A guest writer from Nostalgic in Maine shares some of the great purchases she made at the recent grand opening of the new Auburn Goodwill Store and Donation Center:
Treasures Found at Auburn Grand Opening
I stopped by the brand new Goodwill store in Auburn on opening day (March 3). I was on my way back from Sugarloaf from a few days of skiing, but since this store was on the way back to Portland, I convinced my better half to stop so I could have a look at this brand new store.
I was not disappointed – the store is amazing! Everything was well organized, the staff were friendly and helpful, and even though I feared that all the good stuff would be gone by the time I arrived in the early evening, I found some great gems.
My first find was these gorgeous Japanese tea cups. I love this style of tea cup, and I must admit I have picked up quite a selection over the years. However, these appealed to me right away due to their simple but robust elegance, and the color glaze is amazing. I found six, and they were only 99 cents each – great start!
Then I came across a kitchen gadget for which I have been searching for for awhile. It is one of those nifty stainless steel cuttingboard scrapers that scoops up all the chopped vegetables and transfers them into the pan or bowl.
Further into the kitchen aisle, I spotted this charming, vintage divided Pyrex dish. I am a big fan of old-fashioned Pyrex, and there are many collectors out there. I was surpised to see this one left behind under a stack of Corelle dishes. Mine for $2.99. By now I was a fan of the store!
Then I picked up this darling little tin crab bowl for my daughter’s play kitchen. I am not a fan of plastic play things, and I am always on the lookout for fun little play things in thrift stores. This was greeted with a grateful sqeal and has already been used for serving lego soup, my daughter’s specialty. Another 99 cents find.
The kids’ clothes section seemed a bit picked through, but I did pick up this nice corduroy dress from the Gap for the same daughter that will pair well with some leggings and a white turtleneck. I love corduroy in the winter, and it allows my daughter to keep wearing dresses when it is cold. All kids clothing at Goodwill is $1.99. A steal!
Finally, my favorite find. I always take a quick peek in the picture and art section. I have found a few gems in the past even though the majority of the stuff is usually mass-produced Monet replicas, framed puzzles (who buys those?) and sports posters. But today I found a gem. I loved the picture right away and would have bought it if it “only” were a framed poster. Its elegant lines, minimalist motive and sparse colors all appeal to me. However, this was a real piece of art – signed by the artist and framed professionally. I think I will reframe it and update the matting.
All in all, I had a great time during the grand opening and I left the store feeling a bit like a pirate. Such great treasures! The only “bad” thing is that it is so far away from where I live. However, I might need to come up with other errands in Auburn just so that I can swing by again.
Did you find any good treasures at the new Goodwill store?
