LONG BEFORE REPURPOSING, upcycling and recycling became fashionable, I realized the value in shopping second-hand.
Sweet Repeats, a thrift shop in downtown Montgomery, Minnesota.
Thus you can imagine my excitement when I discovered not one, but two, thrift stores in downtown Montgomery during a recent visit.
In this second installment focusing on the businesses my husband and I perused in this small south-central Minnesota community on a recent Saturday, I highlight those two thrift stores.
A sampling of the merchandise inside Sweet Repeats.
First stop was Sweet Repeats, which offers a wide variety of merchandise ranging from furniture to glassware, old tools, books, clothing and everything in between. Sifting through all the merchandise takes considerable time; I’m certain I missed some gems. But, because the building wasn’t heated—or at least it felt that way to me—I shopped at a faster speed.
I kept circling back to this chair, one of four paired with a rectangular glass-top table. I love the bones, the artsy design of this chair as well as the fabric. I walked away from it, but not before testing the chair, which was too hard for my comfort.
How well I remember S & H and Gold Bond stamps.
I stopped long enough, though, to reminisce when I saw an S & H Green Stamps book, recalling my mom saving, licking and pasting those stamps into books to redeem for merchandise. Funny I can’t remember a single item she got with stamps, only the stamps and the booklets.
Just like the camera my mom used when I was growing up.
I also admired a Brownie Hawkeye Camera while Randy eyed a set of poker chips like his grandparents pulled out on Saturdays.
Sweet pieces of Frankoma pottery.
For the collector, Sweet Repeats offers some sweet pieces of Frankoma pottery. I don’t know going prices on such collectibles. But the owners of this thrift store seem quite aware of value, meaning if you expect to score a steal simply because this is small-town Minnesota, you likely would be wrong.
Love the name of this thrift store: Bird’s Nest.
Just up the street at The Bird’s Nest Thrift Store, a cozy non-profit shop that supports local projects, the merchandise offerings are mostly clothing and basic household necessities. I scored a summery straw purse for $2, perhaps a gift to an aunt or maybe I’ll just keep it for myself.
A nice selection of purses at the Bird’s Nest.
The “make-an-offer” wedding dress.
Randy and I also examined a wedding dress as our eldest is shopping for a gown. The volunteer male tending the store was totally clueless as to any details about the unmarked, unsized dress stained with wine on one sleeve. But he offered to call Myrna while I photographed the gown.
You simply have to appreciate such a nicety which reflects the overall friendliness that prevails in Montgomery. These people are just plain nice, friendly folks. Exactly what I’d expect in a small town.
CHECK BACK for the next installment featuring downtown Montgomery businesses my husband and I visited. To read previous posts, click here and then click here.
And if you missed my first piece on an old-fashioned barbershop in Montgomery, click here.
© Copyright 2013 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Great spots to finds some great buys and unique items, for sure! The dress looks interesting but probably not what your sweet daughter had in mind. This little town looks like a great place!!!
Yes, Montgomery is a delightful town with all those unique shops and the bakery and the historic buildings and the cultural arts and heritage center…
You are right on the dress. Doesn’t seem to be her style. I tracked down my maternal grandma’s dress at my aunt’s house in northern Arkansas. My uncle photographed it and Amber likes it. Now, to get the dress to Minnesota so she can try it on…
Really??? Oh wow!! That might be the answer! Even if it needs a little alteration she has time for that!!! That would be awesome if it worked!!!
I think Grandma’s dress is worth a look and a try on. I tried it on when I was looking for a wedding dress. But because I am 5-foot, 8 1/2 -inches tall, the gown was way too short for me. Amber is the right height and, I’m pretty certain, the right size to fit into it. Just have to get the dress here to Minnesota.
How exciting about that dress possibility!!! Growing up with pretty much all that you saw in those shops certainly causes me to pause. I’m noticing more and more that “antique” shops contain what is in my “attic”!!!!!!! Hmmmm, food for thought!!!! LOL!
The wedding dress I photographed really is not anything that interests my daughter, just not her style (I don’t think). I understand totally how you feel about noticing more and more items in “antique” shops that are things we grew up with/have. We’re not getting older, are we?
Nope, we’re not growing older it’s just that the shops are “grasping” for merchandise and have come up with this ‘stuff’!! Thrift shop-type dresses rarely produce a useable result. Family “heirlooms”…..that’s a whole other thing!
And you would know, having been in the bridal dress business for decades.
You got it!-D
The insides of “sweet repeats” looks awesome, so clean, organized and inviting, I love the chair you photographed, and that fertilizer spreader (in the first picture) looks like the one I just bought at Menards, I don’t even want to know how much cheaper I probably could have got it for. And oh those Green stamps, I know mom bought so much with them, but like you Audrey I couldn’t tell you one thing she got? now I’m inspired to ask her…I know she’ll remember 🙂
Yes, I totally, totally fell for that set of chairs. But had to leave them…
Didn’t notice the fertilizer spreader and I’m sure a lot of other things because time was pushing me out the door.
Next time I’ll ask my mom, too, if she recalls anything she got with those stamps.
Some Great Thrift Stores – fun to explore and find those gems to take home – thanks for sharing your adventures!!! I love that you can move around – some thrift shops are overcrowded or just plain a mess of things and no organization. Happy Thurday:)
Yes, it helps when thrift shops and clean and organized. Makes spotting those gems easier.
Might have to a little jog up the road to Montgomery this week! This weather is wearing on me, and I’m needing something to give me a spark! Nothing like a found treasure or two to do that for me! I’ve been guilty of never taking the turn to “main street” as I drive thru Montgomery…shame on me!
Great idea, Stacey. Since I’m not done with my series yet, here are the other places to be featured in my final posts: LaNette’s Antiques ‘N Lace (love this place), C jay’s Czech Imports (along Highway 13 on the southwest edge of town), Pizzeria 201 (have lunch here), Big Honza’s Museum of Unnatural History (ask the people at the pizzeria to open the museum for you).
Have fun and report back to me.
What is the hours for this place. I would like to shop but I can not find the hours they are open!
My suggestion would be to call as I do not recall the hours and they could have changed since my visit.