Unless you're fortunate enough to have a navigation system in your vehicle, when checking out thrift stores in a foreign city, I recommend buying a map. This is what I did.
Then I Googled "Milwaukee Thrift Stores" and came up with a few decent articles on the second-hand situation. I plotted each thrift store on a map...
...then did my best to verify that they still existed and what their hours were. I wrote the names and addresses down in a small corner of the map for my reference.
To begin my excursion, I chose three sure-fire stores: The Value Village on North, The Value Village on Layton, and the American Council of the Blind Thrift Store on Greenfield.
I'm going to look for books. But finding decent resalable books at thrift stores can be hit-or-miss. So whenever I explore new wonderlands of used goods I try to keep in mind one or two other things to look for, just so I don't get devastated and bored. On this particular day I decide to look for scary vintage Christmas decorations (you know, the elves that "just don't look right"), and, because Jem and I just bought tickets to see the Chicago Bears on December 30th, some warm Bears gear (sweatshirt, scarves, hats, coats).
I also recommend hitting up the ATM before you start, since most thrift stores are cash only.
My map skills are a little rusty starting out and I have to ask for directions at a local hotel, but I eventually worm my way out of the downtown area and make it to the Value Village on Layton.
This is a larger store in a strip mall with lots on offer, from Christmas decorations and furniture to clothing, books, jewelry and records, everything you'd expect to find in a decent thrift store and nicely organized.
Check out this awesome vintage skyline painting in the furniture section (price unknown):
Although it is here that I begin to realize I may have trouble finding Bears gear.
Then I see a blue and orange scarf out of the corner of my eye. Joy!
But it turns out to say, "Feathers" and not Bears. Is this some kind of joke?
The same thing happens when I spy a blue and orange sweatshirt:
With no Bears gear, only "happy" looking Christmas ornaments and not a resalable book to speak of in the entire store, I climb back into my vehicle, feeling slightly defeated, but not ready to give up.
On to the American Council of the Blind.
This is another large thrift store in strip mall with lots of things for the picking. They had an excellent selection of Christmas decorations, but once again, everything was happy and 1980's-looking.
About the "scariest" decoration I found was this:
Of course, there *was* the original Jesus nightlight:
What a find! And there *was* a scary decoration, albeit a St. Patrick's Day decoration.
This thrift store did have one thing that Chicago thrift stores are surprisingly lacking in: the greeting card rack.
This is a great place to find funny, vintage greeting cards, and yet I never see them here at home. I spent a while here searching for funny greeting cards, but none really caught my eye.
I didn't have much luck in the Bears department, either.
I'm beginning to think I'm definitely in Packers Territory. Not only was there no Bears gear, I couldn't find any gear from ANY other NFL Team, or NBA team, or baseball team, or anything. Except Badgers. Sheesh.
I did have some luck this books at this store. I found three or four titles that were worth $15-30 each and buy-one-get-one-free at 90-cents. What a steal!
And in case anyone wants some new grotesque Barbie photos, I snapped a few here:
Driving back north to the Value Village on North Ave., I became absolutely convinced I wouldn't find any Chicago Bears stuff. Even the signs here are in Packers colors.
The Value Village on North is a little smaller up-top, but it has a basement FILLED with furniture, sleds and bikes.
Everything was negotiable and cheap. Check out this awesome lampshade:
And a nice vintage dining set for $60 included six chairs and a retro Formica table.
Awesome retro wooden table lamp:
Upstairs I once again found my favorite die-hard alarm clock, the Sony Dream Machine:
Too expensive at 6 dollars!
There was another item in electronics that caught my eye, as it was nearly illuminating the entire store...
But what's this? A Bears shirt?
Guess again!
No Bears gear at this outlet for sure.
But there was some pretty cool vintage fabric.
And, although they weren't scary, I found some awesome Christmas decorations.
They were pretty quality: probably why these reindeer were priced at $30!
I did find two resalable books here, and finally, I found the one piece of NFL gear that wasn't related to the packers. A baby bib, hanging in a dingy, dimly-lit corner at the back of the store...
Better luck next time!
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