Goodwill Hunting: Treasures - and treasured memories - of thrift shopping!

Thrift shopping at Goodwill brings treasures and treasured memories.

 

Like a rags-to-riches movie drama, thrift shopping offers hope, promise, and, on occasion, a hodgepodge of memories.  In the thrill of the hunt, we've also learned, a few bad apples don't spoil the whole bargain barrel.

Last year I was introduced to thrifting—the art of scouring second-hand merchandise at mostly charitable retailers, where big-ticket treasures hide among piles of oddities and miscellaneous clutter. It’s a trend fueled by sustainability, quirky fashion finds, and the thrill of deep discounts.

Limoges tray among Goodwill finds.

Other Thrifts have books from the past.

I’ll admit it took a few outings before I embraced the experience. On my first visits, staring at counters of cast-offs and rifling through racks of items I would have readily placed at the curb, I found myself plotting an early exit. But after scoring a few major deals, I discovered an unexpected perk of bargain hunting: the memories tucked between the shelves.

My most recent thrifting adventure unfolded over two days in central Florida, where our family gathered for a mid-winter break. The temperatures were unseasonably cool, but the deals at Goodwill were undeniably hot. With my son and daughter-in-law in tow, we explored not only the charity shop but also thrift-adjacent haunts—flea markets and lower-end antique stores (think decidedly non-Sotheby’s).

String owl - I made one in the '70's.

My Grandma's Autunm Leaf dishes

                       

My haul was impressive: a mint-condition Limoges ceramic tray, a lusterware teacup and saucer, and two Wedgwood jasperware dishes—all for just over $20. For the cost of two and a half Starbucks Frappuccinos (and zero calories), I walked away with more than beautiful bargains. I found myself surrounded by echoes of my childhood and early adulthood. Though I lingered down those aisles of nostalgia longer than I realized, I’m fortunate to have a daughter-in-law who also leaves no gem-stone unturned, and our timing at checkout was perfectly in sync.

Wood Burning kit for children: The 1960's - early 70's were a different time for kids' toys. Watch out!

Among the cherished items I spotted: a stringed-owl craft kit I completed as a young teen; teacups from my grandmother’s pantry in the Superior Hall Autumn Leaf pattern; a series of famous-battles books my dad once owned; and a children’s woodburning set my brothers received one Christmas. The latter included a heated pen tool meant for decorating wood—though one brother used it to create an unwanted design on my parents’ mattress. (It was a different time. We grew up with ovens that melted plastic goop, klackers, and jarts.)

Wedgwood Jasperware mini dish set.

First everyday dishes, Corelle

                                      



                 

I even came across the first two sets of “everyday” dishes my husband and I owned: the blue-and-white Corelle, followed by our upgrade to Pfaltzgraff’s Village pattern. When I lifted a Pfaltzgraff piece to show my son, he smiled and said, “I remember those.”

How do we like those apples? We like them and we got their number! Pfaltzgraff memories complete with apple.

                                                                                                                                                 

By the end of my thrifting tour, I had gathered treasures that would brighten my dining room and, according to my antiques identifier app and a quick eBay search, if I chose to resell, I'd gain a net a profit of roughly $50. But the strolls down memory lane? Those were, as you might guess, absolutely priceless.

How do I like those apples? Like Good Will Hunting, I like them a lot and I got their (discounted) number!