Guest Writer: Story From a First Time Thrift Shopper

Today I'll be handing the reigns over to a friend of mine to give you guys a post about what thrift shopping is like for someone who has never gone before.  You're in the for a treat!  She also takes way better pictures than me.

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Hi there! This post is going to a bit different, because I’m not Erin. My name is Allison and I’ll be doing a guest post this week. If you would like to read more of what I have to say, check out my blog full of college advice at http://adviceforthealmostadult.blogspot.com.

I have almost no experience with thrift stores; I’ve always been a bit weary of them because I thought they were all disorganized, smelly, and full of ugly clothes. It probably comes as no surprise to you thrift store savvy folks that the thrift store I went to was actually quite nice.

I decided to go to the Delta Humane Society Thrift and Gift Boutique because I wanted to support their cause. This post will be about my experience exploring the store as a novice, but Erin has already written a very informative review of this store, which you can find here http://2nd-hand-stories.blogspot.com/2013/03/thrift-store-review-delta-humane.html.

That's a Rap: Thrift Shop by Macklemore Has No Effect on Goodwill Sales?

I've avoided it for long enough.  I've tried my best to review every thrift store in Stockton, give you some anecdotes about my life as a second hand shopper and take pictures of interesting things I find.  But, the elephant in the room must be addressed.  The elephant wearing an enormous fur coat and sunglasses.

10 Commonly-Used Thrift Store Terms

This week I'll be giving you a quick run down of thrift store, dare I say it, lingo.  I am no Webster's Dictionary, or even UrbanDictionary, so these are all my own interpretations based on how I've seen the words used.  Some of it is hard to decipher.  I've left out the ones that make me weep for the future of the English language.  Here are some common ones:

1.  Thrifting:  the act of going thrift shopping.  Most commonly used by the high school/college age, usually preceded by a hashtag.
Origin:  People's tendency to make any noun into a verb by adding "ing".
Often seen with the words: adventure (how exciting, let me get my pith helmet), spree, haul, trip.

2.  Secondhand: the namesake of this blog, meaning exactly what you think it means: it's been owned by someone before you.  Commonly used by advertisers trying to get around the word "used".
Origin:  May be a shortened version of hand-me-down.  (which still doesn't make sense to me)

Second Hand Story: Choose your adventure

This week's post is a change in format from your regular reviews while I go and locate more thrift stores to tell you guys about.  As you must have guessed from the title, I've put together a little simulation of sorts for those of you who don't have the time to go thrifting. 

Based on a true story

Part 1:  

You have an hour to kill between classes, work, or some other engagement.  You remember someone saying something about a thrift store in the area, and you decide to give it a look because you're a little short on cash after spending too much on an expensive lunch and, more importantly, bored. 

Click below to continue!

Thrift Store Review: D Thrift (Stockton, CA)

This week's post is a review for D Thrift, one of the larger thrift stores in Stockton.  You might know it as Delta Thrift, but the inside is the same and they have a wide selection of items to browse through.

D Thrift rivals Superior Thrift in size but not in quality or price.  Unlike the smaller thrift shops like the Delta Humane Society or Shelter Thrift, it lacks something in presentation and appears more like a warehouse with its long, narrow aisles and concrete floor.

Second Hand Story: Quest for the Holy Grail

Until very recently, my opinion of tea has been that it's the equivalent of drinking hot water with a couple leaves in it.  If I'm going to drink any hot beverage, then it might as well be something with actual flavor in it.  But much like my love for curry and bell peppers, my interest in tea was abrupt and completely out of nowhere.

And so now I have taken part in a noble quest.  It is the quest for my own personal mug.  A mug that I will not allow anyone to drink from.  And the best place to look for really weird mugs is at a thrift store.

Thrift Store Review: Shelter Thrift

This week's thrift store up for review is Shelter Thrift, a small second hand store with a great selection, fairly cheap prices and friendly employees.  It's next to the post office off Pacific Avenue, just a block or two away from the store reviewed last week.  (Delta Humane Society)

In any case, what this store lacks in size it makes up for in presentation and charm.  Click below to find out more!

5 (or more) Nostalgic VHS Tapes

As a college student, I find myself regressing more into the past and watching cartoons from my childhood.  It's probably because I'm trying to stave off the fear of being an adult and paying bills, but whatever the reason, I immediately gravitate to the video section when I enter a thrift store.

1.

This isn't really nostalgic (unless you saw this in your childhood in which case I am envious.)

Yes, this is something that actually exists.  I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit curious about how this dog solves crime.  Or how this dog goes undercover.  I am all for dogs in mustaches and hats.  (this one also looks to have a bit of a smoking problem)

Thrift Store Review: Delta Humane Society Thrift and Gift Boutique

This week's post is dedicated to the Delta Humane Society Thrift and Gift Boutique, a small thrift store that opened recently on Pacific Avenue.  Proceeds go to the Delta Humane Society and the SPCA to fund their no-kill animal shelters for abandoned and lost pets.  It's for a great cause and this little thrift store is not one to be missed.

6 strange/useless things you'll only find at goodwill

I think my favorite part of thrift shopping, aside from the deals, is coming across really strange things that make me question why something like this was invented in the first place.  And then it makes me wonder who would buy this and think it was a good idea?  This week's post is dedicated to some of those special things.

1.

But first I have to know, what is this?  It looks like the first failed attempt at making an abacus.

Thrift Store Review: Goodwill Stockton, CA (March Lane)

This week's thrift store up for review is the Goodwill on March Lane (because there are a lot of Goodwills out there).  As an international charity with thousands of thrift stores across the nation, Goodwill probably has a shop not far from your home.  For Stockton residents, this Goodwill is a quick jaunt from the two malls and down the street from University of the Pacific.

While not as big as Superior Thrift, this Goodwill has a sizable facility and not shortage of interesting items to buy.

A Second Hand Story: (Superior Version)

I've been wanting to go to Superior Thrift ever since I heard from a reliable source (my mother) that it's the best thrift store in Stockton.  I recall when I was younger, snobbier, and more afraid of driving downtown that I went to Superior Thrift and didn't see what was so great about it.

Today I am eating those words, getting indigestion and regretting them immensely.  Superior Thrift is nothing short of superior.  My receipt is proof of that.

Coincidentally, I went on a day where they had a 20 percent off Student Discount promotion, which only made my impulse buys even more impulsive.  I'm pretty sure I went home with a bag full of things I didn't even try on and just grabbed off the rack and purchased without realizing until I left with 20 dollars less than I came in with.

I went to Superior Thrift with a couple friends, fellow bargain hunters who were as mystified and curious by the store with such a famous reputation.  We browsed the aisles for an hour or so, completely amazed by how much there was.  Veterans of thrift shopping probably laughed to see our wide-eyed looks of amazement, like kids who walked into the world's largest toy store.

Here are a few of my favorite finds..

Thrift Store Review: Superior Thrift Stockton, CA

The people at Superior Thrift weren't being cocky when they named their store.  It is aptly named, and might be the best thrift store in Stockton that I've been to so far.  Although it is located in what is widely considered the "dangerous" part of Stockton, the bargains are worth it.  You could spend hours in Superior Thrift  only to realize there's an entire section of the store you haven't explored yet.

A Secondhand Story: Rolling with Cheapskates

As a bit of a break, this post will be a little explanation from me about how I came to discover the finer points of never paying full price for anything.  I come from a long line of thrifty people, my mother is a serious coupon-er and my grandfather shops almost exclusively at the 99 cent store.  My mom is also one of those people who goes to multiple grocery stores, buying the cheapest thing from each one without realizing the money she spends on gas outweighs what she saves on getting that cornstarch 4 cents cheaper at Safeway.  

I wasn't always so keen on getting a good bargain, but I was destined to become a thrift store shopper.

Used Book Store Review: Friends of the Stockton Public Library

This week the wonderful second hand store I will be reviewing is the Friends of the Stockton Library Book Store.  Here you can find reasonably priced books donated by the Stockton libraries or generous people in the community.  Although it's a small book store, there is a wide variety of books to choose from, and I've never left empty handed.

Stockton residents may know the location because it's right next to GymStars and David's Pizza, which doesn't seem like a wise move (calories next to exercise?) but it's easy to miss this little shop.  But if you love a good book then this is not a store you want to pass up.

Prices are extremely reasonable, much better than any bookstore I've ever been in.  Everything ranges from 50 cents up to 5 dollars, though I've never bought any book over 3 dollars.  

Pay special attention to the far right side of the shop just as you enter, that's where the classics and plays are.  If you have to buy a copy of Shakespeare's Macbeth or Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, you'd be better off searching at a used bookstore before going to a Barnes and Noble.  

Thrift store review: Crossroads Trading Co. Stockton, CA

The first official review for this blog is dedicated to my favorite second-hand clothing store in Stockton, Crossroads!  Nestled between a Vietnamese restaurant and a hair salon is this small haven for cheap, designer clothes.  It may not be as cheap as a thrift store, but the clothes are good quality and in the latest styles.

Crossroads Trading Co. purchases designer label, gently used clothes and sells them for cheap at their many locations across the country.  Because the one in Stockton is small compared to the other branches (there's one in Sacramento and San Jose), it doesn't buy clothes.  

However, both males and females can find some excellent outfits here!  

The Pros and Cons of Online Shopping, Thrift Stores and Retail Shopping

There are a lot of different ways to shop nowadays, each with their own drawbacks and benefits.  Between online, retail and thrifting, which do you think is the best?  

There are arguments for each one, but because I'm biased toward thrifting, I'd like to persuade you to give second hand shopping a try if you haven't already.

So what's wrong with online and retail shopping?

The People: Hunters, Gatherers and Scavengers

Chances are when you go to a thrift store there will be a large variety of people roaming the aisles.  That's part of the fun of second hand shopping, both the people and the merchandise are always changing and providing a new experience.  But chances are you'll run into three main types of people there, and you can almost always tell what category they fall into.

Much like in the wild, shoppers are separated by their methods.
Are you a hunter, gatherer or scavenger?

Welcome to my thrift store information blog

Stockton is a great place to go shopping at second hand stores, not only for the good prices but also for the interesting people you'll see.  Going to the thrift store is an entirely unique shopping experience, one that you won't get while browsing normal shops in the mall.  Everything is different each time you go.

This blog will talk about my trips to the thrift stores of Stockton and provide reviews/directions that may be helpful to know before you go.

Please feel free to share your own stories from thrift stores or any other second hand shopping experience!