Goodwill Outlet Store -and- Wild About Harry

Well, it's been a very merry weekend-- for two reasons.

Let's go to the real thrifty news first.

Now in North Versailles, PA, across Route 30 from the location of the Good Samaritan Thrift Store, Rossi's Pop-up Flea Market and-- to speak in legitimate Pittsburghese-- "Where the Old Ames Department Store Used to Be," is a brand new Goodwill Outlet Store, which just opened November 10.

It's a huge building where everything that didn't sell at their stores in a certain time is sold by the pound. Housewares, furniture, clothes, etc. (I believe there is special pricing for things like electronics.)

Anyway, for local folks who miss the Goodwill that used to be there in North Versailles, across the street, I think you'll find this a pleasure. I'll have to get some contact information for it and update my Thrift Store Listings for the area.

I'm curious, for folks not in our region, have you ever been to a Goodwill Outlet Store? Are there others across the country?

Anyway, next-- I brought home something secondhand of a different nature... Four-month-old black-and-white kitten, Harry, from the local no-kill animal shelter, Animal Friends.

My resident kitten, eight-month-old Alice has been unnaturally grateful to see me when I return home evenings. This seems to have happened after a month where my Dad was there during the day keeping her company. While I love that she misses me so much, the fawning, over-relieved attention she pays me seems a little unhealthy for her. (Or perhaps she's a dog in disguise.) So I thought she might benefit from a little buddy.

Harry has much of Alice's personality-- friendly, happy and playful. So far their initial introductions have gone very well.

I have been informed by friends that two cats doesn't yet make me a Crazy Cat Lady. Crazy, perhaps. Owning cats, yes. But Crazy Cat Lady has apparently an Exceeding Two Cats threshold.

I'm apparently on the brink. :)

And for those who are curious, yes, Harry was named for Harry Potter. It just seemed to balance out well with the other kitten, named for Alice in Wonderland. I tried other literary names, but kinda thought "Atticus Finch" was a little too much nobility to weigh on a four month old kitten.

To all you thrifters and crazy cat ladies and secondhand pet adopters and all my other beloved friends out there, have a great week until I see your shiny faces again, perhaps, for Wednesday's post.

Treasure Box Wednesday: The Vase with No Name

"I've been through the thrift store for a vase with no name
It was good to get out of the rain
In the thrift store, you'll be glad that ya came
'Cause there ain't but one vase, yup, no two's the same"

--With huge apologies to the band America's "Horse with No Name"

Yesssir, on Treasure Box Wednesday here at the Thrift Shop Romantic, you not only get to see thrifted goodies, you get really bad takeoffs on popular 70s music, too!

Aren't you glad you stopped by? :)

Actually, I was really glad I stopped by the Salvation Army Superstore in West Mifflin over the weekend-- a brief trip between errands-- because I came across this pretty, old, art nouveau influenced pottery vase...

(The one on the left.)

With its celadon color and matte finish, I had a sneaking suspicion it was unmarked McCoy...

And a check of my McCoy collecting book proved that was true! A piece from around 1935.

While I was taking photos this morning, I thought I'd also show you the other side of the top of that same tall, built-in cabinet. Two more McCoy styled pieces live there. The red one on the left is also unmarked, and it came originally from the Goodwill in Irwin, PA. The green piece on right is marked McCoy, and it came from the L&L Fleatique just down the road from Irwin, in Adamsburg...
I didn't get them at the same time, though. :)

Anyway, it just goes to show, if you like something and it's at the right price, you don't necessarily have to worry about the manufacturer... Make sure you have the right resource books and consider taking a chance.

You might just find you have an even bigger treasure than you expected!

Treasure Box Wednesday: Treasuring Bad Art

To follow our recent kitsch theme here on Treasure Box Wednesday, I could think of nothing more likely to put a smile on your face and a snicker on your lips than a little trip to the Museum of Bad Art (MOBA)-- America's collection of well-meaning yet not-quite-right works on canvas. Above is just one example-- the MOBA's Mona Lisa of sorts, "Lucy in the Field with Flowers."

Because YouTube wouldn't let me embed the file, I will include the link to this tongue-in-cheek art exhibition here:


Having commited a few examples of bad art myself-- (I am particularly proud of "Moody Blue Pepper in Otherwise Monochrome Still Life")-- I can completely identify how good intentions can go wrong... so very, very wrong.

Hope your week goes very, very right-- and I'll see you perhaps again on Sunday!