Thrift Store Olympics

[reanna-mator]

Fun thread! 

I go to the local thrift store once a week.  A large portion of my collection is from there.  Twice, I've found lots of multiple g1s.  Once, I found 90+ g1s, all bagged up 2 to a bag.  That was a crazy day.  I checked the toys and I just started spotting them but I didn't have any place to put them.  I couldn't just leave them there though!  So I grabbed like an Easter basket and began filling it up and filled up my arms with ponies, which I then dumped into my mom's cart.  I dragged her cart over and just dropped ponies in there.  That day was awesome. 

Oh wow. That sounds like a "pony dream" come to life! I think the most G1s I've found at once was seven or eight, and I consider even that to be really lucky.

[TWILIGHTCOOKIE]

I once found 15 g1s at my thrift store about 4 years ago, it had 2 baby brothers, SHS's, Valentine twins, Ballerinas, movie Firefly and some others.

I finds g1s regularly in my area,  some highlights this year would be Night Glider, Quackers, Pristina and Gingerbread.Usually in small quantities. Since my store opened I have gotten over a hundred g1s from them.
My tip is never let the store people know ponies are sought after because that might giv idea to price them higher or maybe ebay like Goodwill does.

[SpookyTrees]

Wow well all of these G1 stories just give me motivation to keep going to the local thrift store then!

[StoryDreamer]

Lucky find! My Goodwill frowns at me when I try to take things on a cart they're working on; they say you can't shop it. Oh well; I still find good things!

[tymmorn]

Best Pony Find I had at a nearby Goodwill was in several bags full of kids' toys.  Looking through the bags--which were priced at $1 each--I found a G3 Pepperberry, a Baby Princess Sparkle (still bright white and tinseled), a Baby Cuddles, and a couple of newborn twins (can't remember which, but they didn't go together).  All were in perfect condition.

Best recent flea market find was a group with Flutter Pony Honeysuckle (no wings, of course), Summer Wing Buzzer, Baby Sparkle Pony Gusty. Glow & Show Brightglow, and Baby Woolly, the lamb.  All in nearly perfect shape.  And I got them all for $6. 

[Kazzellin]

I don't usually find G1s at my local thrift stores, though I did find Stardazzle with her key.

Mainly, I find G3s when I go thrifting. Haven't gone lately, though; don't have the money right now! ^_^; Just as well; most of the G3s I find at thrift stores become bait, anyway.

[sarka1]

I thrift all the time and find a lot of G3s and G1s every once in a while. Once I was at a large thrift store and found a show stable for 1 dollar! I gasped and starred at it for a long time. I was so excited and shocked because I had never seen any 80s pony stuff there before so I started digging through all the rows of toys as quickly as I could. Fortunately it was right when they opened and there wasn't anyone else around to see me. The stable was in good shape except that  all the accessories and a door were missing and I was only able to find the bed.  I also found a bag with four G1s in great shape for 2.99! That was my best pony thrift find, it was like Christmas morning! I even went back later to look through the toys again and see if they put out any more! I wish I could go there first thing in the morning more often, but it is about an hour’s drive from my house.

[Sweet Tooth]

For me, the only ones I ever find at thrift stores are the McDonalds ponies, and all of the good stuff comes from flea markets. 

I was at one a while ago where I spotted a baby bonnet school of dance box! I tried to casually speedwalk over there and grab it and as soon as I got there, I found a bunch of G1 ponies on the floor next to it! The playset was almost complete and in really good shape and the ponies were nice too! I asked the lady how much for them and she said $15... all I had with me was $12 so I made my offer. After talking for a while, she absolutely would not take it.  BUT THEN! she had to leave the stall for a little bit and her husband took over and sold it to me for $12! 

[Mermaid]

For me, the only ones I ever find at thrift stores are the McDonalds ponies, and all of the good stuff comes from flea markets. 

I was at one a while ago where I spotted a baby bonnet school of dance box! I tried to casually speedwalk over there and grab it and as soon as I got there, I found a bunch of G1 ponies on the floor next to it! The playset was almost complete and in really good shape and the ponies were nice too! I asked the lady how much for them and she said $15... all I had with me was $12 so I made my offer. After talking for a while, she absolutely would not take it.  BUT THEN! she had to leave the stall for a little bit and her husband took over and sold it to me for $12! 

Victory! $3 is not that huge of a difference! I don't know why she didn't take the offer! Glad you were able to get them!

[brighteyes]

Heh heh, I'm sure people were amused by your pony hunting!  Sometimes I feel weird rooting around in the toys, but I can't resist    Sounds like you had some success at least!   I guess my thrift store olympic events are more like how-many-different-thrift-stores-can-you-hit-in-one-day!  And yeah, I almost never find any either...

^Exactly how I am.  I feel embarrassed digging through toy bins, so I affect a disinterested air as I casually poke around in them.  It's like I hope to say, "I'm not really interested in anything in here, I'm just bored and have nothing better to do," but it probably makes me look even more obvious than if I were tearing through them.  Oh well- to each their own Neurosis.

After years of hunting, I've gotten to where I can spot a pony by the tiniest fraction of plastic or hair so I don't have to dig that thoroughly. I do visit massive numbers of thrift and flea markets in a day too- so that's as close as I get to the Olympics.  I generally strike out but I keep going back.  My husband asked why I bother returning when I never find ponies.  I told him pony hunting is like gambling, you get just enough reward for your effort that you keep going back and always hoping for the big pay-off!     

[Rachel-Eyes]

I bought gloves specifically for thrifting, but I always forget to bring them with me. That and hand sanitizer. And most thrift shops don't have public bathrooms for you to use. :/

[StoryDreamer]

I always feign casual interest so they don't drive up the price. Since I buy and resell a lot of stuff, I don't want them to know that I'm really interested in it.

[MonstarNomNom]

I am so stalking this thread xD So many great stories! I need to move where all of you guys live that find lots of ponies in thrift stores. In my area, finding even a G4 or G3 is rare however I did luck out one day.

It was a Saturday and I was out thrifting with my mom, uncle, and grandma. We used to go on thrifting excursions to all of the Goodwills within driving distance xD We went to one where I have never found ponies, but I always look anyway. I was actually in the process of explaining to my uncle the difference between pony generations. That was when I spotted a Flower Bouquet poking out of the toys. I grabbed her with such reflexes I never knew I possessed. lol I practically ran to my mom who had the buggy to express my excitement. I then went back to look through the toys and didn't find anymore, and just when I was about to leave I spotted 4 more G1s hiding under the lowest stuffed animal shelf. That was a fantastic day. Hahaha I have sparsely found other G1s at thrift stores, but it's always just one xD My most recent find: I just got back from Florida and Saturday I went thrifting with my mom and Aunt instead of going to a water park. I lucked out and scored a G1 Sparkler for $.50 ^^ That itself made my staying behind all worth it! lol

[gabumon]

I guess I consider myself lucky at thrift.  I've found lotsa stuff... in fact my MLP collecting started with G1 Quarterback there!!!

Our local thriftstore is quite interesting.  There's these antique collectors that "camp out" in the store and swarm every new cart that comes out of the back!  It gets a little heated sometimes!  D:

I found Daddy Celebrations there twice and G1s every other month or so.

I have a thriftstore sighting tumblr if you want to follow me  :3
http://agustdolt.tumblr.com/tagged/thrift

I run a tumblr because I don't have space for all the stuff I want... so a pic and a share is how I enjoy them all.