# Local Antique Shops...Beginning preppers take notice!



## Claymore5150 (Nov 17, 2011)

We have a number of local antique stores in our area, as I'm sure a lot of areas do.

The beauty of these places, especially the larger warehouses, is that there are so many things at VERY reasonable prices. Not only that, but those prices are NOT set in stone. A lot of times they will gladly accept a reasonable offer or at least make the phone call to see if they can.

Need oil or kerosene lamps? Wash boards? Books of any kind (sometimes for .25/ea)? How about treadle sewing table or a real flexible flyer sled for the kids...for $20??

Grain mills, meat grinders, true "HAND" tools (no batteries required)...

Stuff that was built to last when it was made. I won't even say a thing about the hand made furniture that can be found at really awesome prices. BEAUTIFUL pieces, made to last generations, for less money than the fabbed up press-board stuff sold today.

Normally the folks that run the shop are LOCALS and will go out of their way to help you out, because happy customers are REPEAT customers. Looking for something they don't have? Ask. Money says if they don't have it, they know someone that does and will be happy to make that call for you. 

These folks frequent the estate sales and come away with some really nice stuff....heirloom stuff that is probably "too out of date" for today's technology minded people to give a second glance to.

It's a prepper's paradise. Get out this weekend and check out your local home-grown antiques warehouse/market(s). You'll be glad you did, plus you'll get blown away by how many items you remember from your OWN history.

:beercheer:


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## Clarice (Aug 19, 2010)

You are so right Claymore. My favorite places to shop are the junktique and antique shops. Goodwill and Salvation Army stores are also an excellent place to find affordable whatever. Never pass up an auction, flea market or yard sale. There are a lot of good finds out there.


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## Claymore5150 (Nov 17, 2011)

I picked up a heckuva nice classic Flexible Flyer sled for the kids for $20 earlier this month. Needed to be dusted off, that's all. 
Shoot, they want $20 at the chain stores for a puny foam sled or plastic dish that will fall apart the first hour they use it.

Now, if we can just get some snow so we can put it to some use, hahaha.


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## blarg (Sep 26, 2011)

I'm always amazed by appliances at antique stores. I would love to be able to buy new appliances made from decent parts that would last 40+ years like the stuff you see in antique shops.


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## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

If only this was even remotely true in my area.
Flea markets/auctions, maybe, but antique shops? Not around here. They are a total ripoff (maybe thats harsh, after all noones forcing anyone to buy anything) no matter what you are buying. I work on an antique row outside of DC for a company that used to seel antiques, now we just restore (refinish and upholster) all kinds of furniture. The antique stores around here are for the most part upscale boutique kind of shops. You would never be able to (or want to) buy anything considered worthwhile for our purposes from any of them.
An antique sewing machine with no electric parts like my mom used to have? Forget it. Around here its not sold to be used, its sold for its 'kitsch' (?) value.
I deal with the local shops all the time. Most of them dont even sell actual worthwhile stuff, just old furniture at rediculous prices to uber rich people with money to burn.
Think of that show 'American Pickers'. They buy (at least from what I've seen) mostly old junk (meaning decorative stuff, not practical stuff) to turn around and sell.

Sorry to come across so negative, thats great that yall can get good stuff for cheap, but that aint happenin around here.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

I'm in the same boat as Immolatus ... 

But I still stop and take a look, maybe one day I'll come across something worth wild.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

Immolatus said:


> If only this was even remotely true in my area.
> Flea markets/auctions, maybe, but antique shops? Not around here. They are a total ripoff (maybe thats harsh, after all noones forcing anyone to buy anything) no matter what you are buying. I work on an antique row outside of DC for a company that used to seel antiques, now we just restore (refinish and upholster) all kinds of furniture. The antique stores around here are for the most part upscale boutique kind of shops. You would never be able to (or want to) buy anything considered worthwhile for our purposes from any of them.
> An antique sewing machine with no electric parts like my mom used to have? Forget it. Around here its not sold to be used, its sold for its 'kitsch' (?) value.
> I deal with the local shops all the time. Most of them dont even sell actual worthwhile stuff, just old furniture at rediculous prices to uber rich people with money to burn.
> ...


quite a bit of that around here too... 

that's why I goto auctions, garage/estate sales, and flea markets


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## Claymore5150 (Nov 17, 2011)

Yeah, I'm sure it's different in other regions. It's probably like that closer towards the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge area about 20 mins up the road from me, too.

Shoot, we've had such an upsurge of thrift stores and flea markets around here in the towns that it's just mind boggling to me.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

The_Blob said:


> quite a bit of that around here too...
> 
> that's why I go to auctions, garage/estate sales, and flea markets


Yup. Antique stores around here want top dollar for everything. We prefer the auctions and flea markets as well. My favorite auction deal was a 1913 Winchester 97 for $100.


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## Bitterroot_Saint (Jan 24, 2012)

I frequent several local thrift stores;

My latest great finds: a cold weather flightsuit (new) 30 bucks....this thing is WARM

"an old leather ladies shoulder purse" is what the lady who runs the place calls it....but I got the last laugh.....it is a German WW2 Werhmact map case. Got it for 20 valued about 300


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## Ponce (May 3, 2009)

Here we have only a "Senior Thrieft Store" and that's all that I need, in the old days (five years ago and before) I just to buy just about anything at at a give away price.....last week I bought a pair of snowboarding boots (a boot inside of another boot) for $20.00 and brand new, I went to the WWW to check out the price.........$285.00.......and a pair of medical boots to keep you warm for $5.00.....real price? $145.00.


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

In our area the antique shops are good deals. The thrift stores aren't too bad. The flea market is awful though. Everyone thinks their stuff is treasure and it's over-priced, most of the time. Our county dump has turned up some real treasures for us, too. We've gotten two good washboards there in the last half dozen years, and countless cast iron pans, canning jars, yards and yards of fabric, etc. Just after Christmas we can pick up dozens of those pretty metal popcorn cans and cookie tins. Great for storing things, as long as you keep them dry so they won't rust.

Funny how it varies in different parts of the country.


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## baconexplosion (Jan 7, 2012)

Antique stores are cool. I love old stuff... Things aren't made like they used to be... I sound older than dirt lol


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