How often do you hit the thrift store?

How often do you go shopping at the thrift store?

  • More than once a day

    Votes: 9 2.1%
  • Once a day

    Votes: 22 5.2%
  • Every other day

    Votes: 47 11.2%
  • Once a week

    Votes: 132 31.4%
  • Once every two weeks

    Votes: 61 14.5%
  • Once a month

    Votes: 93 22.1%
  • Never

    Votes: 56 13.3%

  • Total voters
    420
There's no 'hitting the thrift stores' (charity shops ?) over here in the UK - they aren't allowed to sell electrical equipment of any kind. :no:

There are second hand shops that sell vinyl, and others (pawn shops) that DO sell electrical goods of all kinds - but it's all DJ / PA gear or rubbish - at least where I live.
 
Whenever my wife and I make a donation to our local one, which is run for the benefit of the Long Island Boys and Girls Clubs. I pick up the odd cd & the wife buys books which she then redonates after reading them. The electronic equipment is usually on the crappe side, but I did pick up a Sony cdp for $15, which does duty in the laundry room.
 
I've found it pays to ask if they have more than what is on display. The back room of one local charity based thrift store yielded still sealed lps by Elvis, The Crests and Buddy Knox, plus some great jazz they didn't bother putting out since no one seemed interested! They were thrilled that I would take this stuff off their back room shelf for less than a buck each.
 
This poll I feel is particularly pertinent to me, so I'll resurrect it.

I love thrifting! I visit the "thrift" store of EBay on average at least once a month. Mostly I buy audio equipment (almost all of mine has come from there) and some CDs and vinyl. Lately I've been visiting the real thrift store of my local Goodwill at least once a month as well. The opportunity for spending $.10 for a vinyl record and $.99 for a CD is tough to pass up!
 
Not as often as I use too. Hardley ever anything that I want. Wasn't always that way but things have changed.
 
One time I went to the same GW 6 times in one day! Usually it's a waste of gas and time. One thing though, a lot of "regulars" I know are there, so we just have a great time talking about the days/worlds events. But back to the OP's post, once a day, maybe twice a day on weekends.
 
I usually go out on my lunch break to the closest Salvation Army but that's it.

I used to go to good will too but after going every day for 400 day straight and never finding a single thing I decided to give up.

If you want something, just earn some money and buy a nice one. I have better things to do then deal with the scum that works at these places.. and shops there..

These days vintage audio is so hot nothing lasts for more than 30 minutes on a sales floor.
 
I usually go out on my lunch break to the closest Salvation Army but that's it.

I used to go to good will too but after going every day for 400 day straight and never finding a single thing I decided to give up.

If you want something, just earn some money and buy a nice one. I have better things to do then deal with the scum that works at these places.. and shops there..

These days vintage audio is so hot nothing lasts for more than 30 minutes on a sales floor.
I agree. I look for vintage stuff in the thrift store but there's usually nothing left but junk (like a pair of 90's Garrard speakers for example). Therefore my thrifting is primarily for music and if I find some vintage equipment while I'm there that I want, I'm damn lucky, IMO.
 
I've been going to thrift stores around my area for years and have yet to see anything that wasn't absolute rubbish. My dreams of finding an old, neglected Mac 240 sitting on a shelf for $100 keeps me going.... though.....
 
My Local thrift is great because they still put out stuff with clipped cords, rotted surrounds etc. I almost always walk out with something to flip, keep, or listen to.
 
Once a month, we have 10+ thrifts locally....most are known for garbage but you never know. Most of the time I'm buying CD's for the car. Every once in a while (very rarely lately) something will pop up (i.e. Marantz receiver, decent vinyl).
 
Picked up a Sony 5 disc cd changer, cdp-ce245 with owners manual, for a staggering 15 bones. Works as new.
Looking about once per month.
 
Last edited:
An interesting old thread that I started. I no longer bother with the thrift stores. They were fun when my music collection was just starting but I now find that the process of digging has gotten tiresome for the meager rewards gained.
 
I hit the GW and SA in my town when I'm out and about every day. I'd say I get something decent once or twice a week. I've been doing this for about a year and have found some decent electronics (Onkyo TX2500 mk2, Nakamichi AV-10, a few Realistic receivers, JBL J220A speakers), lots of cassette tapes, a few hundred records, and some nice clothes. Once a week, I'll do a loop of 3 or 4 stores in neighboring towns. All in all I've done pretty well, and I think it's fun. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to when I find things, it's all persistence and a bit of luck.
 
I travel in my profession and if I'm in an area l think why not kill 2 birds with one stone.
I can get to check 3,4,5 stores in a day if I'm lucky.
Some stores l never check because they are always devoid of anything which indicates someone is in the back door taking it all
 
Used to be better finds in the LP and audio gear departments. But those have pretty much vanished I'm afraid. It seems 2006 to mid 2009 were the "glory" years.
 
There are a couple of thrift stores I try to hit about once a week. More often than not, there isn't anything of interest. But once in a while, I catch something really good like a Pioneer CD changer for $5. Although not audio, my latest fun thrift find was a Mr. Coffee K-cup coffeemaker in perfect working condition for $8. Needless to say, I've been really wired the past couple of weeks.
 
Back
Top Bottom