17.9.09

Day 8......................NEVADA -> NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

9-16-09
Day 8 of 9
Thrift Store #10
St. Vincent's in Reno, Nevada

Thrifty Goodness Rating: 10/10
I'm not sure if thrift stores get any better than this. Even though I went with my interviewee, Heather (below,) I walked out of there with no less than about 30 things (mostly very small)... but so did she! It was like no vintage shopper had ever set foot in this massive thirft warehouse! Yet she insists it's always that good!

The place was overflowing with amazing stuff: 50's fabric samples, very old board games, totally weird crafting paraphernalia, etc. All of which I bought, along with so much more. In fact, I was so overwhelmed that I forgot to take photos, so what you see below is just a teeny tiny smattering of my goodies. More photos to come in the next few weeks (as I shop through my own car.)

I bought a bowling ball, people.

A BOWLING BALL.

In that gorgeous, mint condition purple case (above,) with adorable matching suede bowling shoes IN MY SIZE. I go bowling maybe once a year, but this was a must have at $2. TWO DOLLARS! Worth every penny, even if I never bowl again and it just sits on my shelf and looks pretty.

Really loved these flower needlepoints, but they were huge!

Oh lover, thank you for giving me this sterile fake rose in glass jar as a valentine. Ah, nothing like the 80's.

Dish perfection. I bought a set of 2 large and small plates, and two huge mug cup/bowls.

A little piece of me died when I realized I couldn't fit this $10 beautiful piano bench in my car. I sat on it for a while and cried inside.

You can spin the slot machine for a chance to win a discount on your next purchase! Only in
Reno...
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Thrift Store # 11
Thrift Depot in Reno, Nevada

Thrifty Goodness Rating: 10/10
I was running out of time and really needed to hit the road, but I was told this place was so dingy and gross that of course I had to check it out. Indeed, I felt dirty just standing in there, and as I walked under the unnaturally low, drooping ceilings, I felt like the floor might give out from under me. I loved every second of it!

In all, Reno had THE BEST, THE CHEAPEST, and THE MOST thrift stores of anywhere I've ever been to in this country (or the world, for that matter.) It's only 8 hours from LA, and you better believe I'll be going back really soon--with a Uhaul.

This photo is a little blurry, because I think I was shaking with excitement.

Awesome. Bought it.
More really large fantastic things. That lamp! That 50's wood dancing girl! Damn it, car!

I love maps and globes (and traveling, can you tell?)
This says: "Cool Your Hot Butt In My Old Tub." Wow.

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Thrift Store #12
Goodwill (sorry!) in Roseville, CA

Thrifty Goodness Rating: 8.5/10
This was the most packed thrift shops I've come across on this trip. All the breakables were piled on top of each other on the shelves, so that you have to move ten things out of the way just to get to something in the back of the shelf. The hilarious 80's music was punctuated by sounds of things breaking left and right, as people shuffled around and dropped the merchandise.
Old Poloroid cameras just look so much cooler than our current smaller-is-better digitals.

Chotchke heaven.

This is most of the stuff I got... didn't have time to take too many pics, so I piled it all up in the dressing room and took this before checking out!
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Etsy Vintage Seller #7
Heather from RushofWings
Reno, Nevada
---> I think I'll be seeing more of this lovely (and very pregnant!) gal and her adorable home, since Reno is my new favorite thirfting destination in the country. She gravitates toward colorful 70s pieces, and hand makes kids clothing out of vintage fabrics and pillow cases, as modeled by her adorable and slightly rambunctious 3 year old daughter.









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And now.... driving south through California to my new (actually old) home, Hollywood!

3 comments:

Ms. B @ Millie Deel said...

Wow, I'd have to exercise some serious restraint in those stores! I found a bowling bag complete with shoes and ball that I bought for $2 as well! I have no idea what to do with it because it belonged to a man who was obviously huge, super heavy ball and huge shoes. But it had all these papers from the early 60's from him being in bowling leagues and little pots of tacky stuff they put on their hands to get a good grip on the ball and an unused pack of Clorets gum from the 60's!! So yeah I couldn't leave it there.

The Thriftaholic (Leilani) said...

Wow I always suspected Nevada was a hidden hotbed of vintage and now you've confirmed it! Unfortunately a lot of our mega thrift stores in Chicago have all the breakables stacked in piles but it makes it more rewarding when you find a treasure in that chaos!

chickadeechild said...

I had a blast with you while you were in Reno. When you come back with that U-Haul, I'll show you some more of these crazy stores.

Oh! And I wrote about you on MY blog:www.chickadeechild.blogspot.com

Check it out when you get a chance.

Heather