Thrifting for Tiki in the urban jungle

I hear ya Trav. I have been getting skunked all winter. Well, except for that amazing trip to SoCal. I can't wait to see what treasures are exposed by "The Big Thaw"! :lol:

Hard to find the in-between thrift stores in Miami... most are high end "consign of the times" or dollar-store and other crap outlets. I was told by one owner that he takes all his tiki to a licensed ebay drop-off dealer in Ft. Lauderdale because he can get more money for it from all those tiki crazies out there (re: suckers like me). The charity stores here are very savvy about the collecting trend... mostly about $$ raised for said charity and less about making thrifting fun for the masses. They too run their own ebay business for obvious collectibles.

On 2011-04-07 07:17, trutiki wrote:
Hard to find the in-between thrift stores in Miami... most are high end "consign of the times" or dollar-store and other crap outlets. I was told by one owner that he takes all his tiki to a licensed ebay drop-off dealer in Ft. Lauderdale because he can get more money for it from all those tiki crazies out there (re: suckers like me). The charity stores here are very savvy about the collecting trend... mostly about $$ raised for said charity and less about making thrifting fun for the masses. They too run their own ebay business for obvious collectibles.

It does make it rare to find the treasure that slips through their systems, but satisfying too. At the Goodwill stores I never find anything in the "Collectibles Case". And the tiki mugs are almost never with the coffee mugs. I think it was TikiTrav who mentioned that he always gives a thrift store a "final sweep of the shelves" before he exits. That's good advice.

The "final sweep" is indeed one of my number one rules for shopping at the thrift store. I almost forgot the rule and nearly missed one of my best thrift finds ever. The good stuff is still out there, just keep looking.
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=37725&forum=5

It has been the driest season for hunting vintage Tiki that I have ever had in my corner of the world this year. I have had a few good finds but nothing that was a "WOW" find. I don't want to over analyze it with social and economic trend charts, just say I had some enjoyable drive time and met some nice folks.

In this corner of the thrifting world at least five Salvation Army thrift stores have closed in the last three years. However, Goodwills have increased by one and a few have remodeled. Several Mom & Pops have closed too.
The stores here have been very dry for a good five years when it comes to tiki. One mug per 20+ visits? I thought the swap-meet would be promising when Buzzy took to the desert but, no.

Erik the Red

Sound like around here in the north state. A coupe of flea market finds back in oct. but other than that not much. Pleanty of the plastic tiki stuff but what we look for.. nada. Kinda depressing.

Here in Kzoo the weather is perfect and the yard and garage sales are in full swing. Lots of spring cleaning means fresh finds. I'm off work at the moment but it is better than being off in the dead of winter. Hell, I even had to mow the lawn for the first time this year. I hope the finds come easy and frequent for all of us this season.

I go to my 3 local ones twice a day since they restock the shelves 3 times a day, also stores like goodwill will split up collections of ideas, like Ive found 5 size M 1970s Hawaiian shirts in 2 different Goodwills, also the Tiki Hula queens wound up in two stores also, but Im guessing they came from the same donor, id tell people go every day, search hard and dont be upset if you dont stike it rich every time!! sometimes its a dry hole

found this for 3.99 by accident at goodwill, went back and went through the pic frames a second time, always love leaving the price tag on too!! thrift stores Rock

Garage sales seem a long way away here in Mi and the thrift stores are pretty dry. I did score this lone bowl last week though. Sitting all by it's self with no other Tikis in sight. $3.99

On 2014-02-20 06:32, uncle trav wrote:
I did score this lone bowl last week though. Sitting all by it's self with no other Tikis in sight. $3.99

1 bowl is better than no bowls :)

Uncle Trav I am going to offer something to you that many have asked for but I won't ever do...if you find yourself in NorCal you let me know and I will take you to my hunting grounds.

Bring a BIG carry on for the trip back home my friend...you need to get out of the frozen tundra!

On 2014-02-20 07:15, SandraDee wrote:
1 bowl is better than no bowls :)

Uncle Trav I am going to offer something to you that many have asked for but I won't ever do...if you find yourself in NorCal you let me know and I will take you to my hunting grounds.

Bring a BIG carry on for the trip back home my friend...you need to get out of the frozen tundra!

WOW !!! I would be honored to have a guided thrift tour. Sounds awesome! Now if I can get all the stars to align it's a date. Right now I think the damn things are all frozen in place up here :D :D Thanks SD your the best.

Atta boy, Trav! Keep hittin'em!

Thrift stores around here kind of look like this:

Islander--$2.00 :wink:

Ouch! Talk about salt in the wound!

Our thrifts are dry in the winter but they do pay out from time to time. Found a while back at a thrift near me in the village of PawPaw......for real. Mai Kai drum mug $3.99. This is the stuff that keeps me looking :D

Yea that find right there kind of trumps my last 3 years of finds :wink:

so...I don't feel bad its snowing so much there..hahah

[Deleted]

[ Edited by: TikiTacky 2014-02-20 14:27 ]

That was my fault but I listed the drum mug in Tiki Finds back in 2010. Just a friendly back and forth between fellow thrifters.

On 2014-02-20 13:24, uncle trav wrote:
Our thrifts are dry in the winter but they do pay out from time to time. Found a while back at a thrift near me in the village of PawPaw......for real. Mai Kai drum mug $3.99. This is the stuff that keeps me looking :D

Awesome find and awesome mug!

Why don't you read the title of this thread "Thrifting for Tiki in the Urban Jungle" and then get a clue.

Maybe the reason you start so many new threads is because you DON'T read or follow basic posting guidelines. Even unspoken/unwritten it seems EVERY other member but you can figure them out.

Your menu ain't no big score. If I wanted to I could have bought it off Etsy just like you did days before you did but I already have 2 of those menu in MUCH better condition so why would I? I didn't start a brand new thread on my menus when I found them because I care very little about paper finds. I just give them away or resell them. I am more into mugs.

You wonder why people don't contribute to your threads/get back to you about your collecting book..well hate to tell you but you come off like a dick and people who have been around on these boards for awhile--or heck even those considered "newbies" don't want to deal with more dickish behavior.

Uncle Trav and I have been forum friends for let's see 7 years just about (holy crap Trav!) and its people like him (not you) that make posting on the Collecting Tiki section fun....because they share stuff without rubbing anyone the wrong way.

Find stuff..post stuff..add your 2cents to threads that you can but READ and post in the correct places that things go..ain't that hard.

This isn't your personal blog..its a forum.

I really could care less but if you feel so inclined go ahead back to that "throwing tantrum" portion of your posting if you like. I am guessing you are a middle aged man stuck in a land locked state whose only tiki connection is Ebay and Etsy. Being "stuck" here in California within driving distance of 10+ tiki bars thriting at stores with shelves full of tiki swag I sympathize with your situation.

But hey thanks for tainting this fun thread here with more of your dickish behavior.

Cyber high five to you there guy!

On 2014-02-20 13:58, uncle trav wrote:
That was my fault but I listed the drum mug in Tiki Finds back in 2010. Just a friendly back and forth between fellow thrifters.

Ain't your "fault" or mine my friend...can you believe we have "known" each other for 7 years? CRAZY!!

WAY CRAZY !!!

Responded to SandraDee in a PM to keep it off the forum. Sorry for the interruption. Back to your regular posting.

UncleTrav, I didn't mean to sound like I was scolding you. You got caught in the crossfire. My bad, I'm deleting my original post. :)

Jeepers, Trav! All I've ever found in the thrifts, around here, was a rocks glass from the Hukelau in Chicopee.

On 2014-02-20 14:30, Big Kahuna wrote:
Jeepers, Trav! All I've ever found in the thrifts, around here, was a rocks glass from the Hukelau in Chicopee.

BK you do quite well with your finds. Sure you have your slim months but looking back on 2013 you found tons of great stuff!

BK, someday this winter is gonna end and then the warm weather brings out the spring cleaning and garage sales! I just wait for the last week in April for my favorite antique fair to start. That one has always been good to me and I know you have some good ones up your way.

On 2014-02-20 14:00, SandraDee wrote:
Why don't you read the title of this thread "Thrifting for Tiki in the Urban Jungle" and then get a clue.

Maybe the reason you start so many new threads is because you DON'T read or follow basic posting guidelines. Even unspoken/unwritten it seems EVERY other member but you can figure them out.

Your menu ain't no big score. If I wanted to I could have bought it off Etsy just like you did days before you did but I already have 2 of those menu in MUCH better condition so why would I? I didn't start a brand new thread on my menus when I found them because I care very little about paper finds. I just give them away or resell them. I am more into mugs.

You wonder why people don't contribute to your threads/get back to you about your collecting book..well hate to tell you but you come off like a dick and people who have been around on these boards for awhile--or heck even those considered "newbies" don't want to deal with more dickish behavior.

Uncle Trav and I have been forum friends for let's see 7 years just about (holy crap Trav!) and its people like him (not you) that make posting on the Collecting Tiki section fun....because they share stuff without rubbing anyone the wrong way.

Find stuff..post stuff..add your 2cents to threads that you can but READ and post in the correct places that things go..ain't that hard.

This isn't your personal blog..its a forum.

I really could care less but if you feel so inclined go ahead back to that "throwing tantrum" portion of your posting if you like. I am guessing you are a middle aged man stuck in a land locked state whose only tiki connection is Ebay and Etsy. Being "stuck" here in California within driving distance of 10+ tiki bars thriting at stores with shelves full of tiki swag I sympathize with your situation.

But hey thanks for tainting this fun thread here with more of your dickish behavior.

Cyber high five to you there guy!

Way out of line, Liz.

You see to have a particular problem with "middle aged men".....seeing how you called me "old man" in a PM not too long ago.
I find it ironic that you send your hate filled posts to people like me, ATP and now Tiki Tacky, calling some of us "sociopaths" here and in harassing posts on facebook....yet you fail to recognize your own part in things.

YAWN

Same old Lucas posting the same old shit.

Go troll someone else.

Actually let's go back to the Bahooka thread and talk about animals.

It's better that way.

Yeah, I do. The thrifts just seems to be my wasteland. I have great luck at antique malls & flea markets.

On 2014-02-20 15:07, SandraDee wrote:

On 2014-02-20 14:30, Big Kahuna wrote:
Jeepers, Trav! All I've ever found in the thrifts, around here, was a rocks glass from the Hukelau in Chicopee.

BK you do quite well with your finds. Sure you have your slim months but looking back on 2013 you found tons of great stuff!

I may have mentioned this before. I go to many large antique malls in my area. I rotate which ones I hit during my rounds. Antique mall booth stock rotates much slower than thrift store stock so I give the malls some time to restock before I visit again. Spring in my area means that the dealers are out and fresh swag shows up in the mall booths. When you go to cash out at the mall ask the cashier if the dealer offers any discounts. Many many times the dealer has left a note offering ten to sometime twenty percent off. It never hurts to ask. Don't forget to ask the folks at the mall if any tiki items have come in lately. These folks know the dealers and the stock. Just thought I'd throw that out there based on my experience. It's the thrill of the hunt. Have fun!

I've got 4 "routes" I take when I go hunting. It really helps to get to know the dealers. My favorite multi-dealer shop has a spot reserved for my Tiki stuff. When I walk in, the first thing I do is check my spot. No Tiki stuff hits the floor without me seeing it first. Not only that, but 5 of the dealers pick with me in mind & know what to buy & what I'll pay for it. This is a huge benefit & they've found me some amazing stuff. I've also taken some stuff I wouldn't have, but we keep the lines of communication open & they rarely pick stuff I don't want.

Holy crap!!! It reached fifty degrees here yesterday with a sunny day. The big thaw is on. The first big outdoor antique show is just over a month away which also means spring cleaning in the northern climes. This is the time when some new finds start coming online. Hold on folks this cold can't last forever.

Well I thought I would extend my search pattern into northern Ohio this weekend. Though technically not a thrift store my target was a 110,000 square foot antique mall. After a two and a half hour drive and half a day on the hunt I saw exactly one common bucket mug and a candle lantern shaped like a tiki. Believe me I took a very good look in every booth. Very discouraging. I have better luck in my home town. The mall was by no means a high end shop. When you see die cast NASCAR stuff you know that. I did pick up a good bottle of rum in Indiana and had a good time nonetheless. I'll still beat the bricks looking for that one good find.

uncle trav wrote:
Well I thought I would extend my search pattern into northern Ohio this weekend. Though technically not a thrift store my target was a 110,000 square foot antique mall. After a two and a half hour drive and half a day on the hunt I saw exactly one common bucket mug and a candle lantern shaped like a tiki. Believe me I took a very good look in every booth. Very discouraging. I have better luck in my home town. The mall was by no means a high end shop. When you see die cast NASCAR stuff you know that. I did pick up a good bottle of rum in Indiana and had a good time nonetheless. I'll still beat the bricks looking for that one good find

UTrav I feel for you, I've been doing this national/regional antique shop/mall/outdoor flea market etc. Tiki search for years & my failure rate has probably been 95%. When I see these things Bay Park Buzzy scores on a regular basis I say OMG!!! )-:

On 2015-06-14 06:35, uncle trav wrote:
Well I thought I would extend my search pattern into northern Ohio this weekend. Though technically not a thrift store my target was a 110,000 square foot antique mall. After a two and a half hour drive and half a day on the hunt I saw exactly one common bucket mug and a candle lantern shaped like a tiki. Believe me I took a very good look in every booth. Very discouraging. I have better luck in my home town. The mall was by no means a high end shop. When you see die cast NASCAR stuff you know that. I did pick up a good bottle of rum in Indiana and had a good time nonetheless. I'll still beat the bricks looking for that one good find.

Stuff is still out there, I found a Kahiki Idol's Cast yesterday at a Flea Market here in north east Ohio yesterday. I've actually been on a roll for the last 2 months finding some great items. However it's hit or miss. I had been on a drought of about a year for anything really good prior to this.

On 2015-06-14 06:53, Thortiki wrote:
uncle trav wrote:
When I see these things Bay Park Buzzy scores on a regular basis I say OMG!!! )-:

If it makes you feel any better, I came home empty handed this week. I know how it hurts to have it happen...

I figure I see so much stuff because I'm at the literal gateway to all these Pacific places of collector interest. Lots of general Polynesian interest for a long time out here, just because of out port seafaring history. Navy guys bringing home souvenirs stationed here are commonplace. Those "live in their boats at the bay harbors and travel the high seas" guys bring back a lot of cool stuff too. Not much room on a boat, so out it goes.
My senior class gradution travel opportunity was to New Zealand. part of the tour was a Maori village. A bunch of students who went bought 2-3 small carved tiki pieces there and brought them back. Every year, I can only imagine how many hundreds of student's travel gifts come back from all the other schools who do this through those specialized student travel companies. PNG stuff is common too, I assume because there are a couple guys in the county who import that stuff direct by the container every so often.

I usually do a quick lap at the swap meet before I vend at International Marketplace. This week I skipped it because crappy weather and I was tired. Sitting at my table vending I get a text from my swap meet pal with this picture:

He says in the text: "Old lady next to Asian lady seller(we have knicknames for sellers and areas of the swap meet) had this 2 x 3 ' framed tiki print today. $40. I didn't get it."

#$#^%$&! I asked if he was still there, no dice... Went and asked lady this morning about it and it was sold yesterday. Oh well! She usually shops for about an hour before she sets up, so I would have missed it anyway.

Buzzy Out!

On 2015-06-14 20:39, Bay Park Buzzy wrote:

On 2015-06-14 06:53, Thortiki wrote:
uncle trav wrote:
When I see these things Bay Park Buzzy scores on a regular basis I say OMG!!! )-:

If it makes you feel any better, I came home empty handed this week. I know how it hurts to have it happen...

I figure I see so much stuff because I'm at the literal gateway to all these Pacific places of collector interest. Lots of general Polynesian interest for a long time out here, just because of out port seafaring history. Navy guys bringing home souvenirs stationed here are commonplace. Those "live in their boats at the bay harbors and travel the high seas" guys bring back a lot of cool stuff too. Not much room on a boat, so out it goes.
My senior class gradution travel opportunity was to New Zealand. part of the tour was a Maori village. A bunch of students who went bought 2-3 small carved tiki pieces there and brought them back. Every year, I can only imagine how many hundreds of student's travel gifts come back from all the other schools who do this through those specialized student travel companies. PNG stuff is common too, I assume because there are a couple guys in the county who import that stuff direct by the container every so often.

I usually do a quick lap at the swap meet before I vend at International Marketplace. This week I skipped it because crappy weather and I was tired. Sitting at my table vending I get a text from my swap meet pal with this picture:

He says in the text: "Old lady next to Asian lady seller(we have knicknames for sellers and areas of the swap meet) had this 2 x 3 ' framed tiki print today. $40. I didn't get it."

#$#^%$&! I asked if he was still there, no dice... Went and asked lady this morning about it and it was sold yesterday. Oh well! She usually shops for about an hour before she sets up, so I would have missed it anyway.

Buzzy Out!

Don't feel too bad, looks pretty beat up

Yup. I have been at this for many moons myself and always enjoy the hunt. I guess the rare finds that have turned up for me in the past have more than made up for all of the empty handed weekends. I guess I'm a bit jaded these days but not enough to keep me from looking in every nook and cranny for that next big find. Keep it fun folks!

The thrift stores were good to me this week. Spent a whole $2 for all three. Now the days are getting shorter and the weather is starting to turn here in exotic Kalamazoo. When winter closes in the finds become rare but I'll still be on the hunt.

Oh it's on!! The weather has taken a drastic turn toward the good side for a change here in Kzoo. The forecast is for a high of eighty today. Garage sales are starting to pop up and even the hummingbirds are back. Later this month one of my favorite hunting grounds opens and the flea markets will start up soon. A whole new season of thrifting is ahead and my never ending hunt continues. Damn how I love it so :D

The thrift store scene here has been terrible for long while. I only had one good tiki find in a long long time. Antique stores and markets and even the flea markets and garage sales all seem to be flat. I have had some luck with other items I hunt for but the tiki items have become a rare commodity in these parts. I’ll always stay on the hunt but it’s getting tough up here in the great white north to track down those good finds.

Ditto for these parts of PA. Lots of vendors and whole stores that used to be cool, antique and vintage stuff have transitioned into farmhouse and "shabby chic" decor. I guess that's what's hot these days. It's disheartening, but the hunt continues!

On 2020-01-06 07:35, Bam Bam wrote:
Ditto for these parts of PA. Lots of vendors and whole stores that used to be cool, antique and vintage stuff have transitioned into farmhouse and "shabby chic" decor. I guess that's what's hot these days. It's disheartening, but the hunt continues!

Same thing here. Maple scented candles and tea dyed teddy bears made out of old American flags are not my bag. I went to an old haunt the other day. Used to be cool vintage stuff there but it has turned into a shabby joint. Find anything and paint it off white and then hit it with sandpaper! BAM!! now it’s shabby chic. The hunt will continue here as well.

Here in the UK I haven't found a Tiki item in a Yard sale for about 42 years. And I haven't found anything other than 50s glass wear in Charity/thrift stores. I have been more successful on line. I'm sure you are all very capable at internet trawling. But as there are so many trawling the same thing, I'm sure we have been trying to out bid each other at some point. I use Picclick. This searches ebay and Amazonas a whole. But I've just realised picclick.uk looks at a lot of US as well as the UK. If I use German (.de) this does Germany and US and every other country has their own areas of interest. Depending on how in to Tiki or Polynesia your searches will vary with how fruitful the search will be. Germany before and after the first World War was very interested in the Ethnological studies of Pacific.France has an interest because of French Polynesia. The US is the home of Tiki Pop Culture as well you know. However for every learned or enlightened soul there are a myriad or plethora of naive folk out there. This wave of Tiki is full of tales of amazing finds for a crazy low price. With Picclick or FB Market Place my top tip would be to look for African Carving as well as your usual search ie Tiki. As we are into Tiki would our distant relatives get it? Most of my scores have been from people who have held on to stuff because it was their great aunts or so and have no interest other than getting rid of said item or group of items. Rather than taking it to land fill they try to flog them. Thinking they are tribal or africal they sit there being ignored for ages until the price drops. I'm sure you know this one but if you don't you are welcome. Big finds using this method have been 2 early framed Shag prints. A 1890s Tekoteko. 3 really nice Tangaroas, 2 kavakavas, most of my PNG masks. A vanuatu slit drum and some of my larger tikis. Hopefully for those who are finding the lack of local finds disheartening will find thus helpful. It's just the international shipping and import prices can be an unpleasant surprise.