Diva Donna wonders if Barbra Streisands’ Greatest Hits classifies as “the weirdest thing under five bucks.” photo COURTESY OF DONNA HAYES
This town boasts a good share of second-hand and consignment shops, particularly here in “the Springs.” It amazes me how much stuff people in this town give away. When I’m low on cash and need to get out of the house, I pile the family into the “momma van” for a little thrift shop treasure hunting. Sometimes we play a game I invented called, “Who can find the weirdest thing under five bucks?” It’s a winner-takes-all game, and the unveiling ceremony can be quite hilarious. It’s definitely worth a wasted five-spot. My favorite winning item so far was a toilet paper holder/radio, shaped like the back end of a pink Volkswagen Bug. For weeks I lamented the fact that my best friend Tim claimed the prize with that little gem, and it took a place of honor in his bathroom and not ours.
You might not be looking to buy something old, used and silly, but a stroll around the thrift store is worth a trip. It’s almost like viewing art. You can see what our culture is really about, by seeing what we used to own. You get a pretty good snapshot of what we civilized beings were buying a few years ago. Dead fads and dying trends, things we just had to have. Outdated technology that evidences our evolution and advancement. Record albums, cassette tapes and compact discs that have been replaced by the iPod invasion. VHS, remote controls and corded telephones, so passé. Self-help books, pregnancy guides and mass copies of Oprah’s suggested reads line shelves like soldiers ready for war.
I admire the work of good marketing, and I’m fascinated by the power of advertising. I find it interesting the way we buy a thing that we think we need, only to donate it a few months later, usually still in its original packaging.
If you too are looking for a cheap thrill, or a little cultural art viewing, check these places out.
The Church Mouse: If you don’t know already, there are actually three of them. The Church Mice, as we like to say. The first one is located in Agua Caliente, and is also the donation center. It’s open every single day, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and has the worst parking lot and the most interesting items of the thrifty triad. This is the place to go if you’re looking for exercise equipment, French Army clothes or the ugliest lamp you can find. It’s also great for toys, gardening supplies and former homes of dead hamsters.
The second location is just across the street from the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn, and is also known as “the furniture store.” There are actually two shops here, side B selling mainly furniture and side A mostly re-selling brand-new things that look secondhand. The A side, which is loaded with candles, luggage and religious icons, has a pretty extensive, if unorganized VHS movie selection. If you’re hot for a copy of “Jerry Maquire” there are at least eight copies on the shelf, for the amazingly low price of $3.95 each. On the B side, it looks as if the furniture store is shaping up to be the best used-book store in town. If you’re not interested in pre-creased books, I recommend stopping by anyway just to see the giant mermaid painting, hung just to the right of the door. It’s pretty unbelievable.
The third Mouse over in Sonoma is right on the square. This is a great place to go for creative, low-cost costumes and vintage clothes.
Consignments shops are the upscale version of thrift stores, with nicer selections at higher prices. There are three located in West Sonoma. Farthest north, Adam’s Attic has been taken over by Adam’s wife Carrie, and is now called No Place Like Home. A mix of secondhand meets antique store, the old Valley of the Moon Saloon is now totally cute inside. Vinyl barstools have been replaced by Art Deco loveseats, and where the band used to play sits a china cabinet, a little red school desk and an antique weaving loom. According to owner Adam Resing, the infamous ghost of the building isn’t pleased with the pleasant surroundings, and has apparently left for smokier, dirtier pastures.
Down the highway is one of my favorite places in the Springs, Plain Jane’s. It’s a cluttered mess of cool, and I always find something interesting to take home. And if all of this isn’t enough, head over to Tags Consignment, next to Happy Dog. It’s cute on the outside and even cuter inside.
Secondhand shopping, it’s my favorite way to recycle.
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