04/05/08

last real thrift store in austin.

by animpossiblebird

I grew up doing flea markets with my mom, trash piles and thrift stores were my home away from home. (which was usually a van)I have been pretty sad about the change in "junk" over the past 10 years. Good will is more expensive than wall-mart and non-profit thrift shops seem to be serving the working poor these days but not selling to them.

South Lamar Salvation army is an island. The last one where you can tell the workers are pulling their lives up, out of the worst, the darkest places.(which is amazing)

On top of the constant %50 off sale (especially wed. and sat.) they will negotiate and be kind and seem to get the fact that thrift stores aren't just vintage shops, their not just fundraising opportunities for large corporate "non-profits" and that their not just rehab job placement... thrift stores are one of the few links between the haves and the have nots. Turning americas staggering excess into allot of peoples chance at affordable school cloths or a bed or radio.

Thank you for knowing.

• Pros: cheap. real. honest. in a little strip mall that is %100 non-corprate (movies, subs, gym, etc.)
• Cons: last one left! that is so good.