Thrift City A True Bargain Hunter Lets The Rest Of Us In On The Best Of Spokane’s Ample Supply Of Thrift Stores

I am in paradise. I am surrounded by ski boots, bowling balls, auto parts, hardware, clothes, children’s toys, building supplies, bicycles, vacuum cleaners, car radios, kitchen appliances, beds, blankets … and much, much more.

It’s in bags. It’s on shelves. It’s piled on the floor, crammed into cupboards, stacked on racks. Much of it is outdoors.

Some of it is almost new. Some of it is junk. All of it is cheap.

I am in the St. Vincent de Paul outlet shop, across a dusty parking lot from the charity’s main store on East Trent. I am wondering how I could have lived here for almost a decade without knowing about this place.

To be in Spokane without visiting this massive collection of society’s flotsam and jetsam is like being in Rome and not visiting the Sistine Chapel.

Criticize this city, if you must, for provincial attitudes, juvenile politicians, bad streets and worse drivers. But when it comes to secondhand stores, Spokane is major league all the way. Whether you like to shop at a place with clean, bright, organized aisles, or prefer poking through dusty boxes in gloomy back rooms, you’ll find it here.

So today, I’m sharing my favorite stores - well, most of them - along a 22-mile loop tour that you can cover in an afternoon or string out over a weekend. Some stores are run by charitable organizations, like Goodwill and St. Vincent de Paul. Some are consignment stores. Some are very much intended to make a profit. But all of them have bargains.

I made this trip with friend and fellow writer Merri Lou Dobler, first so she could complain about my driving (so I wouldn’t miss my wife), and second because she’s a power shopper who understands clothes - something that is not my specialty, as I am frequently told.

Here goes:

Begin your tour in downtown Spokane at West 46th Third (this is both the name of the store and its address). A relative newcomer, this compact place is mostly stuff from buildings that have been demolished by a salvage contractor. It’s an interesting mix.

Commercial restaurant equipment is piled next to dolls, stuffed toys, collectibles like old spice bottles, and crystal. The store is open only Thursday, Friday and Saturday and has no phone; there’s also a sister store with similar items at West 20 Main.

Best deals: a crank-style Victrola record player for $30; life-size dolls for $20 (though Merri Lou dickered the price on one down to $15, then bought it, blowing almost her entire trip budget at the first store - not a good tactic). By the way, all these best buys are likely to have sold by the time you get there; if not, please send me a finder’s fee.

Merri Lou comment: “It wasn’t old used stuff; it was unique collector’s stuff.”

Then head for the Goodwill store at 202 E. Third, making a pit stop at Dick’s on the way, if necessary.

It’s the best of Goodwill’s stores in Spokane, with the most merchandise. Its prices are on the higher side, especially for kitchen appliances and some electronics (used phones are usually $15; you can buy a new phone at a discount store for $10), but it’s clean, well-organized and has excellent turnover, meaning you’ll find different merchandise every time you shop.

There’s always a good selection of stereos, color TVs and VCRs, though they have only a three-day warranty. Very good furniture selection, though it’s rare to find collectible pieces. Excellent selection of sporting goods, from bike helmets to outdoor toys. Hawaiian shirts not a bad buy at $4.99, and a nice shoe department with men’s shoes at $4.99.

It also has a separate “boutique” section with better women’s clothes.

Merri Lou comment: “Women’s clothing racks were full of not just seasonal clothes but an assortment of cooler weather stuff, too. Lots of computers, couches, toys. Displayed wedding dresses caught my eye. The lower-range price was $29 for a dress; a hand-beaded wedding dress cost $99. Regular dresses were $2.99 and $3.99, skirts were $3.99, shorts ranged from $2.99-$3.99, suits were $6.99. Good selection of clothes.”

Best deal: women’s full-size 10-speed bike for $9.99.

Now, keep driving east on Third, cross under Interstate 90, and take the Hamilton Street bridge over the Spokane River (noting the sign for Brown Building Materials, located under the bridge at 111 N. Erie and home of acres of used building materials, but - unfortunately - not on today’s tour), and go right on Trent.

There you’ll find our third stop, St. Vincent de Paul, 2901 E. Trent.

Its main store is similar to Goodwill’s, with a broad selection (and some new goods, too). Consider shopping here for kitchen appliances. I saw electric kettles for $2.98, lots of popcorn poppers for $3.98 and a classic chrome electric coffee percolator for $3.98 (please don’t buy this, since I want to go back and get it). This store also has major appliances (washers and dryers from $40) with warranties up to 30 days.

Best deal: a new Honeywell thermostat carrying a $29.99 price tag from the late, great Pay ‘n Pak chain, for $6.98.

Merri Lou comment: “Used clothes and a variety of new knickknacks, and ‘seconds’ (such as cleaners, panty hose, socks, hair brushes, women’s briefs). Chairs galore, plaid couches, records, books. New adult shirts for $12.99. A row of vintage clothes.”

Then walk across the parking lot to the sprawling “as is” store. It’s an amazing collection.

Virtually anything you could buy in a clothing store, discount store or hardware store, you’re likely to find here - if you’re willing to look long enough. There’s a vague organization - an entire roomful of vacuum cleaners and parts, for example - but it’s mostly a matter of digging (in fact, I’d recommend this place as an excellent rainy-Saturday retreat).

None of the items have price tags; you take your loot to the cashier, who eyeballs it and gives you a figure, which is dickerable.

Best buys: practically anything. We saw a man buy a metal cart for $1 (original asking price: $2). We saw a girl dicker down a very used toy to free. On Saturdays, clothing in bins is 10 cents an item; otherwise it’s 50 cents apiece.

Merri Lou comment: “A packed treasure box. No prices, but a staff willing to sell it to you for next to nothing.”

If you’re ready to drive there in your car RIGHT NOW to BUY, BUY, BUY sorry, but you’ll have to wait. St. Vincent’s is closed Sunday, as are many other secondhand stores.

Next stop is Hillyard (from St. Vincent’s, keep heading east on Trent, then north at the traffic light on Freya, which becomes Market; you’ll know you’re there when you’re there). I usually park in the middle of the Hillyard business district, then stroll around, enjoying the heady aroma of unfettered exhaust fumes.

It turns out that Merri Lou, incredibly, has never been shopping here, raising serious questions about her credibility as a power shopper, but it’s too late in the game to find another partner.

First stop: Hillyard Variety Consignment Store, 5009 N. Market.

One of the best, if not the best, collections of memorabilia in Spokane. Extremely reasonable prices. Lots of Americana, plus old appliances, toys, etc. An old shortwave radio, with all controls labeled in German, for $47 (but dicker, since it doesn’t work, though it does light up).

Merri Lou comment: “This was my fun store; I ooh-ed and ah-ed over everything. The kitchen items were all draws; I almost picked up a picnic basket and some kitchen supplies; an antique aluminum spatula with floral decoration ($7.50) would have been my choice. Bright, enticing displays, fun, fun, fun.”

Best deals: chrome deco Soda King seltzer maker for $9.50. IBM Selectric typewriter, as is, for $5.

Aunt Bea’s Attic, 5019 N. Market. Mostly used and antique furniture in nice condition at reasonable prices. A good range of old tools and antique sewing machines.

(On any given day of secondhand shopping, you’ll find certain items in abundance at a variety of stores, for no particular reason. But if you wait a couple of weeks, you won’t find them anywhere. On this trip, there was a rash of antique sewing machines and old typewriters.)

Merri Lou comment: “Aunt Bea’s was enjoyable and nicely laid out … although I found antique sewing machines in many other Hillyard stores, I liked the presentation here. Lots to look at.”

Best deal: men’s Schwinn 10-speed bike, with generator light, speedometer and rear rack, for $20.

Family Treasures, 5220 N. Market. Lots of toys and strollers, plus kid furniture, and a decent memorabilia selection.

Merri Lou comment: “If you’re looking for baby-room furniture, this store is for you. Cribs and mattresses in excellent shape. In the second room, the two guitars were of interest but were higher priced ($50 to $65) than I would have paid. Rows of boots and 3-inch-high horses were all admired while country music was piped in to the store.”

B&B Junk Co., 5002 N Market. This store was almost disqualified for its self-description - “an antiques mall” - and its prices are higher, but it’s still worth poking around in. Probably the best selection of antique radios in Hillyard, beginning at around $30.

Merri Lou comment: “A cherry rocker was $250, in good shape. Old radios, pianos, accordions were for sale. A tapestry jewelry box was $25. Downstairs, a Red Wing two-gallon crock was advertised for $70. It’s all so interesting.”

Best deal: An old-time quack healing machine, the “Elco Violet Ray,” for about $65.

Collectors Antique Mall, 5201 N. Market, This really should have been disqualified, since prices are definitely not at thrift-store levels, but I always like poking around here. Mostly furniture, jewelry and memorabilia.

Merri Lou comment: “I wish I was a jewelry aficionado. The glass display cases held collections I greatly admired. I liked an agate necklace but didn’t have $48, although now I wish I’d looked closer at it. A doll dresser was $38. The classical music in the background was soothing. Nice stuff.”

Best deal: A Ricoh 35mm rangefinder camera, in a leather case, with on old-style, fan-fold flash attachment and a clip-on selenium light meter for $38.50. A nice collectible still capable of excellent photos; I should have bought it.

That’s the end of the official Hillyard tour, but this former railroad town has many other stores and antique malls that are worth visiting, including a small St. Vincent outlet store at 3019 E. Diamond that sometimes has the unexpected (say hi to Andy the dog, too; if you’re nice, he won’t growl at you).

Hillyard is a good Saturday-afternoon excursion just by itself. Men, especially, will appreciate Ted’s Tools at 5025 N. Market (new, not cheap, but well known for good service) and the American Armored pawn shop at 4926 N. Market (used tools and lots of other stuff - but at least attempt to dicker; some prices are too high).

Hillyard used to have a row of biker bars that made shopping here, well, interesting. But most of the bars have burned down, and the place is almost genteel. There’s also a new shopping map of the district, available at most of the stores.

It’s possible to spend a lot of time in Hillyard, but we’ve got to get moving, especially if children are in tow (tell them you’ll buy them an ice cream cone).

So drive north to Francis, then west toward Maple. Along the way are a generous supply of fast-food outlets and gas stations for bathroom stops and drinks. Also en route is another Goodwill store at 1320 W. Francis, which is OK but mostly a smaller version of the main store.

Then turn right from Francis onto Maple and drive north a couple of blocks to the Northwest Christian thrift store at 6607 N. Maple (you can’t miss it). This cavernous building, which looks suspiciously like a former bowling alley, doesn’t have the volume of merchandise that its size would suggest but still features some very good deals: a four-piece waterbed frame, including headboard, for $20; fairly new Polaroid cameras at $1 and $3.

Merri Lou comment: “Merchandise very limited and disappointing. A sign says they have therapy equipment, and there are 50-percent-off red-slash items. It was a slow afternoon; one employee was talking to a man and told him, ‘Make us an offer.’ Odds and ends, spacious but sparse. An ice cream maker for $3.50, another maker that said ‘it works.’ A decent bassinet.”

Best deal: drop-in electric ranges at $16 and $28.

By now, we are seriously tired. All the crockpots without lids and the coffeemakers without carafes are starting to blend together. Merri Lou is starting to second-guess my driving; I think about offering to buy her an ice cream cone, but I’m afraid she’ll throw it at me.

So I resort to a time-honored phrase: “Only five more miles.”

And that brings us south on Ash and left on Boone to Value Village.

This thrift store at 708 W. Boone comes closest to the new-store shopping experience, with bright lights, clean floors, shopping carts and broad aisles. Organization is excellent and prices are fair. A Barbie house was $4.99; a genuine Harris Tweed men’s jacket in very good condition (not my size, unfortunately) was $24.99.

Merri Lou comment: “I ran across a friend here and also bought some unbreakable Corel bowls, glasses, a platter, and some slip-on shoes for $11 total.

“At the Special Shipments section, I liked women’s white cable-knit sweaters for $9.79, but they were all extra large. Sizes of clothes are divided, making searching easier.

“Plenty of dressing rooms, discounts on certain tagged items every day, some new items sprinkled throughout (water blasters for $2.99, Clearly Canadian bottled water for $7.50 a case). A store I’m familiar with - and I like.”

Best deal: original, collectible Kodak Instamatic camera, 49 cents.

Finally, we’re almost home, with one of my favorite stores to wrap up the trip.

The VOA Thrift Store used to be located in a hard-to-find location on Market near Francis. But that building burned down, and now it’s located in a hard-to-find (but closer, for me) location at 1010 N. Atlantic (just south of Boone and west of Division).

Some of my all-time greatest thrift store purchases have been made here (a 220-volt fan-forced heater for $8.95; a round teak elephant table with brass top for $130), so I always make a point of stopping.

Merchandise on this visit, however, wasn’t very exciting (a thrift store may be great on one visit; disappointing the next. It’s all part of the process). Still, it’s an airy, open store with lots of stuff, wellorganized, and with good prices.

I wound up buying a men’s gray sweat shirt, in very good condition, for 40 cents. (For the same price, I could have bought a Cougars sweat shirt, or splurged for 80 cents on a Rogers sweatshirt).

Merri Lou comments: “Summer dresses were $2.95 to $3.95, shorts for $2.95. Merchandise included couches, chairs, picnic tables and bicycles. No size divisions on clothes. A nice, complete crib set for $39.95.”

Best deals: A real Ronco Veg-O-Matic, in original packaging (“It slices, wedges and dices”) for $3.95. A stainless steel colander for $2.95.

Satiated by all this shopping, squinting against the bright sun after too many hours under cool fluorescents, Merri Lou and I stumble onto the sidewalk and the end of our trip, only a few blocks away from our starting point.

We could have kept going - to the modern Salvation Army store at 2020 N. Division, to the cozy American Cancer Society clothes outlet at 805 W. Garland, to the huge, oft-praised Value Village in the Valley at 13112 E. Sprague. But a serious secondhand shopper always leaves a couple of stores in reserve - something to look forward to next weekend.

Merri Lou and I are still friends and still on speaking terms, though I doubt if we’ll be shopping again together any time soon.

But I’ve already started to second-guess myself for failing to buy that classic coffee percolator at St. Vincent de Paul. And Merri Lou is planning a return trip with her kids to Hillyard.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 Color photos

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: TIPS FOR SHOPPING THE THRIFTS News to use when touring secondhand stores: Carry cash. Most such stores don’t take credit cards. Many don’t take checks. Check the returns policy. Some stores don’t accept them, period. Others offer very short guarantees (three days on kitchen appliances, for example). Don’t be afraid to dicker, but be nice. Generally, the larger, more organized stores (Value Village, Goodwill, etc.) have clearly marked prices and are unlikely to deviate from them. But even there, if an item seems unusually high priced or has a defect, don’t be afraid to point it out and ask if they’ll accept a lower price. Secondhand stores, especially small places, are transitory. They open and close like swinging doors. All the places mentioned here should be around when you visit, but there are no guarantees. Conversely, you’re likely to find some stores that aren’t mentioned. Big secondhand stores, like anchor stores at shopping malls, are magnets for customers, meaning that smaller competitors are likely to spring up nearby. Pawn shops can be excellent sources of used tools, cameras and musical instruments and jewelry. But you must know your prices; it’s definitely possible to pay more for a used item at a pawn shop than you’d pay for the same new item on sale. Accept the fact that not everything that’s used is going to be perfect. The occasional tool will quit two weeks after you bought it. The occasional dress will split its seams. The occasional clock radio will emit a curl of smoke from the back and then quit. You can save money, certainly, doing secondhand shopping. But it’s the thrill of the chase, the promise of buried treasure around the next aisle, that keeps so many shoppers coming back. Graham Vink