A boycott and chair numbers two AND three of ten...er..eleven.

Well.

   Thanks for all of your great feedback on thrift store price gouging, as alarming as it is. I had no idea that I would spark such a lively vent-fest about Thrift Store prices with yesterday's post!(And you had me laughing out loud with phrases like "the ladies in the back on crack" and "BadWill"!) I am truly shocked (and more than a little saddened) to realize it's a nationwide epidemic, and I think I can feel the rumblings of a major revolution here.
     As for me, I plan to boycott of the high priced Thrift Shops for as long as I possibly can,(starting yesterday!) and that should be quite a good little while since it's summertime. They need a reality check, not so much for folks like me that are re-purposing items to earn a living, but, more importantly, for people that need essentials at a price they can pay so they can get by in these tough times. I must admit I will miss chatting with Warren, our favorite Sally employee, but, so it must be. I can hit garage sales each and every weekend until the end of September. Maybe I can stockpile enough goodies to carry me through winter!
     Speaking of stockpiling, remember my collection of chairs? Well, two more completed, thank-you-very-much. (Please excuse the garage door backdrop- I couldn't get the chair through the tight doorway from my laundryroom to the kitchen. Oh! Special thanks to the Sewing Queen of northern Nevada for making the most incredible cushions!) That should have left me with seven to go, but...I discovered yet another chair ( a really, really cute Frenchie looking folding chair!) in the basement at 41 Taylor yesterday that I had forgotten all about.

Oh my. I really may need to find some kind of 12 step program for this. It's nearly as out of control as my "thing" for shoes.

Comments

[Sue @ Serendipity]

I'm with you on the boycott! If enough of us participate and also restrict our donations to charities who really use our donations wisely, we can make a difference!

Also, be sure to ask the people who call on your telephone exactly what percentage of your donation to them goes directly to the charity they represent. You might be unpleasantly surprised as I was.

Be aware of where your hard earned dollars really go when you try to help those in need!

[sarah@abeachcottage]

hey Tracey

just popped back to read the comments from yesterday

I think it's not a nationwide epidemic but a worldwide one...I know your post really got me thinking about it here in Australia and yes sirree I am boycotting those thrift stores that are too highly priced, not even going in there...yep...and I garage sale season coming up in a month or so, yippee

Sarah

[Jenny]

I just have to ask, is the suitcase in the picture a suitcase or does it serve another purpose? I ask because I have an old traveling bar/picnic case that looks exactly like it!

[Tracey Buxton]

To answer your question Jenny,
The suitcase in the photo is just a suitcase. It is waiting to be decoupaged along with a chair I am working on!
Tracey

[Ashley]

Like all the others said on that last post on he high prices at The Goodwill. Yep, I agree. omg, Salvation Army furniture prices are CRAZY. What are tey thinking. It's old, used and smelly. They should be paying us to take it, lol.

I'm in LOVE with the white cane chair. It's gorgeous!!!

[paddywack designs]

Oh, this is such a struggle. I too have an addiction for repurposing items and sometimes my mind just start turning with the possibilities and then I go into sticker shock... I can't believe what they are asking (locally the worst offender here is St. Vincent DePaul) for horrible items.

Luckily, someone in the pricing department has no taste, so some very good items end up as freebies...like a couple of awesome, old leather suitcases that I've seen at antique stores for upwards of $60.

[Mary Jo Smith]

I LOVE the tan and white chair!!! Let's be honest, I love all of them, but the tan and white chair is beautiful! :)

[Debbie Harris]

I imagine a boycott would be most effective if we stopped donating to Goodwill as well. I kind of feel like I'm really being taken advantage of when I donate so much and then get price gouged. I may start donating my unwanted items somewhere else.

[Sammy Girl]

Hi, Tracey!
First, love love love the chairs. Of course, I also love the chairs in their unfinished state .... but can hardly wait to see the rest transformed.
Thinking about the boycott of shopping and donating .... a friend and I should HAVE a garage sale (with reasonable prices) .... soon!
Have a super day and please recall this hot weather. PDX is NOT made for 100 degree weather!
Betty :)

[Vicki]

Ok, If everyone who commented yesterday would now boycott...
Let's do it! Maybe we can make a difference on how the *ladies in back on crack* price their goodies next year (o:
And good luck with all the yard sales. I'll be doing that through the summer also.
Have fun with the chairs, you do such a great job with them.

[Karen]

The ones I also feel bad for are the employees of g-will! They don't get paid much, and take the brunt for the rich guy behind the curtain. We know a place near us called "God's House" where my daughter takes stuff that is GIVEN away to the needy.
I was taking some stuff to G-Will one afternoon, and the guy was separating things, and told another guy to put something in with the ebay stuff! I guess I was naive to think we all get a chance for good deals at g-will. Now I've got to read the other comments from yesterday lol.

[red.neck Chic]

I'm with you on the boycott as well!!! I was "skeert" I was alone...it's nice to know I'm not the only one on a junker's budget! :-)

Those chairs are to die for!!! If you find a 12-step program, could I please pull up a chair at that meeting?

[Christine]

Boycott it is!
No donating...
No buying...

Look out garage sale'rs

[Christy]

Such a timely post! I missed yesterdays rant, but I was at the ol'G dub this weekend (in phx) & I was like sheesh, these prices are ridiculous! I did end up with a decent headboard/footboard combo for $18 + my 20% off coupon (to make a bench) & a couple other small items, but i would have purchased a heck of a lot more had the prices not been so ridiculous! Couldn't even justify the purchase with my 20% discount (for donating to GW). I refuse to pay retail or close to it for a used not mint item & that is what they are asking for stuff.

[Pam]

I am a chair nut too. You can never have too many, plus, you actually have a use for all those chairs. I just read your last post. My hubs and I were beginning to wonder if Goodwill now thinks they are an antique shop. Come on people. This is supposed to be quick sale for charity, not a retail shop!

[Amber]

The curvy cream chair looks so cozy I want to grab a book and curl up in it!

[Sue @ Serendipity]

I'm back to read some more comments and I wanted to point out something interesting. Perhaps Goodwill isn't exactly the charitable organization we envision hearing the word charity.

http://www.epinions.com/content_5082488964

I realize this is an opinion but it appears to be based on facts and the person references their sources. You might want to check them also.

And, as I mentioned to Tracy yesterday, Goodwill Industries of the Columbia Willamette proclaims themselves to be the biggest and most profitable of all the Goodwill regions right in the middle of this link:

http://www.meetgoodwill.org/news/2009/5/19/138-times-are-good-for-goodwill?

And they apparently pay their CEO just a little too well:

http://www.doj.state.or.us/releases/pdf/gicwauditfinal.pdf

I remember hearing that his salary was reduced a bit, probably since that document was issued.

Just food for thought.......

[martha]

hi! just found you a couple days ago, and you've already inspired me! i was looking for something to make my business sign about, and loved your twin headboard idea!

so, i went out this weekend to goodwill and found one for only $3!!! i was literally giddy. guess the high prices haven't made it out to michigan yet. keep up the good work!

martha :)

[Lisa]

You just made my week for I have spent the last couple months roaming our fair city and thinking I had just gotten old and cheap! Well, I am but still. I have refused to enter Goodwill here since April due to the exact thing. I occasionally pop in Savers if I am around, but frankly some of theirs are headed up as well.

I love your transformations, keep them coming. Wait, that makes me codependant now doesn't it, sorry....

[JillS]

I apologize for being a little late to this conversation... just a quick two cents.

There are thrift stores and then there are resale stores (and still above that there are consignment stores). I completely understand where you're coming from on the THRIFT store thing... $14.95 for a dented unusable tray is ridiculous.

But I want to put in a good word for RESALE stores. My chapter of the Junior League has been running a RESALE store for 30 years and people are always giddy about the deal they are getting.

What is the distinction? A RESALE store features higher quality merchandise that has been carefully scrutinized by the store staff. Designer brands barely and even occasionally NEVER worn... beautiful children's clothing... handbags and shoes (I once bought a pair of the most comfy, never worn pink mules for $7!)

Items that aren't up to "snuff" are donated to other organizations (not GW or SA) that provide for the emergency needs of those in our community.

We're very proud of our shop. In it's 30 years it's contributed more than 5 Million dollars back to our community through the training of volunteers, direct support of other non profits through staffed projects and community grants.