At a Value Village on Kenaston Boulevard, Winnipeg shopper James Allen found an unexpected piece of music memorabilia: a Hall of Fame jacket once worn by Canadian rock musician Randy Bachman, CityNews Winnipeg reported.
A follow-up online search confirmed the jacket's history and ended with permission to keep it.
Here's what to know
The item Allen bought was associated with the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum's 2014 induction class in Nashville, where Canadian rock musician Randy Bachman — a co-founder of The Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive — was among those inducted.
Allen turned to TikTok to ask Bachman if the jacket had been his and whether he wanted it returned.
Bachman's daughter, Lorelei Bachman, confirmed that it had belonged to her father and told Allen he could keep it.
"She thought it was hilarious," he said, adding that Lorelei noted that her father "had donated a bunch of her jackets to Value Village."
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"When you find something like this, it's one of those things where you grab it and almost want to hide it," Allen admitted.
"You're looking around to see if anyone's looking for you or if they want it."
More background
Thrift shopping has been a big part of life for Allen and his wife Natasha, especially after they bought their home and started filling it with secondhand finds.
"I love the hunt," he told the outlet. "I love just looking for something that is cool."
He acknowledged that saving money is a major reason his family shops secondhand, especially to avoid paying full price for children's wardrobes.
"If you've ever tried to buy new kids' clothes, you can spend … $100 or $500," he observed.
Allen also emphasized that thrifting keeps usable goods in circulation, which he sees as a plus for the environment.
What can be done?
That approach shows up across the family's day-to-day purchases, from household items to clothes for his two sons, Hendrix and Archer.
For growing kids in particular, secondhand options can stretch a budget because clothes wear out fast.
"The way my kids wear clothes, I'd rather buy them thrifted," Allen observed.
Thrift stores can save you on everyday essentials while occasionally uncovering standout pieces with real history. For more on scoring secondhand, our resource on shopping at thrift stores offers tips and discussion from other readers.
Allen said one of his sons will eventually inherit the jacket, and he had a short message for Bachman.
"Thank you for the music, you're a legend. And I look forward to what you have in the future."
Where can I learn more?
If you like thrift store finds with a surprise attached, check out these stories. They cover secondhand shoppers uncovering signed music memorabilia and valuables hidden in jackets.
• A shopper found a signed Fall Out Boy album at a thrift store for cents.
• Someone checking a used Patagonia jacket discovered cash tucked inside and got an unexpected bonus.
• After buying a thrift store jacket, one shopper found gold jewelry in the pocket.
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