Re: What used products do you buy?

Being in the business for such a long time made
it easy, deeply ingraining the reality that, the
world is full of STUFF. You can always find a
great way to spend 50 cents especially if you
hold out for a bargain...ggg.

Over the years, we would trade up, a far cry
from the orange crate nightstand I had when I
first left college. I did not have a car and
worked two jobs, one as a cashier at the Sky
High Drive in, on HWY 63 in Northern Missouri.
Each evening, an young Vietnam vet would pick me
up or a retired city engineer. I think they
set their clocks to come pick me up just so
they did not think of me hitchhiking with some
one else they considered a stranger.

Each night the manager would take me home when
he made the bank deposit in town. I also worked
during the day at the phone company. Each day
I walked right by an old Salvation Army Thrift
Store. I began to stop in and eventually drag
home all sorts of lovely things to live with.
I remember especially finding outrageously
beautiful clothes. One of my favorite finds
which I can remember clotheswise was a set of
two lame gowns from the 30's or 40's. One was
black and one was turquoise. They were like a
modified mermaid cut with a long hidden zipper
up the front from the sacred zone up to the
breastline. With my Nora Lucite high heels I
looked rather divine in my time. I also had an
eye from growing up so gleaned incredible fines
and box by box saved them until each year I had
a blow out yard sale of my own. I used the proceeds
to take vacations. It was better than any savings
plan and I am sure if I went through my belongings,
I could point out books or items which I bought
that long ago. The great wonderous thing for me
about antiques and collectibles is that someone
actually valued the item enough to keep it and
care for it. Jeez, we spend hours in museums looking
at items from our deep past. Who is not interested
in the items in a pouch hung around the neck of a
woman found frozen in the Mongolian Tundra, or
what was found in Tutankamen's burial vault. It
is fascinating to wonder how men and women's minds
work and developed to where they created tools
to help them navigate their lives. Cool...

It was by coincidence that we found our store.
It was in 1986 when we were looking for a cooking
stove. We had come home from the Wenatchee National
Forest where we spent a summer doing a Forest Service
gig in the alpine wilderness, as a family. We had
rented a place without one and this little appliance
store had one which was fine by my standards. Next
to their store was a huge empty storefront. The day
was a pleasant one, and I noted and told my husband,
HEY~!~ its on the sunny side of the street~! This many
years later and a river of memories and connections and
a tapestry of blessings, it still is there although
no longer owned by us.

Anyway, year by year, we would accumulate neat groovy
pieces of furniture. We both had a lamp "thing" and so
there were lamps galore in our house which looked like
you were stepping into the 50's. That aspect was one
which would later bite my butt since my love of aluminum
was the single greatest risk factor and reason I had
severe heavy metal poisoning. We would "buy" the item
from the store and take turns picking if both of the
partners wanted it. There was always a great camaraderie
and our basic philosophy was to buy stuff we liked thinking
others would like it too. We were right there.

We never considered ourselves a second hand store. We
were an antique and collectible store. Heck, we donated
tons of stuff to thrift stores since we would often go in,
buy an estate and then divy into three piles. One pile
to sell at the store, a second, not store worthy but a
good item to sell in our annual yard sale. The third pile
was stuff not worth the space in either of those first two
categories and so it was donated. From a house and garage
full of stuff, you can imagine if you kept it all. Eventually
everyone gets a house full and the stuff in it is really
quality stuff which hopefully will be passed on, as is in
so many auctions, after we go. I have been to countless
auctions and it is really fascinating to contemplate the
range of people's belongings and how they collect trash
and treasure. Oh, and tupperware...ggg.

I once went to a yard sale. It was the third day and most
everything was gone except some outrageously expensive
tupperware, and three pieces of tramp art. Of course I
bought the tramp art, took it home, decided with twinges
of boo-hoo-ness, not to keep any of the three pieces. We
sold them for a big price and for that week, made everyone's
wages and then some.

We never kept stock at home since we had a huge 3 story
building. I had my own office there when I was there.
The high 25 foot ceilings make it feel very inviting
and visually, your eyes could be kept busy for hours.
I kick myself that I did not have a digital camera and
do not have all the pictures like I do in my mind's eye.

My home had designer furniture. The only thing was it was
designed in the 50's. Eames chairs and extruded plastic
hanging lamps and old radios and telephones and I even
had those spun aluminum cannisters and vintage dishes.

Nowadays, I have a criteria for buying. I need to need
it or see where it will impact my life in a positive way.
This keeps me from worrying about letting a great deal
pass me by. I pass it by first...ggg.

Sounds like you are doing good. Keep looking
and buy what you like to a limit. Who knows, you
may find ebay a doorway you can live with. I met
an ebay seller recently and she showed me her workroom
which she had organized really well and it had really
made a difference in her life, having something to do
and also being able to pad her income a bit.

Have fun~!

be happy, be well,
Zoe

-_-