Behind the Thrift - a trip to Arcadia

Last week I introduced a new feature and this week I finally decided on a name for it...Behind the Thrift.  I'm hoping to make this a weekly feature as I have a lot of ideas and information to share with you!  I'm really excited about it and hope you are all looking forward to it as well!

Over the weekend my mom and I took a trip to Arcadia for their monthly antique fair.  If you've never heard of Arcadia, it's a small town in Florida and is considered the number one antiquing destination in the state.  There are over 24 antique shops all within four blocks of each other and every fourth Saturday of the month they hold an antique fair with additional dealers located on the streets and vendors selling food and live music, etc, etc.

I didn't buy much on this trip. Sometimes I like to go and just explore, window shop and gather information. There's always an opportunity to learn, especially if you are looking to start a vintage shop or business of your own.  Gaining knowledge of items, eras and prices makes you a great vintage shop owner and also a great vintage shopper!  Knowing your stuff can help you get the best deals and can also help you learn to spot the real thing vs. a reproduction.

Even though I didn't bring much home my mom left with a cast iron hat stand and a beautiful set of green saucers to complete a vintage dessert set.  I'd consider that a successful day of shopping!