Next to Cuernovaca

Second Hand Shop

 1119  N. Ventura Ave.

Ventura, CA

I always think of this place as "the place next to Cuernavaca (an excellent and inexpensive Mexican place that now has branches in Oxnard and Santa Barbara)," and I'm starting this post without knowing what the name of the place is. It's on the Avenues, between Cuenavaca and Airway Glass.

I've been working on this for a few weeks, and there's no identifying name or anything on the outside, and the people who work inside are a bit difficult to understand. But over the years, I've poked my nose in several times, and have made enough purchases where it's a regular stop when eating at Cuernavaca. Prices are pretty good, and the guy who runs the place, with a thick Mexican accent and a wandering eye, will haggle a bit, too.

Since I first walked in, I've picked up a great, 4'  faux bamboo fountain for the yard for $50, an old Crate modeling practice amp for $25, a foot tall wooden Buddha statue for $10, and lots of dvd's and video games for $3 each. He has lots of tools, and lots of stuff to tack up your horse. On my last visit, I picked up a vintage UCLA pennant, and almost picked up Dodgers and Padres ones, too, for $2 each. I've almost bought things as varied as cowboy boots and vintage bicycles while in there as well.

If I could think of a place to put the marlin, I'd probably buy that too.

But really, there seems to be a lot of everything, and picked reasonable well. It's a small space, and packed in a way that's most likely an  ADA violation, and I usually make two complete laps around the store to make sure I don't miss anything odd or that I might want to purchase.

Probably not worth a special trip, (though there have been a few times that I've been bored around the house and made up a reason to go by),  but not a bad place to walk through while waiting for a table next door.