Successful bargain hunting.

Whenever my son and family come to stay at some point my daughter-in-law and I have a wander around Uppermill, popping into the various would-be trendy but rather expensive boutiques, the gift shops (aka tat shops) and, of course, the charity shops. Last time, we were accompanied by Granddaughter Number Two who found a pair of high-heeled, pointy-toed fashion boots in her size, clearly unworn as there was not the slightest scuff mark on the sole. She paid a grand total of £7. My daughter-in-law found a faux fur jacket in her size, very stylish, selling at £25. We all modelled it, we admired our very chic look, some of us decided we would never go anywhere that demanded such a jacket and then my son bought it for his wife. Second hand books and small toys were purchased for the small people. 

In America they don’t call them charity shops but thrift shops. Here’s the story of an American of Italian extraction who overcame her initial reluctance to buy stuff from a thrift shop. She must have associated a certain social stigma with buying secondhand stuff. Having caught the thrift shop bug, one day she purchased a couple of plates decorated with apparent Picasso pictures. When she investigated and had them evaluated they turned out to be the genuine article. Eventually she sold them at auction for $34,000! All I can say is WOW! 

I’ve found the occasional pretty piece of pottery in such shops but never anything that might have me rushing to the Antiques Road Show to see if i have found treasure. Maybe they have a better class of thrift shop in New York. The one where the writer found her treasure trove sounds a though it is not o much a charity shop, like the ones we have around here, as a thriving business with sections for different categories of goods. A different thing altogether.

The only place I can think of that compares around here is T K Maxx, which sells new goods, branded goods, at ridiculously reduced prices. It’s rather overwhelming in its range and its haphazard layout. My daughter and ai have often commented that if you find there a bargain that you really love you should buy it immediately, no hesitation, because if you go away to think about it you may never find it again. 

There you go.

Life goes on, stay safe and well, everyone!