I was checking out the local thrift store yesterday and I saw a few filters in their (usually just point and shoot) camera section. I grabbed them and wandered around for a while. When it was time for checkout I tested a theory I have had for a while now. Thrift stores in general (and this one in specific) are really arbitrary about their pricing. Sometimes they will give you a great price on good gear, and sometimes they will gouge you for junk.
Here is how the conversation went.
Me – Here you go!
Her – What are those things?
Me – I dunno, they look like slides, or maybe tiny picture frames.
Her – really? Let me see?
Her – oh, do you know what these are?
Me – Nope
Her – I think they are camera lenses?
Me – really? I was thinking I was going to paint on them?
Her – OK, Cool! That’ll be $1.61
Now this was for a polarizer, a Neutral Density filter and another I don’t remember. The tax alone on those three filters new would have been more than I paid for them. I feel a little bad about lying, but then again, why don’t they price their stuff before you bring it up to the register?
I love looking in thrift stores, I love finding even more!
Great find! Where I live, the thrift stores won’t sell you an item if it isn’t already priced.