Thrift Thursday - Winnipeg Thrifts.

Just over a month ago, Leigh-Ann of Freckled Nest (you MUST check her site out!) asked if I'd share some of my favourite Winnipeg thrift spots. I jumped at the opportunity - I love thrifting, wandering around and finding that 'next great find.'

I figured that it would be fun to re-post my go-to thrifting spots with you guys for this edition of Thrift Thursday! Regardless of whether you're in Winnipeg or not, we can all relate when it comes to having that secret must visit spot...you know the type - that one place that makes you weak in the knees, is cheap, has constantly changing stock and filled to the brim with goodness!

Here's a rundown of my five fave thrifting spots!

I love this shop. Tucked off of Portage Avenue in an unassuming strip mall is the mother of all thrift stores. Being in an older neighbourhood this shop gets a lot of vintage finds and is home to a constantly evolving assortment of furniture, accessories and knick-knacks.

I’ve scored loads of awesome pieces from this shop over the years. Chests of drawers can be picked up from anywhere between $20.00-$50.00 and a majority of accessories can be found for under $5.00. My favourite find has to be a cute little black vase that I uncovered and took home for the princely sum of .69. I’ve yet to find a permanent home for it, but I love it none the less!

I’ve lived in Winnipeg for close to three years now so have had the chance to check out a bulk of the vintage furniture stores at least once or twice. Though I’ve seen some great shops, the Salvation Army on Empress Street has proven to be my favourite for great wood pieces.

I’ve come to the conclusion that this shop acquires a lot of estate assortments as I’m constantly walking in to see stunning antique dining sets-- we’re talking table, six to eight chairs and sideboard all for under $300.00. A lot of the pieces that come into the shop are great ‘project pieces’ and are in need of a bit of love, but hey, if I can hunt down a set of nightstands for $10.00 (still looking!) I’m game to invest some time and energy into making them look good!

Whenever I think about pawn shops, I typically think about nasty looking hole in the wall type places with stacks movies like Clueless and Varsity Blues on VHS. That my friends isnot what AAA Pawn & Consignment is all about. This shop is a treasure-trove of vintage fun. From glassware and crystal to lamps, rugs, oil paintings and silver tea sets and then desks, headboards and china cabinets, this shop is a must visit.

I’ve scored countless pieces here including my writing desk (clutter container) for $15.00, assorted stemware, piles of picture frames and interesting vases. The best part about this shop – the owner is willing to cut ‘deals’ when you buy multiple pieces. Different from shops like the Salvation Army, Goodwill, Savers or Value Village where each item has a set price, you can wander around this shop with a stack of items and at the end of your adventure offer a lump sum. Yah can’t go wrong with policies like that!

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As the name would have it, Antiques & Funk is jam packed to the ceiling with you guessed it – antiques and funk. I remember when I first moved to the city and discovered this gem of a shop. I didn’t know my way around the city, or have any ideas where the best shops were. Basically I’d hop in my truck and just drive until I found something that caught my eye. Rush hour traffic on Main Street Winnipeg and I’m braking to try and catch a second glance at the colourful window display. When I finally got off the busy street and into the store I was in awe with the quality of pieces on offer! (LA's found some great pieces here too!)

I’ve found a number of great small wares at this shop and they get a lot of great looking furniture pieces from some of Winnipeg’s finest homes. Don’t expect cute little vignettes and room scenes. This shop is all about digging through boxes, looking inside cabinets and checking to see what’s under tables. I found an occupied Japan china dog ornament for my Mom in an ice cream pail under a table-- my best find :)

And last, but not least the mother of all thrift stores. That’s right. I’m talking about--

We’re lucky in the sense that Winnipeg has five Value Village stores (same as "Savers" in the USA), so it’s a given that anytime you wander through the doors you’re going to find another treasure. My favourite location, on Pembina Highway, is a mecca of books, house wares, crafting supplies, art, accessories and anything else that you can think of. I could write three more posts to tell you about what I’ve found at Value Village. I’ve come across vintage one-of-a-kind treasures like the bags of old postcards for $1.99, paint by numbers in their original frames, serving ware and crystal at a fraction of the original retail and stack upon stack of books!

I don’t even know if would be possible to list my favourite Value Village discoveries – half of my possessions were uncovered on a Saturday afternoon at one of the city’s Value Village stores. So many trips, so many memories!So there you have it! My favourite thrifting destinations around the city of Winnipeg. Now let’s go hunt down some more treasures!!

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The snazzy shop headers were created by LA of Freckled Nest