weekend sale circuit: jan. 24-26

Posted on January 24, 2014 by highplainsthrifter

Happy Friday, everybody! There are a more than a few solid second-hand sales happening around town this weekend, so I figured I’d put together a quick round-up for you.

♥ Blacklist Vintage Liquidation Sale: Boy am I bummed Blacklist Vintage is closing. The only silver lining of the shop’s closing I can see has to be the liquidation sale, which kicks off tomorrow at noon. The event, advertised as stretching for weeks, will feature progressive discounts, $5 bins for digging and loads of treasures.

♥ Dress for Success Clothing Sale: Fans of deals and shopping for a cause should make time to visit Dress for Success’ annual fundraiser. Open to the public tomorrow only, this sale boasts big-name brands (Calvin Klein, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Michael Kors, etc.) with all proceeds going to Dress for Success’ very worthy work.

♥ Winter Clothing Sale at Hope Chest: Today through Sunday, all winter clothing is 50% off, including sweaters, jeans, boots, tops, coats, furs, scarves and hats. There’s still a lot of winter left, so if you need a little mid-season pick-me-up, why not pay less for it?

♥ White Sale at New to You Thriftique: For the first time ever, the folks at New to You are having a linen sale, and all pillow cases, tablecloths, napkins, place mats, sheets, towels, bedspreads and the like will be half-off. Tempting right? (Sale runs through January 31st, btw.)

xo,

Meghan

heads up: “take a chance” sale at empty the nest

Posted on January 18, 2014 by highplainsthrifter

Though my overall sense of hand-eye coordination leaves something to be desired, I’m freakishly decent at darts. Which may explain why I’m so excited about Empty the Nest‘s “Take a Chance” sale. Happening tomorrow between noon and 4 p.m., customers have the chance to lob a dart at the board, with the number hit being the percentage they’ll save. Doubles and triples don’t apply, but still, what a tempting prospect, even for the non-darters in the world!

I personally have my eye on this rattan coffee table they posted on Facebook, though I’m pretty sure my boyfriend would kill me if I brought one more piece of furniture into this house. As you know from my past posts on Empty the Nest (here, here, and here), you never know what treasures await in their fully-loaded showroom.

If you pay them a visit tomorrow, I wish you nothing but bulls-eyes!

xoxo,

Meghan

Photo c/o of: Holllyhocks and Tulips

heads up: christmas clearance sales

Posted on December 18, 2013 by highplainsthrifter

Ready for a quick game of good-news, bad-news? The bad news: Christmas is officially one week away and I still haven’t finished decorating. (Oops!) The good news? Almost all of our local thrift stores are having massive Christmas clearance sales this week! So whether you’re on the hunt for more cookie tins, hostess presents, gift-wrapping supplies or that perfect finishing touch to your holiday decorating scheme, here are the places to hit for a heck of a deal.

Thrift stores offering 75% savings on all Christmas merchandise:
Bethesda Thrift Shop,now through December 23rd.
New to You Thriftique, now through December 21st.

Thrift stores offering 50% savings on all Christmas merchandise:
ARC’s Value Village Stores
Unique, today through Thursday, December 26th.
Bibles for Missions Thrift Center, now through December 21st.
Savers, now through Thursday, December 26th. (Excludes red tags!)
Salvation Army Thrift Stores, now through December 24th.
Hidden Treasures Thrift Store, now through December 21st.

Thrift stores offering 25% savings on all Christmas merchandise:
Steeple People Thrift Store, including all items in their sweet new holiday expansion!

Happy (holiday) shopping!!

xo,

Meghan

Photo c/o: La Dulzura

heads up: black friday thrift-store sales

Posted on November 28, 2013 by highplainsthrifter

Truth be told, I’m not big into Black Friday. Yes, I love me some bargains, but I also love me some sleep, especially on a rare Friday off. And the thought of getting up at the crack of dawn to bust down the doors of some mega-chain store? Not appealing in the least. But since a fair amount of thrifts have hopped on the Black Friday bandwagon, I feel it my duty to tell you what’s the haps in case you’re out and about shopping on Friday and are looking to save some moola.

Salvation Army Family Thrift Stores
Enjoy 50% savings on clothing at all Twin Cities and Saint Cloud stores. Keep an ear out for special deals like half-off books, housewares, etc. announced every hour on the hour. Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Savers
Super Savers Club members will save 30% on all used merchandise. Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Second Début Pick a black licorice you’ll get 15% off your entire purchase, while a draw of red licorice gets you 10 percent savings. Sweet! Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Unique
VIP Unique card holders take 30% off all used merchandise at all six Twin Cities locations. (More info on Unique’s VIP program is right this way!) Hours: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Hidden Treasures Thrift Store
Take 40% off EVERYTHING in the store, including Christmas merchandise and furniture! Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

ARC’s Value Village Stores
All items with a green tag will be 50% off. Be sure to check out the Merry Thriftmas boutique while you’re there! Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Hope Chest for Breast Cancer Stores
Early birds arriving between 10 a.m. and noon will get a big ole’ 50% discount on their entire purchase!

Have fun shopping!

xoxo,

Meghan

Photo: source

heads up: weekend linen sale

Posted on June 13, 2013 by highplainsthrifter

To say I’m linen-obsessed is an understatement if ever there was one. So you can imagine my delight when I heard ~~the downtown-Minneapolis~~ four metro-area Salvation Army stores (downtown, Bloomington, Burnsville and Fridley) are having a 25%-off linen sale tomorrow and Saturday. Unfortunately for us vintage-linen lovers, only fabrics in the new-goods basement will be on sale at the downtown store; at the other three locations, linens both old and new will be discounted. I’m planning on swinging by Friday in hopes of picking up a tablecloth and some napkins to polka dot.

For a list of store locations, hours and contact info, click here.

Happy hunting!

xo,

Meghan

heads up: 100-mile garage sale

Posted on May 1, 2013 by highplainsthrifter

Today was confusing. It started with an emotional airport goodbye. Followed by a trip to Menards for bathroom lighting that ended with me buying two door mats with daisies on them and a three-pound bag of Red Vines. And then, when I took my lunch break, on this first day of MAY, flakes of SNOW pelted me IN THE FACE.

Like I said, weird.

But I’m not letting it get to me. Because May in Minnesota = the start of rummage-sale season, aka my favorite time of the year (second only to Christmas, of course). Topping my list of May sales to hit is the 100-Mile Garage Sale, a three-day bargain-hunting extravaganza that stretches all the way from Winona to Red Wing. Thousands of individuals, businesses and even entire TOWNS clear out their basements, garages and attics to participate in this event. Not sure where to start? Just head down to beautiful bluff country and look for the flags, balloons and signs along Highway 61 on the Minnesota side (35 on the Wisconsin side) and get to spending. Here’s a map to make it easy—click on any of the markers to see more info (hours, addresses, featured goodies, etc.) on specific sales. You can also search the listings here, in case you’re on the hunt for something(s) in particular. Helpful, huh? I can’t wait to check it out!

Are there any big rummage sales you’re looking forward to this spring? Big or small, I’d love to know which ones are on your must-hit list!

xoxo,

Meghan

Image c/o: We Heart It

heads up: empty the nest’s music + jewelry sale

Posted on April 27, 2013 by highplainsthrifter

There aren’t many things that can entice me to slog through rush-hour traffic more than I have to (twice a day). But when I got a sale alert on Thursday from Empty the Nest with the subject line “Turn Up the Music, Bring on the Bling,” I kind of had to see what it was about, even if it meant more time on the road.

If you haven’t been, Empty the Nest’s warehouse is a big, two-room, packed labyrinth of stuff, meaning, it takes time to wind your way through. Starting in the front, I worked through the shelves of china, around the game and book section, and back towards the racks and stacks of records, passing by loads of great furniture (highboys, side table sets, ottomans, dining sets, cradles, etc.) and lamps.

As part of this music-themed event, Empty the Nest put roughly 800 LPs out for sale, priced at $1 a piece. In addition to records, they also have some funky instruments, stereo systems and sheet music, all priced to move. I took home a chunk of records (18, to be exact), but left a lot of great ones behind.

A sampling of what I bought…

The other focus of this weekend’s event is costume jewelry, which they had quite a bit of, including clip-on earrings, brooches, necklaces and scarf, sweater and money clips from the ’50s through present-day. From the promo email, I was expecting tons more jewelry to pick through, but I do have a hunch that more stock will be out today and tomorrow. On the plus side, prices on the jewelry were great, with most pieces running around $2.

Open today and tomorrow from 9 to 4 p.m., I would say this is definitely a sale worth checking out. Directions to their showroom, located right off 35W in Burnsville, are here. While you’re in the area, here are some other thrifts you might want to check out.

I hope you have lovely weekends!

xo,

Meghan

heads up: goodwill’s bridal showcase

Posted on February 21, 2013 by highplainsthrifter

On Monday afternoon, I met up with a betrothed blog reader, Sarah, to preview Goodwill MN’s Wedding Showcase. We spent a super fun couple of hours, perusig rack after rack after rack packed with gorgeous gowns—600 in all, in sizes 4 to 28. At first, I erronously assumed that the dresses at this annual event were donated gowns, collected throughout the year, but that is so not the case! Goodwill actually solicits donations from local bridal boutiques and superstores, netting an impressive stash of brand-new gowns, supplemented only in part by once-worn dresses and floor samples. (Bad news for us vintage lovers, but great news for the “regular” population!) A whopping 90 percent of the dresses are priced under $299, including never-been-worn design gowns!

Not only do dresses range in size, but they have a huge array of styles as well. Strapless. Sequined. Beaded. Pleated. Silk. Satin. Princess. Modern. (Some) Vintage. Seriously, if you’re looking for a wedding dress, there will be something for you at this sale. Equally impressive was the stash of bridesmaids (hello prom!), mother-of-the-bride, flower girl (also great for First Communion!) dresses, also available in a rainbow of colors, styles and sizes. Brides looking to get “jacked up” can pick through veils and lacey boleros; there are heaps of slips and crinolines too!

Here are some pro tips, as shared by the event’s Coordinator, Alyson Coleman!

♥ Come early! More than 700 ladies came through the door last year and lines started forming at 8!
♥ For modesty’s sake, wear undies, a bathing suit or bring a slip. Changing rooms, decked out with on-site seamstresses, pedestals and mirrors, are of the group variety.
♥ Be decisive. Dresses purchased at the sale cannot be returned, so come ready to make some hard choices. (Or do as one shopper did last year and buy three dresses!)

High Plains reader Sarah, on the hunt for a non-poufy, sleek and comfortable gown for her July farm wedding, found an entire rack’s worth of dresses to try on (including two gorgeous Vera Wang silk beautifies!), with this beautiful handmade, lace-y 1970s number being the crowd favorite.

Pretty darn cute, right?

Here are the deets!

Goodwill’s Bridal Showcase
When: Saturday, February 23, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: 553 Fairview Ave. N., Saint Paul
Are dress previews available? You betcha!
Are credit cards accepted? Yep!

xoxo,

Meghan

heads up: big winter sale at hidden treasures thrift store

Posted on January 22, 2013 by highplainsthrifter

Hey snowflakes! If you’re anywhere else but Minneapolis this week, well done. It’s frigid here. Like negative-something-or-other frigid. In an attempt to soften the blow of the deep freeze we’re in the midst of, Hidden Treasures Thrift Store if offering a 50 percent discount on all clothing, outerwear, shoes, boots, hats, scarves, gloves and mittens now through January 26th. This little thrift that could is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. tomorrow through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday meaning there’s plenty of time to scoop up some spectacularly priced goods! (Read my review of Hidden Treasures Thrift Store here.)

Stay warm y’all!

xo,

Meghan

P.S. The image above, showing Italian movie starlet Virna Lisi making snowballs in a gorgeous leopard-printed coat in 1967, was found here.

heads up: MLK day sales

Posted on January 20, 2013 by highplainsthrifter

{source}

For those of you lucky enough to have tomorrow off of work, let me just say…I am so jealous. Not only could my sick little self use one more day of do-nothingness, there are also amazing deals to be had at the thrifts. Here’s a quick round-up for you!

Savers
Tomorrow, take 50 percent off clothing, shoes, accessories, etc. Hours of operation? 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Unique and Valu Thrifts
Enjoy 50 percent off your entire purchase (excluding new merchandise) at all the area Uniques (and the always-awesome Valu Thrift) tomorrow.

Salvation Army Thrift Stores
Nothing fussy at good ole Sal Val, just half-off all clothing at the downtown Minneapolis location. (Exercise equipment will also be discounted 20 percent!)

ARC’s Value Village Thrift Stores
In honor of the holiday, Value Village is offering shoppers 50 percent savings on everything in-store (except items with orange and white tags). All locations will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Have fun shopping!

xo,

Meghan