I'm your Pusherman -- A guide to some Raleigh thrift spots

My apologies for leaving you for a bit. Work has been a bit busier and my parents came for a lovely visit. So, without further adieu ...

I decided to take you all on a "tour" of Raleigh thrift/antique stores. Today, we'll be taking a trip to three local thrift stores -- Cause for Paws, American Thrift, and Hidden Treasures.

First though, let me take a minute to discuss the difference between "antique stores" and "thrift stores." Antique stores are normally filled with various vendors who scour local yard sales, dumpster dive, refurnish pieces, etc. This all adds up to walking into an antique store and being inundated with lovely and delightful goodies, but with prices that reflect the work that has gone into bringing them into their current state of being. Your typical thrift store is often filled with donations, castaways, odds and ends, pairs missing their mates, pieces that could use a fresh coat of paint, etc. Therefore, wading through a sea of crap things to find those diamonds in the rough (some rougher than others) is an essential part to the thrift store experience. So my dears, please keep this information in mind when embarking on your next excursion.

Now, on with the show ...

Cause for PAWS was "created with a mission of helping non-profit organizations that promote animal welfare, especially no-kill organizations." Check out their website for more information or to learn how to donate. Since their beginning, they have grown to establish three stores located in downtown Raleigh, north-east(ish) Raleigh, and Zebulon.

I frequent both the Raleigh locations, but have not been to the Zebulon location. You can find a WIDE variety of items at Cause for PAWS -- furniture, clothing, knickknacks, rugs, exercise equipment, etc. They often run "sales" through out the week. Depending on the day, you could get 20% for being a lady, because you're buying furniture, or it's the first day of the month! Here's a sample of my last visit...





Directly across the street from Cause for Paws' Crabtree St. location, you'll find American Way Thrift. This thrift store donates their proceeds to the NC Children's Hospital. Seriously, who doesn't want to help out little sick children?? It's almost like your civic duty to shop here at some point. They have local stores in Raleigh and Garner, but are also located in Durham and Fayetteville. Check out their website for more information or to donate!

Here's a quick snippet from my last visit (where I also scored two totally sweet side chairs that I've since refinished -- pictures to come) ....






The final store on this tour is a new kid on the block (yes, they are back). Hidden Treasures is located in north(ish) Raleigh. I found my way to their little secluded cove by way of craigslist. They had posted an *amazing* wood-carved (I believe teak) lamp with a red velvet shade. Hotness? Yes please. So, I called my neighbor, a fellow thrifter-in-crime, and we made the five minute journey on over to Hidden Treasures. We were both delighted to see quality goods, reasonable prices, and friendly staff. I walked away with a bevy of booty that included a library card catalog. Oh Dewey Decimal, how I miss you!

Here's a quick peek at some of their wares (see if you can spot the killer lamp I was telling you about) ...



PHEW! My goodness, what a tour. I'm wiped out for now. I promise this will not be the last guide tour of the local thrift/antique scene. Stay tuned for more editions and of course happy creating everyone ...