Thrift shops in the US are just like Oxfam and Barnardos and whatnot, right? Um, no. Sure, there's the snazzy 'vintage' shops in SF that you could find in an big trendy city in the UK (except possibly a little more flamboyant. Thank you Castro - your cast-offs are fabulous!), and there seems to be a similar principle - buy donated goods with the proceeds going to charity - but these are not pokey little high street shops. Aw heck no.
I thought I'd give our local goodwill a go - I had a few bits and bobs to donate, so while I was there I had a bit of a look round. Two things struck me. These shops are fucking huge! Like out-of-town outlet big. Also, they smell very very bad. Not sure what the sitch is in the UK but nothing smells of piss. With the sheer volume of merch on display in my local thrift store they couldn't possibly clean everything, so its very much 'sold-as-seen'.
Armed with this quick shufty, and a developing understanding of the economic situation facing the lower working class here I think I have a new appreciation for Sir Mackle of More. His song Thrift Shop was a successful attempt to make thrift shopping cool, and to raise the profile of the lifestyles of Americans who don't often get any representation in the charts. Listen to the majority of mainstream rap, hip-hop and pop and you'll hear all about their extravagant lifestyles and the shit they have left behind. Macklemore doesn't turn his back on his past, instead he uses his position to highlight the realities of the masses (not necessarily pimping and hustling, but scrimping and saving).
A worthy Grammy-winner, methinks.
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