When it comes to great finds on furniture at thrift stores, it's hard to beat the deal one Redditor recently scored.
In a Reddit post on the r/ThriftStoreHauls subreddit, a user posted photos of their find — a $28 leather chair with a headrest and ottoman included.
Yet this wasn't any old chair. It was a high-quality, mid-century modern chair that has a much higher value than $28.
The chair that the original poster found is a model of Mr. Chair, from Plycraft Inc. furniture makers. An esteemed furniture maker, Plycraft first listed Mr. Chair models for around $200 in the 1960s (equivalent to around $2,000 in 2024), as per Trystcraft. Now, Mr. Chair models on online vintage markets are valued at nearly $5,000. That is a stark difference from $28.
While finding a vintage treasure at Goodwill is certainly a potential benefit of shopping secondhand, it doesn't happen every day. Luckily, there are numerous other benefits to shopping secondhand, even if you don't find a mid-century modern treasure.
One of the biggest benefits of buying secondhand is the amount of waste that is avoided from going into landfills.
Fast fashion is frequently regarded as a major culprit in global waste, and much of that waste can be avoided by buying secondhand clothing.
Fast furniture is no better. In 2018, the EPA measured that 12.1 million tons of the U.S.' municipal solid waste comes from furniture, with 80% of it being sent to landfills rather than properly recycled.
This can be avoided entirely by taking old furniture to thrift stores and purchasing newly needed items secondhand when possible.
🗣️ Which of these factors would be your biggest motivator in buying eco-friendly furniture?
🔘 Durable materials 💪
🔘 Chic design ✨
🔘 Lower price 💰
🔘 Not interested 🚫
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
Commenters on the Reddit post shared their amazement at the Mr. Chair find, as well as their (valid) jealousy.
"Someone f***** up…," commented one user.
"No one is jealous I'm fine it's all fine," joked another.
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