Shopping for Bargains

Sometimes, it seems like America is turning into one big strip mall. Small communities are losing the battle of the big box stores, and it is getting harder to find any originality among the sickly gleam of cheap plastic. Luckily, Door County is the perfect place to find unique items. Filled with art galleries, antique stores and quirky boutiques, the peninsula is anything but gentrified.

However, some of these options can pack a heavy punch to the wallet. Here are a couple of suggestions for avant garde shopping that will save you a little money and hopefully help you find some treasures whether you like vintage finds or new bargains.

“My parents bought these in the seventies. They used to have a little more green in them,” said a vendor at the aptly named “Stuff-O-Rama” flea market as she wrapped a set of patterned mugs in newspaper for me. I smiled, imagining the morning fogs, lazy afternoons and late night heart-to-hearts over coffee and tea that likely cost the mugs their green hue over the years.

There is something nostalgic about buying items second-hand. Just as people pass in and out of our lives, so do things we own as tastes change, children grow up and time goes by. When a person passes on an item, they also share a part of their history. Chipped china, faded sundresses and dog-eared books are not just eyesores, but catalogues of our lives and physical representations of our memories.

Flea markets are the perfect places to find unique items with interesting stories. The Stuff-O-Rama flea market at Domicile in Sister Bay has tents set up by vendors selling a mishmash of antiques, garage sale items and art, as well as a building comically labeled ‘STUFF’ filled with…you know. The flea market takes place at Domicile, an art gallery that houses an array of beautiful and functional art pieces including garden sculptures, scarves and jewelry.

As a poor college student who has only begrudgingly adjusted to the high Door County prices, the thriftiness of the flea market was a refreshing change. I bought the aforementioned mugs, two scarves and two books of poetry for under $5. The next Stuff-O-Rama flea market is Aug. 30 from 8 am – 3 pm.

Those looking for new items to leave their mark on or just fans of low prices found the City-Wide Sidewalk Sale in Sturgeon Bay July 31 a shopper’s paradise. The streets were lined all day with vendors selling everything under the sun, literally.

The sale had a sort of “festival meets garage sale” feel, with food, music, a dunk tank and of course, treasures. The atmosphere was fun and the prices were discounted – like sale racks without the work (though the adventurous can always go for a dig).

The sale also served as a good excuse to check out the unique shops in Sturgeon Bay (most of which were less crowded) as everybody else was sidewalk shopping.

Though Door County certainly has its share of budget-challenging outlets, those ready to do a little digging can find great bargains with a little good timing and persistence.