One antique shopper ended up in the right place at the right time, scoring a rare Ethan Allen vintage couch in pristine condition. They posted a photo of their find on the subreddit r/ThriftStoreHauls, eliciting excitement — and envy — from fellow antiquers.
"OMG! My mom had this whole set when I was a kid!" one person enthused. "This is in MINT condition! Congrats on a great purchase."
"That's absolutely dreamy! What a cool find!" echoed another.
For antique shoppers, stumbling upon rare items like this couch — especially when it's completely accidental — is part of the appeal of buying secondhand. From stumbling upon genuine vintage designer clothing to designer lamps, it's possible to find luxury items that can be resold for hundreds — or thousands — of dollars.
Other shoppers search for high-value items not only for their potential resale value, but also for their enduring quality. It's an unfortunate reality that manufactured goods — like clothing and furniture — have decreased in quality and longevity in recent decades. Instead, industries like fast fashion and mass-produced items have continued to grow, ultimately costing consumers who have to replace items more and more frequently. They also contribute to the growing pollution problem on our planet: Fast fashion generates 100 million tons of textile waste every year.
But with vintage items like this Ethan Allen couch, the quality endures, making it a much savvier purchase. The author revealed that the price was $450, saying, "Not a steal but not bad either, considering it's what I was gonna spend on some wayfair crap."
Others agreed: "For something that beautiful, that's also well made enough to be in good shape years later, you got a great deal," one person wrote. "Very fair price … Looks like new, and better quality than 90% of the stuff out there that would cost at least twice the price," another commented.
Like this shopper, more people are turning away from cheaply manufactured goods to search in thrift stores instead. The secondhand clothing market in the U.S. grew seven times faster than general retail in 2023, according to a report from clothing reseller ThredUp, and researchers are optimistic those trends will continue.
And with finds like this couch, there's plenty to celebrate. "Congratulations on a beautiful and unique purchase," one person wrote. "I am sure that you'll be enjoying it for a very long time!"
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