Thirsty for a little discount shopping adventure, on Saturday I mounted an expedition to Century 21’s Bayridge store. What a thrill to pioneer a whole new discount frontier! It was fertile land, brothers and sisters: Lacoste canvas handbags! Pucci handkerchiefs! The Etro sandals pictured above! But seriously– I was awash in endorphins, it was so good. Through my pleasure-soaked haze I started thinking about discount shopping, in general, of which I’ve done quite a bit, and the strategies that have helped me out:
** Know where your demographic goes, and don’t go there.
The mean truth behind discount shopping is that there isn’t enough to go around. So why would you shop where the people like you shop and buy the things that you’ll want to buy? Instead, know where the things you like will be ignored, left for deep discount. For example, Daffy’s in SoHo is always picked dry of the things that would interest me. But Daffy’s at Atlantic Terminal is a very different story. Earlier this year, I found a cache of Roberto del Carlo shoes there and I swear, the people who shop that store could not have cared less about them. I was hyperventilating, hoarding Roberto del Carlo boxes, and they were all over the Hype shoes! It was a discount-shopping label whore’s dream.
What’s even better than a Brooklyn Daffy’s? A discount store like Marshall’s or TJ Maxx outside of the tri-state area…now we’re talking paydirt.
** Know when the masses go, and don’t go then.
A quick trip to Century 21 in Manhattan on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon? Fuhgedaboudit! Choose to shop at off-hour times. And you don’t need to be “self-employed” (like me) to do it:
Mid-morning doctor’s appointment= At least an hour and a half to wile away at Clothingline.
“Oops, I forgot to pick up a prescription!”= a 45-minute dip into Daffy’s.
** Have an idea of what you want before you go.
Of course we must always allow for inspiration, but walk into Loehman’s without an inking of where to begin and a voice deep inside you will start screaming, “ABORT MISSION!” Gather your thoughts before you go in to give your trip some structure (“I’m looking for tops” is a good place to start). And never EVER leave without scoping out the shoes (Oh, sorry– that was the voice deep inside me talking).
** Dress up (under your clothes).
You know that shame you feel when you survey your circa 1998 undies? Yeah, well, that’s nothing compared to the debasement of wearing those nasty knickers in front of room filled with ladies. Yup, most discount store dressing rooms are communal, darling, so pull on your finest panties, as you’re gonna be showing them off.
** And, finally, frequency is key.
Ain’t nothing wrong with just running in and scoping out the scene every few days at your favorite discount hideaway. I’m no statistician, but I’d say that for every 5 trips I come up dry, I make a major score (like a Rafe handbag at a TJ Maxx in Pittsfield, MA for $30). Run in and start increasing your chances.
P.S. Shopping makes you hungry! If (when) you head out to Century 21 Bayridge, there’s an excellent old school diner just around the corner:
Hinsch’s is located at 8518 5th Ave (on 85th Street) in Bayridge.
