The official thrift/discount store bragging thread

Originally Posted by MKB

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Blatantly stolen from AAAC, but I thought this was a great idea. What are the strangest/coolest/most mundane things you've found in the pockets of thrifted clothes? Money? Jewelry? Condoms(new, hopefully)? Gum wrappers? I'd be willing to bet there's a lot of interesting stuff that's been discovered. My biggest finds so far have been a program for a wedding and reception(these people had everything planned out to the smallest detail), and an old lapel pin for PanAm Airlines. Can anyone top that?
I think the thrifts I visit are pretty diligent about checking pockets before putting things out for sale.... only things I've found are the occasional airplane or train ticket receipt, business card, pen... sometimes the price tag from the original store... But in a used book store I once found a gift certificate for $20 to REI (camping store) inside of a book -- so I took it to a local REI and the clerk informed me they no longer issue "gift certificates" but "gift cards" so he transferred the balance to a gift card and I bought a nalgene water bottle with it...

Originally Posted by MKB

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Blatantly stolen from AAAC, but I thought this was a great idea. What are the strangest/coolest/most mundane things you've found in the pockets of thrifted clothes? Money? Jewelry? Condoms(new, hopefully)? Gum wrappers? I'd be willing to bet there's a lot of interesting stuff that's been discovered. My biggest finds so far have been a program for a wedding and reception(these people had everything planned out to the smallest detail), and an old lapel pin for PanAm Airlines. Can anyone top that?

Some of Franco Harris's phone messages.

A rosary.

Edit: So the jacket, combined with me giving up my seat on the trolley, got me yelled at. I also at least half a dozen compliments on the jacket, though, including a cute girl's number who thought I looked rocker or punk or something with that + my docs, and she was into that scene. Anyway, the yelling story.

I see an old man walk onto the trolley and I offer him my seat. He says no, so I remain seated. The trolley starts moving and and he shakes slightly, so I get up and insist he takes my seat. He declines again, then I tell him that I won't be sitting anyway, so he might as well. He sits and thanks me. Then some tub o' lard who is sitting across shouts "See! This is why we should have the draft!" The old man promptly responds "What?!" "Serving teaches you manners, if you don't serve, then you have a sense of entitlement!" Now the old man says "I protested during Vietnam!" All this is shouted. "So you hate your country and the soldiers who die to defend you" etc. with other ad hominems and outlandish claims. "If I were alive of age twenty years earlier, I would have been happy to serve in WWII, but it was an unjust war, as many are today." So the old man gets yelled at again, then the fat guy points at me as an example of why people should serve and how I have good manners. I was trying to stay out of this, but now I comment that I am on the old guy's side, and I actually didn't serve. Now I get yelled at for wearing a Marines jacket. I try to defuse the situation, but he's just going on a rant about how both the old man and I hate the United States.
Some girl asks to trade seats with the fat guy, so that he could "Get away from these unpatriotic bastards" (She winks at us). He gladly takes the offer and switches away. This is the girl who followed me afterward to talk to me.

Today I got:
8 Eaton shirts-pretty much new, with very nice deep spread collars
2 New Zegna dress shirts
2 Oxxford pants, one tan, one gray, hollywood waist
2 New Zegna pants, one tan, one very awesome grey
8 Pairs of Zanella pants, all sorts of collors, there were at least 50 pairs there, these were all non-tripple pleat and of the new vintage (you can tell by the waist lining and label)

Out the door for $70.

Originally Posted by Nataku

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Do a real estate search to find wealthy neighborhoods in the area. Not just one or two $1,000,000 + homes, but I'm talking whole neighborhoods/developments. Then, do a search for any thrift/charity shops within a reasonable driving distance of those areas. That'd be my suggestion!

I believe the Sith Lord of Thrifting has just revealed one of his secrets. I can already picture my own pile of Brionis.

Originally Posted by Orgetorix

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In Columbus, check out the Ohio Thrift Store(s). There's one on East Broad St. in Whitehall...

Good call. It turned out to be right around the corner from our warehouse. I didn't find anything (too rushed) but it looks like it has a ton of potential. It's definitely going into the permanent rotation. Thanks.

Originally Posted by JonHecht

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...Some girl asks to trade seats with the fat guy, so that he could "Get away from these unpatriotic bastards" (She winks at us). He gladly takes the offer and switches away. This is the girl who followed me afterward to talk to me.

Stuff like that happens to you AND you find a piece of Tom Ford's wardrobe everytime you thrift! I find blended Stafford suits and in my version of the bus story the old guy would have chronic flatulence and stand in front of me the whole way, the cute girl would yell at me for staring at her rack, and the fat guy would be the one who winks and follows me home.

Originally Posted by EBTX66

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I believe the Sith Lord of Thrifting has just revealed one of his secrets. I can already picture my own pile of Brionis.
That's what I've been doing for years. Poorer neighborhoods can have some finds especially if they send their trucks around city wide, it is usually few and far between, but the ebay reseller don't tend to pick them over.

Last weekend was I think I had a tweedgasm. Two Harris tweed blazers in my size. Scored a nice Woolrich jacket as well.

I didn't find anything too spectacular, but I did get a 2004 Samuelsohn suit in mint condition, double vent + ticket pocket. Marked 44-37 size. I'll post a crappy pic as usual later, if there is any interest. I intend to start selling a huge stock of items in late January when I get back from vacation with a new camera. There was also another from 2006, but it was single vent and no ticket pocket, so I didn't think it would sell as well (thus didn't bother buying it).

NOS E.E. Taylor Burgundy Shell Cordovan Longwings $65

Jon, you may want to take this as a sign. Call the girl and step awaaay from the coat.

Originally Posted by antirabbit

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8 Pairs of Zanella pants, all sorts of collors, there were at least 50 pairs there, these were all non-tripple pleat and of the new vintage (you can tell by the waist lining and label)

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You mean Eton?

Also, nice score on the Zanellas! I never find newer Zanellas without pleats. Any in a 36?

Originally Posted by MKB

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Jon, you may want to take this as a sign. Call the girl and step awaaay from the coat.

+1

Originally Posted by The Deacon

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NOS E.E. Taylor Burgundy Shell Cordovan Longwings $65

Any chance of seeing these?

Okay, this is a little different. I thrifted it about a year ago, before I knew about this thread. It's made by a US company based out of California called French. It was dusty when I found it and the leather needed a bit of conditioning which took maybe an hour.

I didn't take many pics of the interior, but it has lots of useful pockets and nets and stuff without going overboard. I've never seen one of these suit carriers so tastefully designed. I've traveled with it twice and both times it drew comments from strangers.

Posted this in Ask a Question, Get an Answer a couple of days ago, but haven't gotten any love there, so I'm afraid I need to post it here. Just should have come here first. Can anyone recommend a good shoe stretcher? I did a SF search, but only came up with an unavailable link to an old ebay auction and some suggestions from people that don't sound as though they had actually used it. Is it worth getting one stretches length and width(understanding that you can't get much stretch lengthwise), or go with one that does width only? It won't be for anything really specific, just for those thrifted shoes that might be a little too tight.

Originally Posted by Nataku

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You mean Eton?

Also, nice score on the Zanellas! I never find newer Zanellas without pleats. Any in a 36?

They are all double pleated, but not in the 80's way.
Some are platinum line.
Eton, yes.
There were about 30 Eton shirts
50 Zanella pants
I snagged all the Zegna and Oxxford pants.