ToniOnThrifting

ToniOnThrifting – Thrift Shopping Made Simple

My Sister’s Place in Ansonia, CT – so much to tell and it’s all great! — August 15, 2018

My Sister’s Place in Ansonia, CT – so much to tell and it’s all great!

When I first walked in to My Sister’s Place in Ansonia, Connecticut it reminded me of just how much I love thrift shopping especially when it benefits those desperately in need. My Sister’s Place is not only a top-notch thrift store that has a GREAT selection of merchandise;  the best part is that all proceeds support BHcare’s The Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services.

There is so much to tell you about. First, the store.  All the merchandise is meticulously laid out which in itself is quite impressive. They have a wide variety of stock and it is all in size order which makes it even easier to shop and that much more enjoyable browsing. They have men, women, children’s clothing, and shoes. Also, they carry appliances, housewares, furniture, toys, and other items at more than fair prices. All merchandise is in new or nearly new condition. They carry both regular and high-end merchandise.  I did not see one item that I thought was overpriced and all pricing was in line for what the better thrift stores are charging.

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I hope that my pictures tell the story of what a great shop this is.

 

I was able to score two brand new One World tops with tags on for $12 each plus a brand spanking new Talbot’s sundress with tags on for ONLY $22 (retail tag was $129). Also, A long beige cardigan (new) for $10 and a couple other miscellaneous items, all at excellent prices. Now I don’t know about you, but we thrifters consider that a great haul!

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And you MUST check out their online store. https://supportumbrella.org/.  They have quite the selection. Never underestimate online thrift stores, there are always good surprises especially for collectors! They are on Ebay too at ebay.com/usr/mysistersplace203

And now for the fun info:

My Sister’s Place is having Flea Market Flip on October 14, 2018 where you can meet Mark DeVito, Master Craftsman from HGTV’s Flea Market Flip!

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My Sister’s Place Flea Market Flip is a fun, creative twist on recycling or upcycling similar to the HGTV show with the same name, Flea Market Flip. Proceeds from each item will be benefit The Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services. Individual participants or teams of two must purchase their flip item(s) at MSP for $50 or less by September 30. Registration forms are available at the store and must be completed at the time of purchase. No more than $50 may be spent on repurposing/upcycling the item(s). Receipts must be shown when submitting the repurposed item. The Flea Market Flip Rules are on their website at http://bhcare.org/page/29568.
October 14, 2018
11:00 am to 4:00 pm
Ansonia Armory
25 N Cliff Street
Ansonia, CT

The proceeds from My Sister’s Place go to The Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services (UCDVS) which is dedicated to increasing awareness of domestic violence and its effect on the community, empowering those victimized by providing advocacy and safe and effective services, and to working for social change to eliminate domestic violence. UCDVS provides services for victims and their children at two sites located in Ansonia and East Haven. All services offered are free of charge and confidential. Services support 170 different languages 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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PLEASE — when you are in the Ansonia area, you must stop in, I promise it will be worth it and I hope you enjoy your visit as much as I enjoyed mine. The staff is phenomenal — all volunteers and for such a worthy cause.

My Sister’s Place is located at 380 Main Street, Ansonia, CT.
Phone:
203-734-2960
Store Hours:
Mon., Tues., Wed., Thurs., Fri. & Sat – 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
Sun. – 9:00 am to 2:00 pm
Here is the website which has even more information – http://bhcare.org/page/16633

If you enjoyed this blog, please like my Facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/tonionthrifting/

Until next time, HAPPY SHOPPING!!

Fantastic Finds – Everything Old is New Again …and Worth a Look! — May 29, 2018

Fantastic Finds – Everything Old is New Again …and Worth a Look!

Everything old is new again! The old Discovery Shop in Chappaqua was good but I must say that I am enjoying its reincarnation all the more. I stepped into Fantastic Finds and it certainly lives up to its name. A 75% off Fall clothing sale was going on when I visited. I walked out with a couple of great buys; a pair of Talbot’s pants for $5 and a Tahari dress/duster for $7.50 plus a couple of other staples. But even without the sale, this is definitely one of the better upscale resale shops in the Westchester/Putnam area.  They carry men’s and women’s clothing, jewelry, scarves, handbags and other accessories. I think they have a excellent selection of brand name merchandise with some high end merchandise as well. Their Spring collection was excellent. They also carry household items such as small accent furniture, housewares, china (quite beautiful too), home décor, and musical instruments. I thoroughly enjoyed looking through the art. Actually, I had a great time browsing through the store, there was just so much to see.

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As far as pricing, I find it comparable and slightly cheaper than other UPSCALE shops that are similar to Fantastic Find.  All the merchandise is in PRISTINE condition and there are certainly gift quality selections to be found. I hope that the pictures tell a much better story of what Fantastic Finds is all about!

 

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What is wonderful is that all proceeds from sales at Fantastic Finds will benefit Support Connection, an organization that provides free, year-round breast and ovarian cancer support services. They rely on your donations to provide free programs and support services. 88¢ of every dollar donated goes directly to fund these critically needed services.

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Check out Fantastic Finds – I promise it’s worth the trip!

Fantastic Finds

400 King Street (former site of the Discovery Shop)

Chappaqua, NY

Phone:           914-238-9200

Email:             fantastic.finds@supportconnection.org

Shopping Hours:

Monday – Saturday 10 am – 4:30 pm.

Until next time,  Happy Shopping!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

August 17th is National Thrift Shopping Day — August 16, 2017

August 17th is National Thrift Shopping Day

August 17th is National Thrift Shopping Day.  Most thrift stores celebrate with  significant discounts.

Why shop at thrift stores? According to the U.S. EPA, a whopping 85% of all discarded textiles – 13 million – end up in landfills every year.  Plus textiles and decomposing clothing release methane, not to mention the dyes and chemicals in the fabrics that can saturate the soil. Let’s recycle folks, donate to local thrift shops, your local Goodwill, Salvation Army, Humane Society, local hospital or church thrift shops– there are so many GREAT charities that NEED your donations. The money that these charities raise through their thrift shops help countless others gain a better quality of life and protect out little four legged friends. I think that is one of the best reasons to donate along with reducing our carbon footprint. Plus think of all the people that are able to clothe themselves and their families at a deeply discounted price. I think it is a win-win.

I just happen to LOVE thrift shopping for so many reasons. I love helping the environment and I like trying new styles at a fraction of the cost – if I don’t like it, I just wash the clothes and donate them right back. The key to thrift shopping is patience. If you have some time and go through the racks, you would be surprised at what you can find. You can’t go to a thrift shop think I need a little black dress and expect to find one in one visit BUT if you go to the RIGHT thrift shops, you may just find one. For example, I always say if you want something formal or fancy, try City Opera and Vintage Thrift East in the 23rd St area of NYC. With these two stores, there is a good chance especially with a freshly stocked store – you can put together a great outfit. If you are in the Connecticut area, Stamford Goodwill is one of my favorites as well, their dress section is fabulous. Don’t be afraid to ask when they put out the “new” stock – it sometimes is Wednesday/Thursday in preparation for the weekend. I am also learning to create my own styles. I once found a beautiful black ankle length sequined duster and I paired it with straight legged pants and a clingy top and I received oodles of compliments and it was something that I might not have necessarily worn in prior years. It ended up being a favorite outfit for special occasions.

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Life is complicated and chaotic at times and I find when I go thrift shopping I get such enjoyment out of finding that very special addition to my wardrobe at quite the price. I find it calming and relaxing and a great way to emerge myself in something that brings me great joy.  I have also met some pretty incredible people along the way.

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I look forward to telling you about my thrift shop visits – I have visited quite a few over the summer and I can’t wait to share my findings with you.

Until next time, HAPPY SHOPPING!!!!

TonionThrifting914

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