Unique Thrift
Another suggestion from Lindsay:
Have you been to Unique Thrift in Wheatonville (is it Wheaton? is it Rockville? I don’t know!)? It’s on the east side of Veirs Mill Road just NORTH of Randolph. Across Veirs Mill from Rodman’s, if you know where that is. (We call it the Crack House because we are so addicted.)
http://local.yahoo.com/details?id=29016888It’s very similar to Value Village inside; huge and full of everything, but I think it’s much more organized (their staff is always straightening, putting stuff away, putting stuff back where it goes, etc.), and generally not as crazy. Plus they take credit cards (last time I went to Value Village, they did not). They restock constantly, every Monday everything is 25% off, and twice a year (Memorial Day and some other Monday, maybe Labor Day?) everything is 50% off. Kids clothes are typically $1.99-3.99 per piece, and only slightly more ($2.49-4.99 average) for grownup clothes. They do charge more for stuff that has still has tags on it, and occasionally something will be priced above what similar stuff is going for for no apparent reason.
They sell Little Tikes and Step 2 sandboxes, houses, furniture, etc., stuff that costs $50 and up, from about $4. And it’s a great place to get kids books (.69 & .99 mostly, paper & hardback). It’s a great place to look for anything you need but not enough to pay full price (paper shredder, baby carrying backpack thing, small auxiliary stroller, suitcase). They sell yarn! They sell hair bobbles (barrettes and stuff)! They sell backpacks and sun hats and VHS tapes and humidifiers and rugs and exercise equipment. It’s a total bizarre bazaar.
Great stuff! Thanks, Lindsay!
Community
Morning everyone. I am proud to report that Stone Soup DC now gets around 150-200 hits a day. Very cool.
I am glad people are finding the information useful, at least I hope you are. I believe one of the best resources anywhere and anytime, is community. We can make this resource so much more powerful if we pull together our information and ideas. Anything from what’s on sale this week, to a great store you’ve found, to free/cheap community events, to how to make something yourself that you would have previously purchased. That’s what we all want to hear. I am sure each one of you has ideas to add. Please consider joining the Yahoo discussion group, posting a comment on the blog, or even sending me an email at stonesoupdc@gmail.com. I want to hear from you!
Have you all heard the story of Stone Soup? I’ve added some stones. Anyone out there have some cabbage or carrots or an onion?
Thrifty Thrifts
I love to hunt around in thrift stores. The bargains seem endless and I rarely come away empty-handed. Actually, I try to stay out of them for exactly that reason. At least they are a very inexpensive way to fufill a craving for a shopping binge. The last time I headed to one, I bought two pairs of shorts, a set of kids horseshoes, a Melissa & Doug puzzle, and a plastic bowling set for my son for $7. This was at Value Village in Hyattsville (2277 University Blvd E Hyattsville, MD). This store is huge and crammed full of bargains, but it is busy, so act fast when you see something you like (you can always put it back later!).
If you are clearing out the clutter at home, take a load of things to donate when you go. They have a drive-up area at the back of the store where you can easily drop off donations.
If you don't get your thrifting fix satisified here, pick up a copy of "Dirt Cheap, Real Good: A Highway Guide to Thrift Stores in the Washington, D.C. Area", by Chriss Slevin and Leah Smith. They cover hundreds of thrift stores both locally and on extended day trips out into WV, PA, NC, and DE. I know the book is available at Montgomery County libraries.
