Thrift Store Report (long)

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* I am the only English speaker in the entire store.

Tell me about it. When I go to the Goodwill stores here, the cashiers dont even bother greeting in English anymore. Im usually the only person that can speak english, which is especially annoying when I want something in the case. The cashier has to be told 2 or 3 times before he/she figures out what I want.

Well you still seem to be doing OK at the thrift shops. For your reference, you can go to google translate and and use their translator. It works pretty well and offers a ton of languages. 

I recently went to a Goodwill "Outlet" store which consists of bins of merch paid for buy the pound, It felt like a feed lot for immigrants...I was the only English speaker and I got the evil eye or the "why is he here look" from a lot of people but I came out with 2 first edition books for 70 cents I sold for $60.

I really enjoy garage sales, but in the winter I check out thrift stores, just to "hold" me over.  I completely agree with your Thrift Store report CyberDan,  it is exhausting.

I recently went to a local thrift store and everything was categorized by color and the only thing they sold was clothing.  I am not sure how a store can stay afloat with selling only clothing.  What a waste of my time. 

I am going to stick with garage sales and flea markets for now on.

[veinte anos]

I once had a short conversation with a woman at her yard sale, she had no idea what I was asking for.

ME: cuanto anos in ustados unidos?
HER: veinte anos
ME: veinte anos y no englase
HER: (she shrugged her shoulders)

pardon the mispellings the spell check does not do spanglish

I'm sorry, but how can you be in this country THAT long and not speak English?

That's just rude.

You can bet your ass, if I were in mexico for that long, I would be expected to pick up a LITTLE Spanish in that time.

Bet your ass she knows "Englase" after 20 years!  She just did not want to USE it.  I worked at a migrant childrens center for a few years.. they know how to speak english.. or at least
"Gump" their way through.. they choose not to.   

I have better luck at these stores than with my detector lol. Last week I bought 2 pairs of cufflinks for 2$ a pair. One was 14k and the other 10K.

WTG! Shooter

I came out with 2 first edition books for 70 cents I sold for $60.

I thought I was the only one after 1st E's. I haven't bumped into anyone here looking for them and I "hunt" about 5 days a week, during my lunch hour.
I am an avid book collector. I have over 400 or so books, many rare or hard to find/out of print! If I ever went into debt, I have many I can sell and live nicely for a few months.
I go book shopping in thrift stores and my local library...all for 1st E's or something to hold my raging reading appetite over until a new book hits the shelves.
I have never thought about searching for silver or gold!
I frequent 4 thrift stores and an indoor flea market and it NEVER crossed my mind to hunt for silver or gold! Duh!
I am starting back making jewelry and have a ready source of copper wire from my "job", but it would be nice to have gold or silver to melt down for peanuts. ;)

I am glad I read your thread!

I recently went to a Goodwill "Outlet" store which consists of bins of merch paid for buy the pound, It felt like a feed lot for immigrants...I was the only English speaker and I got the evil eye or the "why is he here look" from a lot of people but I came out with 2 first edition books for 70 cents I sold for $60.

Where is a good site to learn about what books look for?

Where is a good site to learn about what books look for?

What kind of books do you want to collect/sale? Classics?
Your favorite authors?
Or just books for profit?
When you figure this out, the publications page in the book will normally say "First Edition" or "First Printing".
The page that has the books printing company info/copyright, etc.
Look up the first printing titles and publishers on the internet and you will know what markings to look for.
If it doesn't say "First Edition" or First Printing" but has a series of numbers:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7  9 10 or 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
These are 1st Editions. Anything with a 1, either way. If it begins with 2, etc. it's a second, etc. printing.
I always try to get books with the dust cover or original binding. Make sure the binding is intact and there are no dog-eared, torn pages. Another tip about the binding, know the difference. Look up book binding to see what I mean.
If you are collecting for profit, research which books are selling for high profit either on book selling sites or eBay and look for those books.
GL!