So they were priced at $5.99 per 45, $4.99 per 35, $3.99 per 25 and 1.99 per 10 and 5, the 2.5 being .99. So for 240 lbs of weights, $37.90. So... on my way to the registers, I pass a rack with some jerseys, look through them and holy smoke, a game worn Pujols Cards jersey. I collect game worn jerseys, so I know the difference between gamers, authentics and replicas. This was the real deal. On top of that, there was the sports registry sticker still on the inner tag. I'm scared to look at the price until I see that its $6.99. DONE! I get to the registers and the woman starts ringing me up and when she's done, tells me "you know non electronic furniture is 50% off today?" Well, apparantly, sports equipment is considered furniture so my total was $27.50!! Totally amazed and psyched about a successful trip to the antique shop lol.

Anyone else have any fun thrift store stories? G1

 

[souldog]

Holy crap, that is some AWESOME pricing on the plates, and congrats on the jersey man! I love thrift stores, but I don't ever find stuff that cool!

 

[MOBIG]

Wow that's an awesome find on the weights I could use an extra hundred pounds for my set :thumbs:

 

[Devil Doc]

That's because they hide all the hot stuff from cops in the back room, Sherlock.

Doc.

 

[thechenman]

Wow...nice pick ups. I've never been that lucky at these types of stores.

 

[BTcigars]

Great find. I will go to the Goodwill and look through their books. I can come out with a big stack for about ten dollars. I have found some nice early editions with their original dust jackets still included. I always keep my eyes open for anything cigar related but I never find anything.

 

[Goalee1]

I think it all depends upon where the stores get their things. In Chitown, I used to see a bunch of stuff from places like Winnetka, Evanston, Lake Forest thats when I figured, the things being donated were from neighborhoods where people would rather throw something away than use some shout on a stain if that makes sense. The leather jacket I picked up was a Willis & Geiger flight jacket which had a little pen mark on the inside liner about the size of a quarter. That was it, leather like new, nothing else the least bit wrong with it. It was $15 which was among the higher priced items at the time but I had to bite the bullet lol. I bought the jacket in 1991 and I still have it. The shop here in the area was the same franchise so again, I checked where the things were from (you can tell by going down the tshirt isle, ___high school or ___race or whatever would give you an idea). Plus this place is in Fairfax so again, some nice neighborhoods around it. Believe me I was't expecting anything but was just kind of excited that the shop came locally to the area. CT

 

[tomthirtysix]

How do you suppose game worn jerseys ended up there?

 

[Fia]

I have a student who picked up a martin ukulele that is worth over 1K for 5 bucks at a thrift store here. No problems with it. Just had to put new strings!!! :thumbs:

 

[Goalee1]

In my opinion, game worns and actually anything else that for the most part guys collect are usually sold/thrown out/donated even by hate by their significant other. Remember that its easier to donate something and claim it on taxes than to physically go through and sell something. I know my mom when I was young threw out a ton of baseball cards, gave my skateboards away when I went to college, etc etc. I've actually found game worns in both cities so they are around and because of the many sales that teams have now, its easier to come across actual gamers. Its not like I found them in every shop I've been to and of course its the rare occasion and not the norm. The one in VA here, I've only been to once, (I may have to go back every now and then now). The one in Chitown was maybe a once every 3 weeks or so after I found the couple of jerseys there. Thing is even like that Martin Uke that Fia's student found, its all about luck and knowing what you're looking at. When I saw the Pujols, there were a ton of other jerseys priced much higher. I think it was priced the way it was because it's one of the newer cool base jerseys which is much more like the material of older batting practice jerseys. The flag tag is slightly worn and screened as opposed to sewn (which its supposed to be). The big giveaway on baseball in the past 5 or so years when Majestic took over is that all player issued jerseys have a serial code which is common to all MLB jerseys. The authentics have a different code, again all the same but different from the ones issued to the teams. Some of their pricing is a little out of whack but I think they price what they think will sell high. Generally, Soccer jerseys and football jerseys are priced higher than baseball and lucky for me, hockey. I didnt' take a whole lot of time scouting out the local one but the ones in Chitown were always fun and an adventure. CT

 

[Peekay]

In my opinion, game worns and actually anything else that for the most part guys collect are usually sold/thrown out/donated even by hate by their significant other. Remember that its easier to donate something and claim it on taxes than to physically go through and sell something. I know my mom when I was young threw out a ton of baseball cards, gave my skateboards away when I went to college, etc etc. I've actually found game worns in both cities so they are around and because of the many sales that teams have now, its easier to come across actual gamers. Its not like I found them in every shop I've been to and of course its the rare occasion and not the norm. The one in VA here, I've only been to once, (I may have to go back every now and then now). The one in Chitown was maybe a once every 3 weeks or so after I found the couple of jerseys there. Thing is even like that Martin Uke that Fia's student found, its all about luck and knowing what you're looking at. When I saw the Pujols, there were a ton of other jerseys priced much higher. I think it was priced the way it was because it's one of the newer cool base jerseys which is much more like the material of older batting practice jerseys. The flag tag is slightly worn and screened as opposed to sewn (which its supposed to be). The big giveaway on baseball in the past 5 or so years when Majestic took over is that all player issued jerseys have a serial code which is common to all MLB jerseys. The authentics have a different code, again all the same but different from the ones issued to the teams. Some of their pricing is a little out of whack but I think they price what they think will sell high. Generally, Soccer jerseys and football jerseys are priced higher than baseball and lucky for me, hockey. I didnt' take a whole lot of time scouting out the local one but the ones in Chitown were always fun and an adventure. CT

What is the name of the Chi place?

 

[cabaiguan juan]

When I lived in Chitown about 8 years ago, there was a thrift store I'd stop in every now and then. I was lucky enough to find a couple of game worn white sox jerseys and a nice leather jacket for a few dollars. Flash foward to today, We were at an antique place and were hungry so we went to the five guys (best burgers in the area) near by thanks to the yelp app on iphone. Low and behold, in the same plaza, there is a thrift store with the same name as the one in Chitown. I asked if this was related and the manager told me yes and there were actually 4 in the md/dc area and another 3 in VA. So after eating, we went in and browsed. The place is fairly large so I lost my wife for a few. As I was walking to the back of the store, there were cassette and 8 track players, keyboards (saw a Fender Rhodes), went to the sporting goods area-golf clubs, treadmills, nordic trac's. My eye catches a tub with some olympic plates. In the tub, there are basically brand new olympic plates, pairs of 45, 35, 25, 10, 5, and one 2.5. I look at the prices on them and almost passed out. If you guys know what olympic plates run, they can be anywhere from 50cents a pound and up. These were Hampton and basically brand new. The made in sticker was still on them and again, new looking. So they were priced at $5.99 per 45, $4.99 per 35, $3.99 per 25 and 1.99 per 10 and 5, the 2.5 being .99. So for 240 lbs of weights, $37.90. So... on my way to the registers, I pass a rack with some jerseys, look through them and holy smoke, a game worn Pujols Cards jersey. I collect game worn jerseys, so I know the difference between gamers, authentics and replicas. This was the real deal. On top of that, there was the sports registry sticker still on the inner tag. I'm scared to look at the price until I see that its $6.99. DONE! I get to the registers and the woman starts ringing me up and when she's done, tells me "you know non electronic furniture is 50% off today?" Well, apparantly, sports equipment is considered furniture so my total was $27.50!! Totally amazed and psyched about a successful trip to the antique shop lol.

Anyone else have any fun thrift store stories? G1

So what is the name of this place, and where is it around DC?

 

[Goalee1]

The name of the place is Unique thrift. In Chicago, it was about a block north of Irving Park and Broadway (on I think it was Southport? where it crossed Broadway) Right near the World Gym and Jewel. I moved from Chicago back in 2000ish so things may have changed in the area. In Fairfax, same name its on Gallows road in between routes 29 and 50 in the same shopping center as Golds Gym. I haven't checked where exactly the other ones are in the area but from what the manager told me, they are under the Unique name as well as Value Villiage in MD. Happy Hunting! G1