Thrift Stores: Consumerist Graveyards or Working People's Salvation?

Great article in by Judith Freeman from the L.A. Times that got me thinking.

Are thrift stores a sign of our noxious consumerist culture?  Am I doing the retail version of dumpster diving?  Are we thrift fanatics inadvertently making a statement about the absurdity of an economy built on novelty and competitive envy?

I can't decide. 

For one thing, shopping at a thrift stores for me is really about shopping, nothing more.  I like thrift stores because I can perform the act of shopping more frequently with less financial detriment.  I like looking at things.  I like imagining my life reinvented by some unexpected find I discover hidden in a pile of junk on a shelf.  I like buying clothes because I don't want to be out of style.  Dressed in vintage rags as they may be, my intentions are the same as any mall rat or lady who lunches at Neiman Marcus. 

Uncomfortable thoughts.  Makes me wonder if I should be proud to be citizen of the Secondhand Nation after all.

Comments

[Anthony]

Could you all recommend a good thrift store / second hand store for household items/furniture......cool clothing? Warm regards, Anthony

[Carrie]

What's your location?

A good listing of non-profit thrifts, with reviews, can be found here:

http://www.thethriftshopper.com/

It's a great overall site, too.

[Dawn]

Cool musings. I like it.