My mom first started taking us to thrift stores when I was a kid in the 80’s. At first we loved it because there were toys to play with to keep us occupied but eventually shopping became a bit or a chore for me and my siblings because the toys at the thrift stores don’t always have a lot of replayability to them even if they are constantly changing. As I got older and joined the ranks of the professional workers, it seemed easier to just buy the thing you needed instead of going on a hunt. At some point though, you learn the value of a hard earned dollar and that was when I fell back in love with the thrift store experience.
In a lot of ways thrifting today is a lot better than it was in the 80’s. There are a lot more people who are doing it and the amount of goods that the baby boomers collected has created a literal treasure trove for those who go looking. My favorite things to find are unusual items or things that I can transform into something else.
When I first started writing the song Hero, I had found an old painting that was rolled up in a pirate map fashion. It had a pirate ship painted on it and made me dream of a world where a simple hound would come across it and use it to be transported to a dimension where he could rescue a prince who had drawn it. The song turned into a story about how important sacrifice is and the cost of being a Hero. Sometimes it’s the simple items that can create the biggest impression and whether you’re looking for quilts, old vinyl records or a pair of jeans that are still brand new for $5, thrifting can be a great way to kill time and recycle the things in this world that have already been made.
Good thrift finds, eventually become great antiques because they are treasured and loved, sometimes even an old blanket can provide a comfortable place for the dogs to lay down at even when things are at the end of their usefulness. If you have extra, consider donating to a local thrift store and if you like treasure hunts (and lets face it who doesn’t) then you should go on a local treasure hunt with $5 in your pocket and see what kind of memories you can come back with.