Thrifters Around the World: Thrifted Treasure's Alice From Australia

 [Van's Note: I love Alice's Blog Thrifted Treasure. Her finds are amazing.]

Tell us a little bit about yourself, Alice.

Hi, I'm a stay-at-home mum of 3, originally from Ireland, living in Sydney, Australia. Before giving up work to stay home with the kids I was a graphic designer. I started up this blog (Thrifted Treasure) as a way of finding other thrifting enthusiasts and sharing my finds and love of all things vintage.

My husband doesn't exactly share my retro enthusiasm so I love getting feedback and comments from readers :-)

When and why did you start thrifting?

As a kid my Mum used to drag me around charity shops (Irish name for thrift stores). I eventually inherited her enthusiasm and as a college student loved buying old retro clothes and furniture. I stopped for a while but regained the bug a few years ago when I saw just how great the shops are here in Sydney.

What do you think makes thrifting in Australia different than thrifting in the United States or other places in the world?

I think thrifters in the USA and Canada live in some sort of Thrifter's Utopia, I am in constant awe of the finds you guys share from Garage Sales, Thrift Stores and Craigslist. I would nearly move there just for the shopping :-) I think the huge estate sale and yard sale culture in the USA lends an lot of opportunity for great bargains to be found.

What are the names for "thrifting" in Australia?

Generally the term "op shopping" is used. Op Shop is short for Opportunity Shop, basically a store where second hand goods are sold and the proceeds go to charity. I use the term thrifting in my blog as most of my readers are from the USA and Canada.

Is there a large thrifting/junking/second-hand shopping culture in Australia?

Definitely. Almost every suburb has at least one op shop and there are plenty of second hand and vintage markets. Aussies love a good bargain and with the standard of living having gotten so expensive here a lot more people are turning to second hand shopping as a way of saving a few dollars.

Is there a stigma against second-hand shopping in Australia? Is it seen as dirty or something for low-income families?

Not at all. In any culture there are going to be a few people who turn their nose up at second hand goods but generally Australians can see the benefit of buying second hand, both for the environment and the pocket.

Are there any flea markets in Australia? What are they like?

Yes, I'm not aware of any enormous ones like there are in the USA (I daydream about the world's longest yard sale I have seen mentioned on so many American blogs). I visit a local vintage market once a month, my local church has a twice-yearly rummage sale which is a goldmine and there is a great monthly carboot market in the suburb I used to live in that I still go to sometimes.

Some of the dealers at these markets are way too clued-in to what their goods are worth for my liking (ahem) but there are always bargains to be snapped up.

Are there many dumpster divers and curb-side shoppers in Australia?

There are also regular council cleanups in Sydney where everybody leaves their "junk" out on the sidewalk for collection by council trucks.

People are very open and unembarrassed about stopping and having a good rummage to see if they can find anything. You can often see cars screeching to a hault and reversing to pick up a nice piece of furniture. I have found many items this way :-)

Is there a large thrift and craft culture in Australia?

Yes, I love finding other Australian bloggers and reading about their finds and just like in the USA crafting has made a huge comeback here in Oz, there is an Australian equivalent of Etsy called www.madeit.com.au.

What are thrift stores like in Australia?

Depending on the suburb they can be goldmines or ridiculously overpriced. They're not as enormous as the USA but I have found some fantastic vintage items in thrift stores. The stock varies depending on the store, some only stock clothing and others have large bric-a-brac/homewares sections. My favourite thing to shop for is housewares.

Where do people do their second-hand hunting where you live?

Generally in the local sop shops and a couple of local markets.

Where is your favorite place to thrift?

There is a Vinnie's (St Vincent de Paul) op shop a couple of suburbs away that has a great bric-a-brac section. They also sell furniture and I have found some real treasures there such as a vintage filing cabinet, a retro credenza and an Ikea expedit in perfect condition. Most of my pyrex collection is from this shop also.

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Photos were edited and provided by Alice. If you would like to be featured in Thrifters Around the World, shoot me an e-mail. I would love your feedback on this new segment, let me know what you think in the comments below. My next international interview will be online March 01, 2011.

 

Past Thrifters Around The World Posts

[2/15/2011] Thrifting Pro Miss P From the UK

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