Central Florida Thrifting (Part I)
This is a guest post from our friend Veronique Conus. That’s her in that little picture over to the left. Cute, right?!
Orlando is a lot of things. Cultural hub, it is not (we’re trying to get there). Close to the beach, it is not (but still somewhat convenient for a day trip). However, land of thrifting stores? It is!
That is definitely one of my favorite things about this town: the abundance of thrift stores. And, it’s very cool, too, because there are all kinds of thrifty avenues you can explore: thrift stores, consignment shops, resell stores, and of course the ever present yard/garage/estate sales. You have to remember that Florida is not a native state. What I mean by that is that by and large, Florida is a state that is mostly comprised of people who have moved from abroad, or settled in from out of state. So there are people constantly looking to move out and move in and they all have one thing in common: getting rid of stuff!
It also has a high concentration of elderly and retired people. Now, let me tell you, going to a yard sale or estate sale here in Orlando is a major cha-ching! Old people take great care of their things and you’re bound to find some very awesome vintage treasures- from records to boardgames, flatwear, furniture, pictures frames and retro-packaged household items (like old band-aid tins!).
I got the above teal chair at a local antique and thrift furniture store called…Antique Furniture?..Hmm.. I don’t recall! Anyway, it’s in the big plaza on Semoran and Howell Branch Road, the one with the Big Lots in it. The ship painting was a $5 steal at a yard sale.
We’ve got the big names like Goodwill and the Salvation Army (which is annoyingly closed on Sundays and makes me go into a rant that can only be calmed by Chik-Fil-A…WHICH IS ALSO CLOSED ON SUNDAYS!). Err- anyway, Orlando also has its own chains, like Community Thrift Store. Community Thrift stores are part of the AMVETS program, so proceeds benefit our veterans. And, if you read my latest Veterans’ Day post, you’ll know how important that is for me!
Other chains of of thrift awesomeness are Dechoes (a more vintage, retro clothing store), Plato’s Closet (a resale shop of trendy, current wear) and Habit for Humanity ReStore (which is awesome for home-type stuff).
Habitat Stores located here. Go there and click on the $5 of $20 coupon!! The Habitat store is awesome for things like sofas, sinks, light fixtures, dressers and armoires. You can even stalk their Facebook page for current items up for grabs!
Dechoes can be pricey, but they are really careful about what they sell. Everything is in great shape and worth what you pay. They are even social media savvy and have a Facebook. Like! Like! Like!
Like what you’re heard so far? More to come! Stay tuned for Part II of this post….
