I know I have an affliction - an obsession, really. My heartbeat quickens, my palms begin to sweat and I feel anxious as I search for a parking spot in front of my favourite thrift store. I see a car parking, loaded with women. I begin to panic just a little as they rush towards the doors. As I enter, all of my senses sharpen, and the slight ringing in my ear is deafened by the rhythmic rattle of my shopping cart’s wonky wheel.
GOODWILL hunting
Words by JACQUI CHAISSON
I’ve been a serious thrifter since my early teens. Sunday afternoons would find me elbow-deep in secondhand wares at the local Frenchy’s, and as I entered my adult years my love affair with all things thrift intensified. In my 30s I operated an antique shop and my obsession became my vocation. I still find thrift shopping both relaxing and vexing. Where else can the average person go on a real- life treasure hunt?
Thrifting includes secondhand shops,
Shayna Johnston, and Aimee Power. The group was created on December 2, 2015 and now has over 4500 members. The group connects Island thrifters, allowing them to share favourite finds, search for particular items and brag enthusiastically about their latest acquisitions. “I go thrifting at least once a week,” says Belsher- MacLean, “I’ve been thrifting since I was about 10 years old. My mom is an excellent thrift shopper, and she taught me the best treasure-hunting tricks in thrift shops!”
Like all thrifters, she has her list of amazing finds. “I have so many, but my top three favourite finds are a vintage 1960s brass-and-glass bar cart for five dollars, my three- piece French provincial sofa set, and Alexander Wang boots in my size and in like- new condition.” I too have my “big fish” tales, from the queen-sized Hungarian duck down duvet to the fifteen pairs of Rieker and Clark shoes and boots that line my closet shelves and the $200 Matt & Nat handbag for $4.99. At least
consignment stores, online markets and charity-based chain stores. It’s possible to thrift everything you need, with the exception of food and medical supplies. Adopting the thrifting lifestyle is good for both the environment and your budget. It’s a win-win for everyone. Savannah Belsher-MacLean is one of the four admins for the popular Facebook group, PEI Thriftspotting. The others are Katharine MacDonald,
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