What To Do When Attacked By Vultures at the Thrift Store
I think you guys are really going to hate me for this: letting the most awesome sewing cabinet get away.
I tried to lie to myself and say, “It’s okay, Serena, the next great piece will come along…” But sometimes a piece is really unique and you can’t even find it on Google. That’s how unique some things are.
Like this sewing cabinet I saw:
By the looks of it, you can’t tell it’s a sewing cabinet. I thought it was a dresser. Dressers are a dime a dozen in these parts, and I would have just walked right on by. But it was one of those Monday mornings when you just have time on your hands to stroll through your favorite thrift store. So I decided to stop and investigate.
It’s not a dresser, but a sewing cabinet!
Okay, but I already have a sewing cabinet, why would I need another one, right?
Well, THIS is why!
Seriously, how cool is it that the seat actually slides out from inside the cabinet?!?! Yes, take another look at the pic above. The front of that sewing cabinet is really the back of the chair. It just sliiiiiiides right out.
Perfect for the apartment-goer…the small space saver….the person who needs to maximize every inch of space for their crafting and sewing…
And since I’ve 1) already got a sewing cabinet that I found at the thrift store, 2) am not pressed for space, 3) am not actively selling furniture, really, right now…..
…..I walked away.
But no sooner did I walk away after contemplating this piece, and pulling it apart, did some dude bum-rush the sewing cabinet and grab a store employee and claim it as his.
I have no reason to be mad, but I was irritated!
I mean, I know I had walked away from it, but what irritated me was that this guy walked up on me real smooth while checking it out, swooning over it alongside me:
“Oh wow…yeah, yeah, that’s reeeeeal nice!”
He circled back around a couple of times, like a vulture, apparently seeing if I was getting it or not. And as I started to walk away, he said innocently (I guess to not let his excitement show), “Oh, so you not gonna get it?” And I must have responded with something like, sigh, “No, I don’t think so….”
The second I walked away, he had the store clerk over there, writing a “SOLD” ticket for it.
If you watch this short clip I recorded, you even hear him walking up on me, at 1:19 min in the video. Can’t you hear his excited “yeah!!” LOL
But he is what I call a “thrift store vulture.” They’ll hover around, waiting for you to walk away or sit something down so they can swoop in and pick at it.
But after posting about this in the Thrift Diving community on Facebook, some people mentioned getting a sold ticket even if you’re still “iffy,” and putting Post-it notes on a piece of furniture if you need to walk away and get a sales clerk while making up your mind. I decided to throw in a few other suggestions on how to combat thrift store vultures ;).
Vulture Solution #1 – Create a megaphone with your hands and announce to the whole store, “Just because I’m walking away, doesn’t mean this is up for grabs! I’m just going to get a sales clerk! It’s MINE!”
Vulture Solution #2 – Carry Post-it notes in your purse adorned with skulls and bones that say, “Touch this, and you’ll be sorry. It’s already SOLD, pal!”
Vulture Solution #3 – Fake sneeze on the thrifted item profusely (along with sneezing on your hands), and then proceed to exaggerate touching all over the piece.
Vulture Solution #4 – Put it in your cart, even if it’s hanging off the sides and bumping stuff off the shelves. Speak loudly, “Coming through! ‘Scuse me, coming through!”
Vulture Solution #5 – Squeal loudly, “OMG, I just saw a bug crawl in there!! I wouldn’t even think of taking that home!” Then sneak off quietly to get a sales clerk to write you a sales ticket.
Vulture Solution #6 – Cover it up with an old comforter from the bedding department. Use the ugliest comforter you can find (only if item hasn’t been spotted already, that is… ).
Vulture Solution #7 – Put a “BROKEN” Post-it note or “DANGER! Contains asbestos!” sign on it while you walk away to get a sales clerk.
Vulture Solution #8 – Bring your kids to babysit it. Promise them an extra toy from the kid’s section if they don’t walk away from it.
Vulture Solution #9 – Use your cell phone to place an S.O.S. call the store’s main number and ask them to send a sales clerk to the furniture section RIGHT AWAY.
Vulture Solution #10 – Shout out, “OMG, did you just know they’re handing out 50% off coupons in the parking lot to the first 75 customers?! You better hurry! I just got mine!” Then quickly find a sales clerk.
Okay, so of course I am just being facetious. But really, the idea bout the Post-It notes was great. I’m going to have to try that!
What I DID Buy….
After losing such a great buy on that sewing cabinet, I wasn’t going to let anything else pass me by! I did snatch these up at the sister store a few days later. Not quite as “wowza” but still a great find!
They are solid wood and sooooo clean inside. Really great deal. They were a bit more pricey at $29.99 each (with 25% off). But for that quality, seriously, they were a good deal!
One of the end tables I refinished along with a brassy lamp, and the other one is in the basement. You can watch it here:
So tell me….have you ever been a victim of vultures at the thrift store? Do tell in the comments section!
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If there is a price tag on it, grab that and take it to the register and ask for a hold sign. OR just walk around with the price in your hand (that’s how we do it at estate sales) till you are sure. Of course you run the risk of an employee thinking they just forgot to price it. But I’d rather have them think I just changed my mind than have something I’m interested fly out from under me. The problem here (Richmond) is overpriced thrift stores. The prices are getting ridiculous at some of the stores. This is for USED stuff – and it is barely 25% off buying it new. Not consignment stores – these are thrift stores! I prefer estate sales anyway. Love looking at the inside of the houses and imagining who lived there. I love this sewing table but sometimes transporting stuff like that makes you think again. I don’t blame you for passing on it.
Gretchen, do you check EstateSales.net? If not, you should. They have tons of estate sales listed. But you probably already know about that site. I’ve not done too many estate sales. A few, and found some good deals (like my pool table in my basement for $400!). But you’re right–it’s the transporting that makes things so uncertain about getting something. I’ve got a minivan but I’ve had to remove seats before to get things home, and getting those seats back in with CAR SEATS attached–tough!
Yep, I get those emails every week. You get to know the companies – who charges too much, who has the good stuff, etc. I did go to a good one In F’burg last fall….but I usually don’t travel that far. I don’t “need” anything, really – but I love to look and sometimes I can upgrade or I find something small that is amazing. Plus, if it is something big, it had better be really fantastic! The prices go down as the sale goes on, so it is always a gamble! I’m going to one tomorrow that they advertised as a hoarders house – obviously they organized it all, but the house is still so crowded they will only let 30 people in at a time. Should be interesting!
Oh wow, a hoarders house! The sale is not in my garage, is it?? 😉 LOL. Did you find something good?
I may go back today. The place was filled with dealers and Etsy shop owners. There was a great corner desk but they wanted too much – it will be 25% off now. There was a ton of costume jewelery and boxes of papers and postcards. Like your sewing table, the desk was something I had never seen before and it would be an amazing makeover. And there are a few other sales opening today. The hunt of something you didn’t know you really needed is the best !
PS how do I add my pic to my comments
I think you can do it through Gravatar. Try this link: http://en.gravatar.com/
I couldn’t believe you walked away from such a find. My first thoughts were thrift store blasphemy. Thats because I could have used that sewing machine cabinet it’s just what I’ve been looking for as I live in a tiny house.
lol then I laughed at myself. We can’t bring everything home with us or we’d need a huge warehouse to store all our finds.
Here’s my story of a thrift store vulture or also entitled “L sometimes you need to keep your mouth shut.”
I’d made my grandsons matching dinosaur quilt tops and was at the thrift to see if I could find some quilts that match the green. Figured I could use them as batting and the bottom layer.
As I was looking through this long line of hanging quilts I spied them. They were full size and matched the green to a T. This lady was standing behind me and I gush all over her about the quilts, what I was going to do with them, how excited I was.
So I ran up to the cash register with them in hand. There was a long line. When I finally got up to the cash register. The cashier looked at me and said I am sorry they’ve already been purchased.
You might ask how she pulled off this little trick? She’d called from her phone gave them her CC number and the number of the quilts. All the while I was standing in line waiting with the quilts in my hot little hands. Once the clerk realized the nasty trick this lady had done she felt terrible.
I decided to be the better person and I handed over the quilts to the little trickster and said I hope you enjoy them.
Btw I found two quilts at the next thrift store that worked better then the ones I lost. All worked out in the end. 🙂
OMG!!! No way!! That’s crazy! My husband tells me all the time I should keep my mouth shut about stuff like that, too! He says that even when you have a good man, don’t gush to your friends about how great of a man he is, otherwise, they’ll want him for themselves. HA! 🙂 Wise words! I’m so glad you found something better. You are so right. We have to stay even-keel because if we make a big stink about it, people want in on that good deal!
I like your hubby, my partner tells me the same thing all the time. 🙂 which is why she’s never heard this story lol
I love the functionality of that sewing cabinet! That’s definitely one of those things that I didn’t know I needed until I saw it.
Our thrift stores (at least the ones I go to) aren’t super crowded, so I’ve never really had to worry about it. When I was a super thrift store newbie, I didn’t realize there was a tag system so my mom and I totally carried/dragged this squeaky desk to the front of the store (getting lots of stares along the way) only to realize one of the workers would have done it for us.
LOL, I’m laughing just thinking about you hauling that stuff up front! LOL I do that sometimes, still, even knowing the “rules” and they look at me like I’m crazy! LOL
Serena- Sorry it got away! I would have been checking out the machine, I have a weakness for old sewing machines.
The main comment I want to make is that you need to use this piece as inspiration for a vanity project! Look for a little vanity that you could make a chair that slides under and hides as the middle of the piece.
I love, love, love your blog!
Hey Kelly! Thank you! Yeah, I was thinking about that. Furniture that tucks and hides away. I could totally make something like that! It was easy how it just slides in. What a space saver!!
One more tip for defeating the Thrift Store Vultures – if the items has parts, put part in your cart. Take it with you when you go in search of the clerk.
Maybe that would be the chair in this case. Or one or two drawers,
When you return with the clerk, you’re clearly in possession of the missing part, showing you were there first, and that you intend to buy.
Better luck next time! Thwart those vultures.
Ahhhh….what a clever tip, Caity!! I’ve never thought about taking parts before! I’m definitely going to add that to my bag of tricks!
Bummer! So sorry, very cool sewing table.
Next one is miiine! 🙂 Thanks, Theda!
No crying over spilled milk. Sit on the next piece until you have a clerk approach you. Tell them to bring the flatbed cart. If there’s a removable tag system you could ask the clerks there if it’s acceptable to remove the tag in the future. Don’t look back, you’re not short on finds.
Hey Matt! I know, I know…suck it up. LOL. Did you see the other reader who looked up the value, though?? About $425! YIKES!
Serena, $425.00 is not necessarily the value. That is the asking price. An object’s worth is the amount someone is willing to pay for it.
Don’t beat yourself up over this. You win some; you lose some. That’s life.
I hate to say it, but YOU WERE SLEEPING AT THE WHEEL!! TOTALLY AWESOME PIECE. If I even have an inkling that I want something in my cart it goes or I take the tag if furniture. If after carrying it around I talk myself out of purchasing, I will put it back with no regrets. What you did purchase is a close second.
WOW, what a beautiful cabinet. I have never seen one like that before. The chair is the element of surprise. I have to say the sewing machine is amazing. The price was a steal. I usually like to go to the thrift store with my sister’s. We spread out and let the other know when we need a clerk. We never leave the item alone. I like the sold tag idea. Place it and go to the register to pay for the item. You can take a photo and pay for it and then ask for assistance to take it to the car.
If they are small items we just put them in our carts. We congregate and discuss ” is it a great deal or not”. If so, it stays in the cart if not then we return back those items right where we found them. Sometimes another person’s perspective really helps.
We never leave our cart alone. If we see something that someone has that we like we don’t make it obvious. We hang around and when they place it back we calmly place it in our cart. Sometimes people leave it at the counter. Walk over and let the clerk know you want the item and keep shopping. Ensure they place a hold ticket with your name.
If you are alone just place a hold sign on it. Tap it to your item. Bring the signs with you. I make all of mines laminated, so that I can reuse them. Keep them in your purse until you need them. At the end of shopping bring them to the counter or have a staff assist you if they are to heavy.
I love your blog. :- )
Blessings,
Aracellis
Hey there Aracellis! Sounds like you guys have a tag team system going on! LOL I wish I had someone to go thrift diving with like you do. It would be even more fun! And wait–you laminate your sold signs?!?! How cool is that! You are a hard core thrift diver!!! LOL Thanks for commenting!