Have you ever missed out on a machine but got another chance?

[fan-of-fans]

One time I went to an estate sale near my house, and there was a Hoover Slimline. Lime green and seal griege. I didn't see the hose or anything else to it with it and they wanted $8 so I passed on it.

The last day I thought about going back to see if it was there still but I just decided against it because it was no use with missing parts. But it really bothered me and I wanted it so I called up the company running the sale, and they said it wasn't worth their time to go back to sell it to me.

So I just kind of forgot about it. Until a few months later I went into a thrift store, and there was another lime Slimline. The hose, wand and floor tool were with it, but not connected to it. I grabbed it almost immediately and headed for the checkout counter. It turned it out was half price day so I got it for like $3.75 with tax!

The funny part was a friend of mine who is a city councilor was in the store, with a bunch of other high ups, because I guess they were having a tour or something, so I was a little embarrassed that he saw me buying an old vacuum cleaner. But I didn't care. LOL

But after I got home I took off the price sticker, and under it was an another purple sticker, which was obviously from the sale. So that proved to me it was the same vacuum from the sale.

Has anyone else ever had an experience like that where you passed something up, regretted it, but then had another chance?

 

[jo]

That’s a fun story!

The older I get the more I try to live with no regrets. The last two Aerus Lux’s I obtained...one from Goodwill...another from habitat...I did hesitate but finally took them home with me...So happy I did for sure. I know I would have regretted passing on both of them for sure.

I did recently pass on an Electrolux Olympia at Goodwill...the generic hose was taped at both ends and the power nozzle was heavily beat up. And none of the other attachments were there. Don’t regret passing on that so much as my Mother has an Olympia in very nice condition and I have a Silverado in much better condition. I only hope someone else buys it and gets a new hose and enjoys it for what it is.

Glad you were able to regain an opportunity to get that Hoover which turned out to be the same one and even better with the parts.

I usually try to buy things that are virtually new that I find at thrift stores because it’s so rare to find things in such good condition at these stores and I usually figure I’ll regret not getting the item. Some things I’ve gotten practically new are 2 expensive cuisinart grind and brew coffee makers, 2 Aerus canister vacuums, a small Kerrigan machine, various pairs of jeans New with tags, some of which are diesel brand which are NOT cheap, usually between $100 and $200 a piece. And these clothing items were in my size as well!

I’ve often wondered and figured that the leftovers from estate sales get donated and sent off to thrift stores. Often times I find goingto an estate sale is very similar to goring to a thrift store...most of anything good has been taken by the family and most of what remains is old and likely unwanted by most.

 

[superocd]

I haven't been to a thrift store in a while...

...especially now that the quarantine is in effect (even though I still count as an "essential worker" as an HVACR tech). Even before then, I stopped going as I figured nine vacuum cleaners is plenty enough in a three-bedroom, 2500 square foot house with just my wife and I. I do, however, fantasize about finding a old 500-series Kirby (preferably the one with the earlier motor shell, or even better, a 1C-3C), a Kirby Classic 1-CR or Classic Omega, a Sanitaire with the old 7-amp motor and an older Eureka F&G upright (other than my 2016 Sanitaire, I have no Eurekas in my collection). I think if I found one decent example of each I'd stop my vacuum collecting quest for good, lol.

 

[human]

I don't know that I've had exactly that experience but once a few years ago, I hesitated on a nice Electrolux Epic upright but didn't want to pay the $35 the thrift store wanted for it. I went back the next day and it was gone. But the day after that, I was in another thrift store and there was an Electrolux Discovery Plus, essentially the same machine, for $25. I bought it, figuring the universe had just thrown me a bone.

Of course, since the Discovery Plus has holders for on-board tool storage, I spent way more than the $10 difference in price to fully kit it out. I guess the universe gives with one hand and takes with the other--if you let it.

 

[jo]

Happy thrifting put on pause

Yeah, I stopped visiting the thrift stores once the covid thing hit too. They seem to be about the dirtiest stores around honestly. I was going to one or another every two to three weeks or so if an errand found me in the vicinity of the usual ones I like. Funny though...one of my friends likes to go to the thrift stores too..I’ve run into him in two different ones by coincidence now twice in the last year!

 

[madman]

Second chances always come... sometimes a long time later.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

When I worked in the Philadelphia area (30+ years),

I'd do my regular Thursday "haunts".... amazing the finds I got! Now that I'm home permanently, I RARELY go to any around here. I don't even think about them. Maybe it's the Hoover "snob" in me, olol. That name was given to me by others, among a few others.
Tom A. and I go every time I'm in N Canton, on my summer "pilgrimage". Because it's the home of Hoover, it's amazing what can be found there.