Final Score

[Zed Simon]

Y'have one of those stores you just keep going to but you don't know why? They haven't had anything good in months but you're compelled to go anyway?

Well, sometimes it pays off. My Salvation Army is that store. Lately there's been a whole lot o' nothin' there. Although today, there was a stack of LaserDiscs on the counter. I didn't get to go through them since it's new year's and they closed at 4 (4? Really?). Besides, I had a more pressing issue: I had to buy this: a Sony VCR/DVD recorder.

You have to really look to see that it's been used. The remote and manual were in a bag taped on top, and the remote even has batteries!

Looks pretty well loaded with features: HDMI output, optical out for audio...says it'll even upscale VHS to 1080, although I'd be skeptical about the quality. There's no tuner, and that apparently got it some bad reviews. I won't be using a tuner, so it shouldn't be an issue...especially for the $35 I spent on it. We'll see if that last buy of the year is a good one.

[valleythriftshopper]

Nice score on the recorder, hope it works well for you. 
I still stop into the Sal Army down the street even though it is lame for the most part.  It goes through the same cycle again and again: Old manager gets fired and most of the crew leaves, new manager & crew take over, lots of good stuff to be found at first, then employees start taking all the good stuff for themselves and store once again is full of overpriced junk.  Some good clothes, but mostly a waste of time.  If anyone from Western MA reads the forum here I would love to know what other people think about the Greenfield Salvation Army. 

The food bank thrift in Turners Falls that was once so good has now also fallen prey to picker employees, not so much there, but I still stop daily.

[FleaQueen]

There's a thrift store like that out in the burbs.  I find myself there maybe three or four times a year, and there's never ANYTHING I want to buy.

Except this last time, back in October, when I found

a 1950's men's smoking jacket/robe. $8

THREE Wizard of Oz books from the early 1920's. $5 each

A beautiful painting.  $2

And a first edition of To Kill a Mockingbird. $2

www.fullservicebohemian.blogspot.com

[Big Daddy Audio]

Nice score, Zed.  That sounds like a very useful machine.

[Zed Simon]

I sure hope the copy-protection doesn't kick in when I try to dub all those Rock Video Monthly tapes. Maybe if I dub them to Beta first...

[brianrhc]

Zed, I know what you mean, haven't found anything worthwhile in months except a pic frame. FleaQueen, those Oz editions have the really nice original (I think) illustrations. As to staff picking over donations, new sign at one of my local GWs states they don't allow that. Nice to know, assuming it's true, but GW seems to be to TSs as McDonald's is to burgers, so they seldom have great weird stuff anyway.

[valleythriftshopper]

I have been really bummed out by the lack of offerings at the local food bank thrift and even stopped going there daily, but Saturday I scored a Martz Marshall pottery lamp for 5 bucks.  I found one of these lamps back in the summer at a yard sale also so luckily I spotted the signature walnut finial on this latest lamp and didn't pass it by.  Also today I got two sterling bracelets and a book for $1.10, maybe things are looking up!

[subversivegrrl]

...And a first edition of To Kill a Mockingbird. $2

With dust jacket?  If it's the real deal and in good condition, that's a huge, huge find.  Like a multiple-thousand dollar find.