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Class and Trash Thrift Store: A Look Inside

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I have this ritual: wherever I travel to, I must find the best thrift stores or antique shops in the area.

Usually, it’s a place upon which I stumble.

But often times I ask the locals for recommendations. If anyone knows where to find the best stuff, it’s the people that live there, right?

A couple weeks ago I headed to Richmond, Virginia to present on-stage at the Richmond Home & Garden Show.

Afterward, a guy told me that I must stop by Class and Trash.

Instantly, my ears perked up, because if you’ll remember, I first discovered their sister vintage shop down at the Outer Banks in North Carolina.

They had some pretty unique stuff. I could have spent hours look at it all!

So I knew I needed to pay a visit to this Richmond-based thrift store!

Class and Trash Thrift Store – A Look Inside

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There’s something about pulling up to a thrift store and seeing lots of junk sitting outside.

I don’t know about you, but for some reason, I always feel like I’ll find the coolest stuff sitting outside. Do you ever feel like that, too? LOL

And sure enough, the first thing that catches my eye is this little twin-sized solid wood bedframe. Not that I needed a small bedframe but it would make a cool DIY bench.

There was no price on it, so I lugged it inside.

The folks working there were ready to make a deal after I told them that I’m more than likely going to be writing a review about them on this blog, just like I did when I visited their sister-store in North Carolina.

It was regularly priced for $85, but I talked them down to $50.

I was still hesitant, though. $50 isn’t a lot but more than I wanted to spend that day.

Plus, the thought of lugging another piece of furniture home that I didn’t need made me stop and re-think it.

 

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So I kept sat the bedframe down at the register, not sure if I was really going to get it or not, and kept walking around, scoping out the place.

 

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One thing that drew my eye were these iron letters. I love iron letters.

But the problem is either I never know what to spell out, or I can never find all the letters I need.

 

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I had decided T-H-R-I-F-T D-I-V-I-N-G in my garage could be pretty funky.

And you know it–they didn’t have nearly enough letters. LOL

I got stuck at T-H-R.

I guess I’ll pass on the iron letters…

Plus, at about $8-$12 for each, that could get kind of expensive.

I could cut out my own wooden letters for much cheaper.

 

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Class and Trash has a lot of these metal words, like “gather” and “junk” and “salvage” and “family.”

Their other store in North Carolina also has a bunch of them.

 

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I like them, but find them a bit pricey. I can’t recall how much they wanted for them, but more than what I wanted to pay.


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Creepy.

 

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I thought these were cool. I guess you’d say they’re propellors…? They’d make super cool wall art!

 

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Here’s a view of the store from the back, looking towards the front.

 

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I love any kind of card catalog.

 

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And these lockers were cool! Imagine painting them a bright color. Wouldn’t they look awesome?

I can’t remember the price on them, though.

 

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This wooden wardrobe was beautiful.

 

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I wouldn’t pay nearly $700 for it, though. But it’s show-stopper alright!

 

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I thought this sign was cool. This would have been a cool workshop sign!

 

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Here’s what I did end up buying, though. 🙂

This little vintage stool for my workshop.

I know….not the most exciting, but it was definitely the most useful!

I felt a little guilty for telling the shop owner/manager that I was going to buy that headboard and later changing my mind. I felt I should buy something. And so, this little stool came home with me, for $25.

Still a little more than I wanted to spend, but less than the $50 I would have spent on a headboard that I did not need.

Plus, my workshop really needed a place to sit down and easily maneuver around.


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This headboard with the caning was gorgeous! But not the size I needed.

We need a king-sized headboard.

 

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There were very few pieces being sold in this store that were already refinished. But this was one of them.

The Class and Trash store in North Carolina is made up of many pieces already finished.

This location, however, there was more raw, unfinished finds that you’d either leave original (for their value) or paint them at home yourself.

 

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This was a great piece, although I’m not sure how much it was.

The different color woods was very interesting and inspired me to think of creating something similar on an upcoming project.

 

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This is the view of the store when you first walk in.

 

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But don’t forget to go to the back right of the store!

I had no idea there was an upstairs, too!

 

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Through the doorway, the hallway was filled with old picture frames.

 

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And to my amazement, and very little time left to my trip, there was a whole floor to explore!

There were many more dressers up here.

 

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These glasses were super cute!

But I don’t bring glass into the house anymore.

In case you didn’t know:

Glass + 3 boys = disaster.

🙂

 

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I would have looked around for a bit more time, but I only had about 30 minutes before I needed to head out and back to the Richmond Home & Garden show to present onstage.

I was happy with my little stool purchase and glad I didn’t splurge $50 on a bedframe that I didn’t need.

If I am ever in the area again, I’ll definitely be back.

Plan to spend about 1 to 1.5 hours here looking around.

And just know that they’re more expensive than your typical thrift store because they’ve got quality antiques and vintage items that you’re likely not going to find elsewhere.

So bring lots of cash. 🙂

 

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24 Comments

  1. Jeanie in Jersey says:

    Hey Serena! How are you? Thanks so much for letting us all ‘go with’ you through that thrift store! I kept seeing things that I would LOVE to have so I guess it’s good that I wasn’t actually there. Save money that way! LOL But I did see many items that I haven’t seen elsewhere and that are unique, so I suppose that qualifies some items for higher prices. I loved the mid-century style cabinet in the background and just to the right of the $695- wardrobe. I loved the glass doors on the cabinet and kept thinking “That would be great for my vintage Barbie collection!”. Also, I too, love the card catalogs. And those two very old chairs with the – what appears to be – leather upholstery… Many ideas for those. I was also taken in by the wooden swan (seen in the metal basket near the entrance). It was very graceful-looking. I could go on and on about what I liked in that store….but I won’t! Lol!
    Oh -one more thing! I probably would be tempted to pick up one or two of those old metal tool boxes. I find them hard to pass up for some reason at thrift stores and flea markets, for some reason. I have some that I use to hold my craft and art supplies. Even old fishing tackle boxes! Clean them up and they are great for jewelry supplies!
    Thanks again! 🙂

  2. Lisa Seale says:

    So far in my area, I find that if the word ‘Antiques’ is added to the store sign, the prices will usually be more than I’m willing to pay. I live a thrift shop that is cheap!! Probably why I have a little too much in my junky collection!

  3. Love the pics place looks like one that would take me hours to go thru but wanted to let you in on lil secret the wall art you called propellers is actually a replica of a windmill minus the fan arm we have one here in the farm that is no longer in working order to bring the water out of the ground to water our cattle I have the fan blades and the arm (lil smaller one on my wall yes it’s awesome wall art) just wanted to fill you in FYI lol but you can buy replicas in Etsy under metal windmills

  4. That was fun “walking” through the store with you, seeing what you pointed out and why. I’m glad you found something useful and at a good price.

  5. Now you’ve done it. Road trip to Richmond!

  6. I’m digging that Sputnik hanging lamp! If you ever want to take a drive up I-83 north to York Pa I’ll show you around Refindings. Lots of different vendors under one huge roof.

  7. I do my furniture overhauling vicariously through reading your blog. It reminds me of when I did the same about 30 years ago. Mostly I’d strip and refinish the pieces I got from second hand stores. I still have several of the pieces though the dining suite I had ,had seen it’s best days. I kept the armchair which I also reupholstered the seat.
    They’ve got some really nice stuff. I really like the black milk painted sideboard with the white stenciled doors. They’ve also got some hobnail vases I like.
    I could have used that metal watering can last year when I was looking to make a yard ornament.
    The Man Cave rules cracked me up.
    The white hutch with the sign leaning against it reminds me of the one my aunt and uncle had. Theirs was white with red Bakelite handles.
    Those propellers could also be made into a clock. I counted 12 blades.
    The dressing table with the 3 sided mirror…love.
    The stool you bought reminds me of the ones at the doctor’s office when you get those really “personal exams.”
    About the drinking glasses, I have a set of Norfolk Southern Railroad designed ones. Mine are actually tumblers in white, green and gold.
    Class and Trash probably inflates its prices because they know true thrifters are going to haggle with them.
    It is fun to bump around in these types of places. I’ve gotten some of my crafting ideas and some of the materials also from shops such as these. Looking forward to that surprise project.

  8. Eva Lewis says:

    Thanks for the tour,I love thrift stores and I do spend a lot of time just looking around you can’t be in a hurry ,you may miss something.That thrift store is a little pricey though.glad you changed your mind on that bed ,you can found one cheaper,when you are thrifting you have too check the impulse buying lol.keep up the good work…and f course sharing???????

  9. Pretty nifty store. Love looking through these types of stores, you never what you will find. Richmond has a bunch of interesting stores, may have to take a road trip. Thanks for your pictures and story.

  10. I loved the little camper hanging from the ceiling. So vintage and cute. Loved the look of the Chinese cabinets too.
    Thanks for the tour. Loved it.

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