Boys and Girls Club Thrift Store

In my punk rock days, I had several friends who would rummage through thrift stores to find old clothes. I never had the patience for that sort of thing, though I did have a girlfriend who would take me along to the "Vintage Clothiers" (Think Aardvark's Odd Ark) and I'd find stuff at those places.

The shirt that started it all

But when I moved to Ventura a few years back, I discovered a few thrift stores by the Mission that I would find used paperbacks and DVD's in, and got in the habit of checking them out. Then, in my search for good tacos, I had discovered the Gallery Car Wash, sadly now closed, which I'd go to when I needed to wash my car and didn't feel like doing it on the front lawn. It was while washing my car that I found the Boys and Girls Club Thrift Store. Going in after my car was clean,  noticed several Aloha shirts on the rack, and bought one that still had dry cleaning tags on it. Since then, I find I go into this particular thrift store on a somewhat regular basis.

I now WON the Rincon Classic!

A few weeks back I bought a drum for $40 after noticing that it was first prize for the pro division of the Quicksilver Rincon Classic, which from this point forward was won by me. But in the Rincon website, Ventura resident and Pro Surfer Dane Reynolds won, and there's a picture of him with the drum. I've actually always wanted a doumbek, and this medium size ceramic one, made by Full Circle Drums in Santa Barbara, is really nice. It even still has the tag on it, and on the inside is the inscription "Surf Happens, Professional Division, Full Circle Drums." I could never quite justify the price of one new, with all the other instruments I have laying around the house that I don't play well. $40 with a story, though,  that worked for me. I started banging on it as soon as I saw it on a shelf, and I got compliments on the drum (or maybe my playing) before I even got out of the door.

Aloha from Hawaii

Unfortunately the guitar was gone.

Other things I've picked up here include a sweet Roadshow Revival Bandana that they had a box full of (see my July 31, 2013 post), a Fender guitar case (but not the Fender guitar), some great sea shells, a cool crossword puzzle clock and other random odds and ends. 

They have lots of furniture in their parking lot and seem to turn over inventory pretty quickly. The employees are a quirky bunch that always seem to be in a good mood, and I've had some interesting, friendly chats when I'm checking out. For whatever it's worth, it doesn't smell the way some thrift store do, either.  

Actually, maybe I shouldn't post this-you might go in and pick up something that I want!