This is a thrift shopping story
I'd been wearing a second hand pair of Adidas to the allotment for years. Last summer when I began tripping over the toe — the bottom layer of the sole was coming loose — I knew it was time to start looking for a new pair of gardening shoes. Of course I intended to buy them at my favourite thrift store.
After coming up empty quite a few times, I finally found a great pair of boat shoes in the men's section. Perfect fit, easy to put on, and non-skid soles. What's not to love? Buying men's shoes pretty much guarantees a wider toe box, which is vital when you need comfort, not fashion.
It turns out these are Sebago Docksiders Portland. New, the retail price would have been €170 which translates to $277 CAD. My price after volunteer discount was $9.75. Brilliant, except that now I could not bring myself to wear them in the garden.
I'm not a thrift and sell entrepreneur but I did put these on Marketplace because I was sure someone would want them. City people did, but it turned out that they weren't willing to drive this far to buy them. I decided to take down the ad and wear them myself. At first, the style didn't seem to go with my clothing so mostly they just took up space in the closet. Then Jim switched out the white laces for black, and presto — casual shoes I like a lot and will gladly wear.
I finished out last year's gardening in my well worn Adidas. But this year? Really, something had to be done. Chunks of the soles kept falling off. And I think there were holes in the fabric. How else could I always come home with soil on my feet? So I reactivated my quest. Persistence paid off when I found this pair of Josef Seibel shoes. The fit is great and they seem to be nearly new. Almost too good for gardening, but I wasn't going down that trail again. $13.50 for a pair of garden shoes that will last for years. The quest is accomplished at last.
How to sanitize used shoes
Second hand shoes need to thoroughly cleaned, of course. Since I am not willing to subject my skin to harsh commercial anti-fungal products, I used this three-step process. First I sprayed the shoes inside with rubbing alcohol and let them dry well. Then I opened them as wide as I could and set them in direct sunlight for an afternoon. Finally, I gave them a spray with colloidal silver which has powerful anti-bacterial properties. Let dry thoroughly, and they are ready to use. I'll do this from time to time for as long as I own the shoes.
The moral of the story
The moral of this story is, "Get chummy with your local thrift store." I didn't manage to do much thrift shopping while I was commuting out of town to work, but since I've retired and become a volunteer, I can really see the value of making the store a regular stop whenever I'm out and about. A quick walkthrough with an ongoing list may yield nothing ... or I may come upon exactly what I need at a satisfyingly low price.
Good bye, my faithful Adidas of many, many years' service.
No, Jim. You cannot put them in the recycling bin.
Wonderful story about thrifting out of necessity Karen!! Thoroughly enjoyed.