Treasure Hunting at 8 Petoskey Area Thrift Stores

As a young mother in my 20s, I stretch my dollar by scouring yard sales, flea markets, and secondhand stores in search of deals on gently used clothes, kids’ toys, household goods and other treasures that I thought I couldn’t live without. Over the decades, my desire to score a bargain has not waned, some might say it has intensified. Whenever I travel, whether near or far, I look for thrift shops to see what unique souvenirs might be found.

Outside of satisfying my urge to shop in a more affordable way, resale stores serve a multitude of purposes, from raising much-needed funds for area charities to providing job skills to individuals in need. Donating items to these stores help keep items out of landfills, and in the case of consignment operations, may even earn you a little money (or in-store credit). Some even offer DIY craft classes on how to repurpose items into fun, one-of-a-kind pieces for your home or garden

Given that August 17 is National Thrift Shop Day, I thought I’d share my experiences visiting a dozen such stores in the greater Petoskey area.

 

Boyne City

Challenge Mountain Resale Store — 1100 Boyne Avenue

Benefitting Challenge Mountain, the adaptive ski area in Walloon Lake, this store sits on M-75 on the south side of Boyne City (near the high school). The large warehouse-sized store offers clothes for the entire family (including some semi-formal wear), kitchen utensils and appliances, books, crafting items, furniture, and various winter snow gear, including skis, snowboards, poles, boots, and more. Earlier this month, I purchased a $10 pink rimmed porcelain-type bowl, which I attached to the top of a newly painted base for a unique bird bath for my garden.

Forgotten Treasures — 209 S Lake Street

I made my first visit to Forgotten Treasures during Pirate Festival Weekend, meaning it was wall-to-wall shoppers in the small store. From bamboo back scratchers to retro dishes—including a glass “Cracker Barrel” jar just like one we had in our kitchen growing up—there was plenty that caught my eye within feet of the door. As I made my way back through the clothing and shoes (so many shoes), I found a cute white linen top that matched a skirt I already had at home. My other find was a Michigan-shaped beer bottle cap display holder. Given my love of my home state and craft beer, this was a must-have for just $16 (a Google search revealed similar items ranging from $19.99 to $39.99).

 

Home Again — 118 Water Street

Just a few blocks away at Home Again, I discovered an upscale resale store where everything is donated and all proceeds support the Charlevoix Area Humane Society. What was neat about this shop was that tucked in between crystal dishes, paintings, tapestries, antiques, and other collectibles were framed prints of dogs and cats available for adoption through the Humane Society. Fittingly there was a room at the back of the store with all kinds of pet items—leashes, collars, toys, and more. There was also a small room stocked full of vinyl albums and books. If you’re looking for a copy of BoyneOpoly, this is the place to find one (at least it was when I was there).

 

Petoskey

Then & Now Antique & Consignment — 1101 Charlevoix Avenue

I wanted to move right into Then & Now Antique & Consignment. It’s a charming store with its comfy couches, tall wooden hutches, stunning light fixtures and other high-end home accessories, including many custom pieces. I am still dreaming about an upholstered postal-themed chair and matching ottoman, and if I had room for another piece of furniture in my house I might have found a way to justify the $695. I opted instead for a cute turquoise wall hook replicating a bird inside a cage. Since my visit, I learned that Then & Now has an off-site warehouse and they host special sales with items not found in the store. If you sign up for their email alerts, you can learn when the next sale is planned. They also accept consignments and buy full estates.

 

Gold Mine Resale Shop — 1002 Emmet Street and 1878 US-31

With two locations, you’re sure to find whatever you’re looking for and plenty of things you didn’t know you needed at Gold Mine Resale Shop. The Emmet Street location is in a residential neighborhood south of downtown and primarily offers clothing (including semi-formal wear) and accessories, kids’ stuff, and some household items. As this store is in an old house, there is a second story that is not handicap accessible. North of town sits the larger store where you can also find significant furniture sets and pieces—including antiques, as well as paintings and other wall hangings, a good selection of books and DVDs, jewelry, home goods, and clothing—including high-end boutique finds. I’ve been known to walk out with a large bag of treasures from the northern store, but this time I found just one special item—a wrought-iron hanging welcome sign adorned with three pinecones, which totally fits the décor of my log cabin for a mere $3.

 

Bloomin’ Consignment & Home Goods — 1840 M-119 #3

Located between the Habitat for Humanity ReStore and Petoskey Brewing, Bloomin’ Consignment & Home Goods has some great custom pieces of clothing, furniture, and art. During my last visit, I found this super cute denim jacket with an outline of Michigan in yellow fabric sewn onto the back. If it had fit, I would have worn it out of the store despite the 95-degree temperatures. One of my favorite decorations hanging in my dining room came from this store—a large, framed tea towel with a Yorkshire Pudding recipe printed on it below a vintage-looking brick fireplace for $45. Almost every Christmas of my lifetime, my family has included this English recipe as part of our holiday feast, making this a very personal find and one sure to spark conversation over the dinner table the next time my family visits.

Harbor Springs

New Beginnings — 650 W Conway Road

This store’s name, New Beginnings, is quite fitting these days, as there’s been a lot of upgrades going on this summer. A new paved driveway and a new southern (vs. western) entrance now welcomes guests. Inside is still in a bit of flux as they reorganize, but this large room is packed full with everything you could imagine. Beyond the clothes (including a new boutique area for women), you’ll find row after row of household goods, holiday decorations, chandeliers, furniture, sporting goods (including lots of single golf clubs), and so much more. Need a kids’ wet suit…they had one. Looking for five white midcentury modern style dining chairs…they had them. Have space for a comfy chair and ottoman with margaritas embroidered on them…yep, they had that too. Given the size of this store, plan extra time so you don’t miss anything.

 

Last Chance Resale — 8490 M-119

This veteran-supporting resale store, Last Chance Resale, was packed with lots of goodies during my last visit. I bypassed the clothing this time, which was a challenge. In scouring one of the back shelves, I discovered a beautiful wood carved loon for just $8, which is now living on my fireplace mantel. I’m planning a return visit very soon as there was a log-style lamp that caught my eye but at the time I just couldn’t pull the plug on the $45 purchase. If it is still there when I go back, I’ll take it as a sign that it is supposed to go home with me as I have a perfect place for it to shine!

 

Other Area Resale Shops

Other chain stores can also be found in the area, including Goodwill in Petoskey (2154 Anderson Road, near Lowe’s) and Charlevoix (402 Petoskey Avenue), The Salvation Army in Petoskey (1615 Clarion Ave), and the Habitat for Humanity ReStore (1840 M-119, temporarily closed for renovations).

 

About the Author: Dianna Stampfler is the president of Promote Michigan and the author of the best-selling books “Michigan’s Haunted Lighthouses” and “Death & Lighthouses on the Great Lakes.” She loves traveling around the Great Lakes state, with Hemingway country being among her favorite destinations.