Sometimes I wonder if all the things that need to be manufactured have already been made. Is it really necessary for the world to have one more fork or crescent wrench?
A while back when Marty was looking for some tools to finish setting up his wood shop, he came across an ad for the Hamilton Tool Company in Beaver Falls, PA. Tools! Tools! Tools! the ad declared. New and used. So we decided to take a little day trip and check it out. Picture a really cool turn of the century three or four story (I can't remember exactly) bank with all kinds of amazing architectural features like a marble tile entry way and fancy corbels on the outside. Then picture that building STUFFED with old greasy tools. And I mean stuffed. There were tables of old circular saws and tables of old screwdrivers and rack upon rack of every kind of wrench ever made. So I wondered...does the world need any more wrenches? I think anyone that needs one can just come to PA and there is one waiting in Beaver Falls just for them. At a discount price.
We've been going to a regular Friday night auction in Mercer. If you went every week, I think eventually you would find every thing you could possibly need and a few things you might even want. I guess what I am getting at is we are always talking about green this and recycle that and then we go out shopping for all new stuff when what we are shopping for could most likely be obtained used. I have to wonder what people in third world countries would think if they knew what we threw away and rejected as not good enough. We seem to have the attitude that it's got to be brand new. There's just too much waste in this country if you ask me. I will add that while I am pointing my finger, I have to point it at myself, too. I buy new stuff all the time. But I think I get more satisfaction out of buying something at a yard sale or auction. So maybe that is my contribution to being green.
What is the best find you ever got at a yard sale or thrift shop?
Our 90+ dollar computer desk chair that Leroy paid a quarter for. All it needed was two new screws that cost less than one dollar. And we have had this chair for a few years now. Leroy is great at finding deals. Wish we could go to auctions with you!
ReplyDeleteYes, that would be fun. You should see if there are any in your area.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to check that out sometime.
ReplyDeleteSince so much of the stuff in our house is some kind of thrift store/hand-me-down type thing its hard to pick out a favorite. I was pretty excited to find a chair that went with our dining room furniture from Ben's great great grandma.
You'd really like my wife Jill. Vickie LOVES looking through those kinds of sales and LOVES when she finds a small treasure. One of the latest was this old metal card table that had legs that folded up into it. It had this sunflower design on the table top and she hung it on our living room wall like a picture and it just worked so perfectly.
ReplyDelete