In this thrifting series, I am excited to have come across some unique pieces ranging from fall and winter outerwear, to vintage physical media, crafts, and anything I could use to decorate my home. Disclaimer: I am not an avid thrifter. I’ve been to a few thrift stores in my lifetime, and I’ve only found three pieces that caught my eye. I have a short attention span when it comes to shopping, and I need items to stand out to me rather than having to sift through looking for a stellar piece. With this in mind, I hope this thrifting series changes my approach to finding new pieces. I also plan to discover many thrift stores around Atlanta and the metropolitan area and wish to debunk the narrative that you have to only go to the “rich” neighborhoods to find unique finds.
To kick off my thrifting series, I started at a thrift store called Fayette Thrift Shop. This thrift store sits south of the Atlanta metro area and is tucked away on the main street of Fayetteville, GA. Upon entering the thrift store, I noticed a few bicycles, strollers, and other outdoor decorations, which were pretty cool. I spoke with Michael Goins, the new owner of this establishment, whose wife, Karen Goins, is also an owner. He shared that this thrift shop caters to the community by keeping its prices low. This thrift store also sets aside its earnings for the charity of its choice, such as Promise Place, which helps domestic violence victims return to stable living. They also partner with local sheriffs who stop by the shop by providing them with teddy bears for children who are victims of fires.
Clothing & Accessories
My first stop was the clothing section, where the selection was significantly smaller compared to larger thrift stores like Goodwill. A bit outdated for my taste, but I was still able to find a couple of pieces that stood out to me.
My first discovery was an Express black leather jacket. It was in excellent condition, but unfortunately, a size too small. I returned the next day, hoping it was still there, but it had already been claimed. Next, I found a faux-fur burgundy vest that would have been perfect for fall, but it was also too small. Aways disappointing to find a great piece that doesn’t fit.
As for accessories, two small briefcase bags really caught my eye, specifically the red one. I instantly thought I could use this to carry my laptop. I loved the vibrant, bright red color with gold detailing. Not to mention the texture looked stunning. At first, I was not too thrilled with the navy-blue briefcase. It looked bland, but when I got home and looked at the picture, I realized it was actually pretty solid. I went back the next day to retrieve both bags, but only the red one was left.
This white wedding dress really stood out. On the tag, it notes that this was a wedding dress made in the 80s. It definitely gives an 80s vibe with the blend of elegance and punk. Respectfully, I could see Chucky’s wife wearing this.
Home Essentials & Decor
In my own opinion, Fayetteville Thrift Shop’s strong suit is not its clothes, but its home decor items. They have a variety of nice plates and cup sets, paintings, furniture, seasonal decor, and outdoor furniture. I was attracted by the vibrancy of the vase painting with a flower hanging out. The cherry on top was discovering it was also signed by the artist. It made a grand statement of bringing life into my home once I hung it up.
Wall Art
Seasonal Decor
There were plenty options for seasonal decor to make you stand out in your neighborhood with this creepy-looking Halloween decor and Christmas outdoor decorations. Seeing these decorations warmed my heart, because it allows others to get into the holiday spirit at a discounted price.
They also had a craft section that required some digging. I wasn’t able to fully explore all of their crafts, but I did notice they had a resourceful section of fabric and vintage patterns. I got a grey shimmery fabric as my final purchase.
I encourage anyone looking for affordable housewares items and wanting to support a thrift shop that caters to their local community to check this gem out.
