thrift store come-back

When I was a teenager I took cues from my older sisters and pinpointed the top thrift stores within a 10 mile radius of my home near Phoenix, Arizona. Savers was always a good bet, Buffalo Exchange had fun but pricier merchandise, and there was the little place across the street from Adrian's, the tasty don't-look-in-the-kitchen Mexican burrito shack.

I built a good collection of clothing standards and eccentrics from my frequent trips to these stores. When I moved to Provo, Utah, for college I immediately looked up the second-hand possibilities. Unfortunately, I quickly learned that the competition here was fierce. Provo teems with bargain hunters flying the banner of "use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without." Thrift store pickings were slim. Early morning shoppers snatched up the truly gently-used items, leaving behind those items obviously given to a thrift store for a reason.

As I continued to come home empty-handed, my forays into second-hand land slowed. But after 2 years in my new diggs here, I have re-discovered the power of a good thrift store. And so I extend a warm thank you to all my neighbors who keep up with the fashion trends, never wear the same shirt twice in a month, and feel a moral tug to donate to the poor, for adding 1 pair of shorts and 4 shirts to my wardrobe for a grand total of $9.

Give them a hand, folks.