Categories: DIY & Crafts; Shopping

Trash and Treasure: Los Angeles Bargain Shopping!

By chubbuni13
updated about 1 month ago

If you've read any of my guides by now, you probably know that I try to drink deeply from the fountain of life's experiences. Good food, copious amounts of liquor, shopping sprees: these are the things I live for... unfortunately for me, my abject state of poverty prevents me from enjoying these things on a regular basis. Some of my other guides have focused on finding inexpensive food and drink throughout the LA area. I figured why not apply my entrepreneurial spirit to shopping in general?

Jet Rag

825 N La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90038

My favorite vintage clothing store, Sunday mornings at Jet Rag is like a religious experience. You know, without all of the associated guilt and you know… religious peasantry. At 9AM they gate off the parking lot and dump all of their leftover clothing haphazardly out on the concrete. Every article of clothing is $1, and if you’re willing to jostle and bump up against a huge crowd of hipsters you are going to find some great finds. It’s probably a good thing that hipsters are generally pretty peaceful or I feel that it could get real ugly real quick.

Buffalo Exchange

131 N La Brea Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90036

The yin to Jet Rag’s yang, I tend to shop here quite infrequently because the prices are quite high for vintage shop fare. However, they have a great policy where they buy clothing and give you store credit or cash money depending on the style, brand and condition of said clothing. I figure for every $20 I spend at Jet Rag’s Sunday Sale, I make about triple that selling it back to Buffalo Exchange… which in turn sells it back to clueless consumers for another 3 – 400% markup. It’s like the budget deficit, it doesn’t make any fiscal sense, but it works.

Ebay

Many people use Ebay for a variety of reasons, but mostly to shop for tchotchkies and one of a kind items only found through the wonder of the Internet. However, I enjoy Ebay because it’s like the modern day equivalent of a fence shop. You can totally tell which sellers are legitimate online sellers and which should be lifetime guild members of their local thieves den. Nobody said capitalism was gonna be pretty.

Rose Bowl

1001 Rose Bowl Dr, Pasadena, CA 91103

One of the biggest flea markets with over 20,000 buyers at a time, they open their doors the second Sunday of every month. I usually buy jeans or crafts there for my girlfriends jewelry making hobby… others go there to make contacts and score illegal narcotics. Fun for the whole family!

Melrose Trading Post

544 N Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90036

Apparently the owner of the Melrose Trading Post has a business where he just approaches the owners of lots that are empty on Sunday mornings and suggests a flea market in that space and time. Seems like business is booming as this market specializes in rare books, handmade greeting cards and general snooty behavior from the participants.

Farmers Markets

You’d think that local, organic, chemical free meats and produce would be grossly expensive. You would be right. However, if you were so inclined, you would also realize that hitting vendors up as they’re leaving with a truck full of unsold products is a perfect time to employ your bargaining skills. You’re not going to make any friends buying their goods at half price, but I figure lightening their truck beds back to Bakersfield only helps them with their already crippling gas bills. I’m a friend to the environment!

Sprouts Farmers Market

780 S Alameda Street, Los Angeles, CA 90021

It’s a little surreal to see a Farmers Market in the middle of Downtown LA, but after witnessing assorted bum fights, public urination and the general apathy of the LAPD in that particular area, I figure anything goes. Why not delicious produce?

South Pasedena Farmers Mkt

1018 Mission S, Pasadena, CA 91101

The red-haired step child of Los Angeles farmers markets… even guidespot’s business finder misspelled Pasadena. sigh Great market and the vendors here are amazingly nice, even when I totally take advantage of the laws of supply and demand. Blame it on John Maynard Keynes!

Salvation Armani

I always have this strange sinking feeling that clothes at the Goodwill or Salvation Army were the ones that people died in. I don’t know what it is, but they all have unearthly smell. Taking that morbid segue into mind, I tend to stay away from the sartorial items and usually lean towards the furniture and appliances that can be bought at shocking discounts. Of great importance to me also are the receipts that they leave out in the open for tax write-offs.