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Best Thrift Store Finds

trolleyseats-thriftfinds.jpgWe're always envious of those gifted thrift store types. You know, the people who manage to find a mid-century gem for only $20; people who find a dumpy couch and with a quick cleaning and new pillows suddenly have a fantastic centerpiece for their living room. Yeah...we hate those people. Still, we've been lucky once or twice!

Coming home from a weekend in Michigan we found these trolley seats in a very unassuming resale shop just outside of Jonesville. The price? $15.

sadgirl-thriftfind.jpg
A friend of our loves Sad Eyes paintings: dogs, cats, people, you name it. We discovered this Sad Eye girl, complete with frame, at the Village Discount on 26th street for only $2.

cornerchair-thiftfinds.jpg

Finally, we love furniture with history to it -- even if the history is some random teenager scribbling the name of the girl he happens to love that week. This school chair was fished out of a Catholic school garage sale on Lincoln for only $5. Joanie loves Chachi!

What has been your favorite thrift store find?

Comments (19)

Weren't Joanie and Chachi characters on Happy Days? With their own spin-off show? Great finds, however!

posted by Sandie on 2008-05-09 16:48:16
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We had those same folding seats in my church when I was a kid. Uncomfortable!

posted by farmhousemoderne on 2008-05-09 16:50:57
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In my apt everything has a story and people are amazed when they found out how much I paid for each item. I feel it shows more of my character rather than ikea finds . Do not get me wrong I have ikea pieces as well but I always try to accessorize them.

I wish I could do this as a full time job.. :-))

posted by New York Muhtari on 2008-05-09 17:00:28
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I am a thrift-o-holic! My current favorite find is a danish modern couch that I picked up for twenty bucks. Have fun hating me! I hate you for finding that awesome sad eyed girl for just two dollars. ;)

posted by Eviedee on 2008-05-09 17:35:37
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Mine would have to be this (http://tinyurl.com/32y54w) amazingly amazing cabinet in PRISTINE condition.. it wasn't $20, but oh well. I adore it.

posted by imavunderbrah on 2008-05-09 17:39:24
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I'm still waiting for matching danish sidechairs to magically appear for $20. I've been checking weekly for a few years now....still chairless.

posted by emhoop on 2008-05-09 17:49:46
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We're on a constant-search for old mirrors to hang on the fence in our yard. Most we've found have been less than $5. We're going for that old English brick-a-brack garden look and were sad today when the municipal government reminded us we can't have a fire pit on our patio.

posted by theserovingeyes on 2008-05-09 17:51:01
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We found a Jens Risom 2-door cupboard for $20...the top is pretty scuffed up but the rest is near perfect. It had an AT&T sticker on it, so I suppose it was used at an old AT&T office originally.

posted by thevioletpear on 2008-05-09 18:10:13
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OOOh I have a "sad eye" Keane that I found at a Goodwill for $2.00 too. It is one of my favorite finds. Thrifting is a bit of an obsession.

posted by craefish on 2008-05-09 18:46:40
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My walnut Decca hi-fi that I got at Goodwill in Cleveland for $25. (It even works!) They actually had a huge console hi-fi there as well that was just as cool (if not cooler) but the smaller one was the only one I could figure out how to get home. ;-(

posted by ridge_van_winkle on 2008-05-09 19:01:11
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My mom bought me a Swedese Lamino Chair & Ottoman set for $35

posted by jenny! on 2008-05-09 19:15:55
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Just blogged some recent thrift finds at Living Small! Gotta love a good deal, and a sweet piece of castoff treasure.

posted by allisonlindsay on 2008-05-09 20:02:54
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amen! (going with the church bench theme). there are so many thrift stores in chicago but i don't even know where to start. i'm so envious when i read house tours and the owner says, "i got these heywood wakefield chairs for $1!" or better yet, "I found this eames rocker in the alley!"

posted by selena on 2008-05-09 21:26:11
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Love love thrift shop finds. Scored a sofa $45 and an armchair $35 at a Salvation army and had them reupholstered. Great post! I literally love going from thrift shop to thrift shop in search of different things. Totally addicted to thrift shopping!

posted by Alkemie on 2008-05-09 22:58:43
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Not furniture, but I found a beautiful vintage silk cheongsang from the 60s. It was tagged at $5, but there was a sale at the thrift shop that day so I got it for $2.50.

posted by Li on 2008-05-09 23:48:16
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I'm constantly on the lookout for great thrifty deals. I recently purchased a desk for $20 which was featured in an AT post last week. I also found a folding end table that was most likely used as a traveling shoeshine station. I've loaded up on plenty of great picture frames too, and I even found a terrific leather trunk...in the alley behind my house!!!

So the next question is: where are the BEST thrift shops in Chicago?

posted by abcarter on 2008-05-10 01:22:16
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I had to post when I saw this. I too am an admitted thrift-a-holic...not ready to be cured yet...but at least I can admit it ;). My first find was in college. Two old medical cabinets (using them as night stands/end tables) from the 1950's...wood with laminate tops....$15. Found an Eames style chair at a thrift store for $10. Four Gunlocke chairs for $50. The biggest deal of all...vintage steel credenza, large desk, and two 4-stack barrister cabinets...already stripped down to the bare metal....$300. This one was a bit out of my normal shopping budget...but couldn't pass it up.

I love that feeling of finding treasures...even if someone else thinks it's trash.

posted by steven77 on 2008-05-10 02:15:22
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I found nine 1949 and 1951 Thonet chairs at the Habitat for Humanity Salvage shop- they were $15 each, but I bargained the guy down to $10. Aside from a few tiny paint splatters on one, they were unscratched too.

I also found a walnut and cherry midcentury modern long oval coffee table with a drawer with the date 1959 on the bottom for $50. A very similar round one just sold on ebay for about $350.

posted by Miriam on 2008-05-11 21:02:16
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Ohh good Topic!!

Favorite Find:

1972 Marimekko "Tuuli" original, perfect condition...

I love seeing the reproductions at CB2, and knowing I have the real thing....Its beautiful.

posted by KielOver on 2008-05-12 13:58:16
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