You Can't See It, But I'm Wearing Black

Can I just take a moment and mourn the loss of my favorite thrift store?

*mourning*

Okay, let me explain. For as long as I can remember, there has been a thrift store in a nearby shopping center, conveniently located near our resident W-mart and a couple other stores I find myself frequenting often. This was a perfect setting, because I would often find myself in that area, and it was most convenient to just drop in. This is, of course, the best way to do thrifting. You can go to a thrift store at any time or any day and it will be hit or miss. But if you can visit your favorite store often, you learn to spot quickly. You know what is new, what has been there a while, and exactly how the layout of the store is. You can zip up and down the racks in a matter of minutes, and you are much more likely to find great deals because you are there so often.

I had it all worked into my schedule, and most Tuesday evenings after visitation would find me visiting this nearby, conveniently-located thrift store right before they closed. Tuesdays happened to be their biggest 'restocking' day, 30 minutes before closing happened to be their least-busiest time, and with my shop-and-save card, I got an extra-special Tuesday discount. For awhile, they were drawing the discount out of a big bowl, and for almost 8 Tuesdays straight, I drew 30% or more each week. When it's cheap to begin with, it can only get better from there. :)

But alas, someone somewhere decided that thrift store should be moved...clear on the other side of town to an area where I never go. I've been there a couple times, just out of loyalty to my particular thrift store, but it's not the same. The location is all wrong, the store is set up all wrong, and it is just too far of a drive to 'pop over.' I fear my days of good thrifting may be over. There are a couple small thrift shops a few blocks from my house, but they are tiny, privately-owned things and just don't receive the mass of donations that the larger stores do.

*I'm still mourning.*