Your local thrift store’s got something cool at prices that won’t heat you up
By Caroline Kilaru
Staff Writer
Summer’s here, so it’s time for a hot deal. Where else to cool down with a unique, cheap and fruitful shopping adventure than at your local thrift store?
I’ve loved thrift shopping since I was a teenager, but I gave it up once I became a professional. Recently humbled by a pregnancy that caused me to gain and then slowly lose enormous amounts of weight, I found that the most sensible way to clothe my ever-changing body was by buying second-hand.
While scoping out clothes in sizes I hoped I’d quickly bring back to donate, I discovered a wealth of unusual books, quality house wares, some furniture to die for and a few pieces of art and jewelry that I treasure – all for a fraction of the retail cost, and at stores conveniently located around town.
Indeed, the thrift shops are one of our town’s best-kept secrets. The Triangle’s rich research and academic environment, local food scene and diverse arts culture cause an array of smart, interesting and stylish people to cycle through on a regular basis, bringing with them and leaving behind their interesting, quality goods.
You’d be surprised (or maybe not) how many people in Orange County have lived in New York City, Mexico City, Togo, Tonga and everywhere in between. Students, scientists, artists, nature lovers, academics and do-it-yourselfers move in and out of Carrboro like bees, pollinating our thrift-store flower patch.
Each time residents move, they must dispel of their dish racks, African masks, too-small dresses and piles and piles of books, making a visit to a local thrift store a hit anytime.
The shops are constantly restocked, and while thrift shopping won’t answer all product needs, it can provide a great start. If shoppers spend 10 focused minutes looking for items three times a week, they will find much to be happy about and will have made the world a brighter place for it.
Shopping you can feel good about
Shopping for non-food items used to be such a guilty pleasure for me, and then not even a pleasure at all. I hated the windowless soullessness, endless sameness and piped-in music of the retail stores, while the thought that everything was being made in China by people who were treated horribly made me feel awful.
The revelation of thrift shopping liberated me from the mall for this lifetime. Thrift shopping brings back the pure glee of finding something delightful – and affordable – without the guilt of contributing to a massive global consumer culture.
By buying local second-hand products, shoppers do a lot of good. Thrift shopping slows accumulation in the landfill and adds more consumer life to each product brought home. By shopping locally and buying items that cost only a few dollars each, thrift shoppers save energy in the form of gas and money. Locally, their cash can go to support a good cause, as most of our thrift stores benefit an associated charity, while staying invested in Orange County’s tax base and in a local business.
Thrift shoppers are also able to pick up some steals they could never dream of finding anywhere else.
That’s one of the thrills of thrift shopping: Each item is one-of-a-kind, and probably only in the store for a very short time. Thrift stores are like rivers – always the same but very different. By getting into the rhythm of regular thrift shopping, you might find yourself cleaning out your closet and home as regularly as you add to it, making room for the new by getting rid of your unused treasures.
Next week, this series will let you in on sure bets you can find at local thrift stores, and subsequent columns will highlight three of our local thrift shops, detailing their strengths, overall feel and pricing structure. Happy thrifting!