Prev | Next | Contents

7.0 INTERVIEWS ABOUT CLOTHING; DISCOUNT CLOTHES AND CLOTHING.

7.0.1 INTERVIEW #1, THRIFT STORE FATHER

I interviewed Edward Kenlan of North Carolina who has bought clothes and furniture for his large family at thrift stores for over forty years.

He likes to visit as many stores as he can on a Saturday. He's scouted out his favorite stores within 50 miles of home and he visits them all about once a month. He said that most stores have alcoves where you can try on clothes. However, don't count on it.

For the very best deals he recommends that you get to a thrift store early in the morning, especially the day after a delivery truck has arrived.

While he used to buy a lot of furniture, he now concentrates on clothes, books and knickknacks.

Here is a list of typical prices for men's clothes at thrift stores and what the new price would be.

ITEM        THRIFT PRICE    NEW PRICE
=====================================
Shirt           $1-$3         $18-$20
Trousers        $2-$5         $18-$30
Shoes           $2-$8        $60-$100
Suits(2 piece) $5-$14       $100-$250
Jackets            $5        $80-$100
Belts       $.25-$.50          $3-$10
Overcoats      $8-$12       $100-$250

He pointed out, that like any store, a thrift store has to move merchandise that isn't selling. Look for clothes, furniture and other items with colored labels indicating a markdown usually of 50%. If these discounted clothes don't sell, they may be marked down one more time.

A favorite spot of his is the "odds and ends table" where non-matching glasses, cups, plates, saucers go for about 5 cents apiece.

Better quality dishes can go for 15-35 cents apiece and a matching set of eight glasses for $2.

If the store has too much merchandise, it may have a sale on better quality china for 5-10 cents each.

He always checks the books. He finds popular books, bestsellers and children's books.

Prev | Next | Contents