Chicago Thrifts.....I'll Miss You The Most

I can't express how much I'm going to miss the thrifts here in Chicago.  It really feels like if I set my mind to something, sooner or later it will turn up in the thrift store.  Le Creuset pots?  Thanks, Village on Roscoe!  Piles of vintage barkcloth?  Thanks Village on Irving.  The most beautiful pie plate of all time?  Thanks Elephant on Clark!  Discontinued Rose Fiesta Plate (and Bowl)?  Thanks Elephant on Waveland!     And thank you every single Unique for reliably big piles of embroidery each and every week, I can't believe how awesome you are.  The lists go on and on.  My house is full of the bounty that is Chicago thrifting.   Which is why I can't believe it took me until June of this year (after a DECADE of Chicago rummaging) to realize that Unique thrifts open at 6:00 am every Monday for their half off sale.

Needless to say, my goal is to make it to every single Monday sale until my plane takes off for NYC.  I went this week a little weensy bit past 6 and came home with an armful of embroidery.  Some of it is pretty amazing....I'm stocking up for an intense winter of work to get ready for a solo show back here in Chicago in May.  Which, when I think of it, will probably require a few trips back to check in with the gallery ransack the thrift stores. 

What are your favorite thrift stores?  Do any of you have any New York City area thrift recommendations that you could bear to share with a newcomer?  Since I know people sometimes hold their best places close to their chests, feel free to e-mail me at rebeccaringquist AT gmail DOT com.