They say write what you know. I write the Consignment Shop mysteries and I work in a consignment shop The Snooty Fox here in
Cincinnati. I’ve been there part-time for almost seventeen years. 
Don’t you love the name Snooty Fox! Fact is I named the
Prissy Fox in my series after the Snooty Fox. The Prissy part seemed to fit Savannah.
The Snoot as I call it, is an
upscale consignment shop meaning we are not Goodwill or St. Vincent DePaul. Not
that there is one thing wrong with shopping these places but the Snoot only
takes clothes within a two year style period and gently worn.
A consignment shop is the fun of wearing designer clothes on
the cheap. I could never afford a Gucci handbag but I gotta tell you I love
having one. I got mine for a hundred bucks. A hundred bucks you say is a ton of
money...except I’ve used it for five summers and it’s still looks like it’s brand
new. Now that’s a pretty good deal.
Most of all I love bragging to my friends how much I paid
for stuff. The conversation goes something like, “Oh, I just love your Kate Spade
purse.” And my reply is, “I got it at the Snoot for forty bucks!” instead of
the usual three-hundred and fifty!
I got this cute table and chairs for the grandkids at the Snoot for $25. Love it.
How many times have you bought something, wore it once,
decided it wasn’t your color or didn’t fit the way you liked and you were stuck
with it? Well, that’s where the Snoot comes in. You can sell your green plaid
jacket that you just had to have but then decided you hated at the Snoot
because there is a customer out there who will love that jacket. You won’t get
what you paid for the jacket but it beats hanging in the back of your closet
taking up space.
Consignment
shopping is a lot like solving a mystery. It’s all about the hunt for the
perfect scarf, skirt or shoes.
I think that’s why mystery and the Consignment: Murder series seemed like a
perfect fit. Putting two of the things I like most together in a mystery series
is a blast. I get to write about murder and mayhem for fun and profit and I get
to find great deals on clothes and look good for next to nothing. Come visit me
at the Snooty Fox and I’ll show you around. I know there’s a cute little Louis
Vuitton bag out there with your name on it!
Tell me about the best deal you ever scored and I’ll draw two names for one
of my romance books. Be sure to check back to see if you won.
Happy shopping.
Hugs, Duffy
35 comments:
Nabbed a gorgeous SILK velvet, purple pantsuit for 10 bucks at a Salvation Army shop. It ultimately became a boy's costumes -- Joker from Batman (think Cesar Romero) for Halloween and Willie Wonka for a play!
Got a Jessica London red jacket normally $300 for five bucks at the salvation army
I have a couple. I have found BRAND NEW tag still on Vera Bradley Bags 3 times! Yup, not once.... 3 times. Once for $3.99 and the other 2 were $1.99 each. I also found Naot shoes... for $1.99. No tread wear, someone bought them and must not have worn them AT ALL... they smelled NEWnewnew. Another pair I found garage sale-ing, still in it's box, again NEW for $3. These are probably my favorites.... but I ALSO found an Imagnin, beaded brocaded oh my goshers... AMAZING jacket, in MY size; tag still on it for $1.29. I have sale karma of hugely scary proportions. I have gorgeous vintage suits, silk dresses, and even sequined ballroom dancing frippery... and I rarely spend $10. I have several London Fog trenches all bought for under $10 and even some Northface down stuffed too... I can think of many things I like to do, but thrifting is right there in the top 5! If you ever get out to Seattle Duffy I would LOVELOVELOVE to take you to all my favorite thrift places and spend a whole day at it!
That is so cool. You are really creative, Georgette. Hope you took lots of pics. What terrific costumes.
Hi, Jill. Well done!! Gotta love the good deal. And when you get comments on it you feel so good. Good taste, good price. Cool!
Holy cow, you are the deal queen!! These are terrific finds. When you score a new item with tags still on it’s really a win! I’m amazed how many items we get at the Snoot with the tags still on but I really get it. You buy something then wonder…What the heck was I thinking! If I get to Seattle we will definitely shop together. What fun!
I haven't gotten any deals, but I think I want to follow these ladies around. We don't have a gently used shop in town or in the next town either.
The best deal I ever got was paying $50.00 for a dishwasher from a friend. I had the dishwasher for over 30 years before I had to find a new one!
I LOVE consignment shops. At my local shop when my son was first born I scored a practically brand new Baby Bjorn carrier. This specific one (there are many different kinds) retails for around $148. I got it for $5! I was shocked and so happy I got it. My son has long outgrown the carrier but if we ever have another baby, I have packed it carefully away to be used again.
I also got a what looked like brand new pair of Birkenstock suede clogs that retail for over $100...I got them for $4.99! There was no wear on the soles and they looked perfect. I wear them all the time still.
I love consignment shops and thrift stores. They are my favorite places to shop! One woman's castaways become my treasures :)
Something happened when I tried to post a moment ago and I got an "error message" ( so apologies if this is a duplicate) Just wanted to say I LOVE consignment stores and I would come visit the Snooty Fox in a heartbeat!!
Oh Gram, consignment shopping is terrific and really catching on. Maybe you should open a shop? ;-)
Wow, no dishwasher lasts that long anymore. Well done, Rachelle!
Hi, Katherine. We have Once Upon a Child around here and I’ve gotten so many toys for the grandkids there. That place is terrific for kids stuff. Have great clothes for cheap too. Baby Bjorn is fantastic and you got a great sea. Enjoy your little one. Hugs
Oh Mary, wish you were here. We could shop and do lunch. Now that’s a fun day.
I wish we had a Once Upon a Child where I live! The closest one is about an hour away and I have never been. Someday!
Great post, Duffy. There is such a thrill in consignment shopping and finding that perfect deal! I just found a new Jones New York sun dress for $25 in a nifty shop near us. It's a perfect fit too. I've been bragging ever since. I plan to wear it at Malice next year.
XO
MJ
I know it might not seem like a totally cool deal, but i love hunting up books that are no longer in print and finding them. I couldnt for the life of me find the Nora Roberts companion any more, it wasn't available to purchase here in canada any more. But i was at the local thrift store the one day and i turned a corner and there on a book shelf in pristine conditin was the book! I got it for 25 cents. I about started squeeling like a kid right there! Now if only i could find your O'Fallons series.
Seattle has amazing consignment! I was down there for Penny Arcade Expo a few years ago and we spent the day trolling the streets shopping. It was amazing! Boston also has really great consignment. Especially on Newbury Street! But i thhink i like the market in seattle better!
Consignment shopping is delightful and always interesting. I have been fortunate to have found a leather Elliott Luca purse for $8.00 which I love and is one of my best buys ever. I bought a few things for the grandchildren for $4.00, a set of new legos in a wooden box and a wooden wagon. Still looking. Love this post and comments. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
Hi MJ! I hope to make it to Malice. Cannot wait to see the sundress. Drinks on me. Hugs.
Hi, Lindsey!!!!!!! Wish I was there to see you get your book. I love stuff like this. Destiny steps in and there you are. Wonderful. I think I have an OFallon book around here somewhere. Send me your snail address to DuffyBrown@DuffyBrown.com and I’ll send it to you. Thanks for asking. Hugs
I love finding coups. If I do I am thrilled. I did find a Radio Flyer Trike for $5.00 in perfect condition for the little ones. It is mostly for them that I shop now, rare to find something great for me. Oh well, I will keep searching and hope for that elusive treasure. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
Hi, Traveler. What wonderful finds. Way to go. Shopping for kids at consignment shops works so well as they outgrown things in a heartbeat.Legos and a wooden wagon…sweet! Go grandma!
$5!! You did great. I just paid $50 for one ‘cause I couldn’t find one used. I like your deal a lot better than mine. LOL
When I first moved to Austin, I worked 5 days a week, but on weekends volunteered at a church sponsored thrift store. It was lovely, I knew I was helping and I shopped before I left every Saturday. I got things to help furnish my apartment, I found some clothes to help me go to work looking businessey and I found books to read. It was a wonderful place to work - and an even more wonderful place to help when families came in who were in need. Of course, the volunteer job cost money, but it was all worth it.
I like your purse, it's pretty. I bought a bookcase for $1.00 from the guys at the Alano Club down the street. At the library book sale I can get a big brown paper grocery bag of books or other things for $6.00. Can't afford Gucci. I could barely afford Guess! Once when the leather store at the mall was closing or moving to a new location, they had a good sale and purses that were about $100 were on sale for about $30 ... so I bought three! How do you know if the clothes at the consignment shop are over two years old? A lot of items could be in style for many years. I don't have any high end or newer clothes so I don't think they'd want mine!
What a lovely story, Annette. You helped others, made friends and got things at a bargain. Win Win all the way around. Way to go!
Hi, Michelle. Sometimes it is hard to tell the age but styles do change and the Snoot’s niche is the more contemporary look. We have vintage shops in Cincy too and I love that look but it’s just not the Snoot. You did great on the $30 purses. I just got my daughter a Michael Kohrs bag for $15 bucks. So many good deals. I could never afford designer stuff unless it’s consignment. Waaaay too pricey for my pocketbook.
That is so very kind of you! WOW! Just made my day.
Anyone that comes my way would be fun to thrift with. We do have a lot of great places here, I just was so inspired by this, that I found a new to me consignment today!! So fun.
About the best deals I've ever lucked onto are the $2 DVDs (or $5 for TV series) you can get on Black Friday, and picking up $25 books for only $1 or $2 in like-new condition at the library used book sale.
Hi, Heather. Love these deals. Black Friday has some amazing ones. Best shopping ever.
Hi, All and thanks for playing along.
The book winners are Michelle F and Gram. Please email DuffyBrown@DuffyBrown.com with your mailing address and I’ll send along a book. Anyone wanting Pearls and Poison goodies so the same and I’ll send it along as well. Have a good week. Hugs
Congrats Michelle and Gram!
Duffy, I emailed you about those goodies, thanks!
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