Monday, January 28, 2013

Vacation Shopping


Thank you for all of your kind comments regarding my Home Tour at Debbiedoos!
As I mentioned before, we just got back from a trip to Arizona to visit my sister and her family. I managed to get some fabulous shopping in, and some good eats, too. I promised to share pictures with you, and I'm giving fair warning, there are a TON! Are you ready?


I have followed Karen at My Desert Cottage for awhile, and have enjoyed her posts about a monthly sale in her neck of the woods called Sweet Salvage.  Well, I was absolutely thrilled when I realized that the sale would be going on at the same time that we'd be visiting (and no, I didn't plan our vaca around the sale, as my hubby teases me! It was just serendipity :) 


I'm not exaggerating when I say that this is one of the best 'junk' shopping experiences!!  My sweet hubby drove me almost 2 hours from where we were staying in Tucson, to the sale in Phoenix, and we got there right when the doors opened.  There was a line of people, but as you enter they give you a number so that you can 'tag' the items that you want, and there's also a very friendly staff there to help. They have it down to a science!


The sale is in a huge warehouse, and every nook and cranny is filled with the most incredible 'junk'!  It's all so artfully displayed-just a feast for the eyes!


I was in full-on shopping mode, so Keith was a doll and snapped a bunch of pics for me with his phone-not the best quality, and they don't really do it justice, but you'll get the general idea!


The owner, Kim, just happened to be the person who checked me out, and she was such a sweetie! It turns out that her hubby went to BGSU in Ohio where Keith and I went-small world!  We enjoyed chatting with her.


Here I am with some treasures in hand... I could've done some serious damage if we lived closer, but I only bought things that would fit into an empty suitcase that we brought. (Luckily these inscribed silver bowls fit :) Talk about exercising restraint!


I was smitten with this amazing sign, but it wasn't packable (sigh).





There are many other fantastic shops located near the sale that we got to visit (thanks to Karen for recommending them to me!)  One that stood out to me is called Rust and Roses, and I was swooning over all the fun 'junk' there, too!  (Look at all the great dishes and again, silver pieces!) 


Keith had heard about a place to eat called 'The Duce' that sounded fun, so we tracked it down. I'm so glad that we did, because it was one of the most unique, coolest places that we've ever been to! (And we found out from our server that Guy Fieri was there the previous week filming for Diners Drive-Ins and Dives!) We got there just as they were opening for lunch, so we were able to snap lots of pics.  It's in another HUGE warehouse with half as a restaurant and half as a shop. We ate outside in this 'open-air' part, just last week, on a gorgeous sunny day. (We returned to Ohio to freezing temps and icy snow-no, I'm not bitter!)
Check out the painted pallets on the brick wall they use as planters-love it!




The kitchen and order window is in an old airstream trailer.


They have the menu painted on a pink chippy door-how fun is that?!


The factory cart, the wildflowers in mason jars, the old doors...a junk lovers paradise!


Even the bathroom was photo-worthy! (I don't think I've ever taken pics of a public bathroom before-ha!)



This is inside the actual restaurant part.


I wonder where they found these salvaged bleachers?


And this is the other half, where they sell clothing, and have the coolest vintage props!



Ok...are you still here?  This is only a fraction of the pics that we took, but I figured that you might have other things to do today, so I'll stop! ;)  I'll have to wait and show you the treasures that I brought home another time.
Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!!

39 comments:

  1. Paradise!! You found some great places to shop (and drool) ... I see a "trip" planned for my future!

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  2. That looks like so much fun! I've read about Sweet Salvage on one or two other blogs and it makes me want to book an airplane ticket.

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  3. Wow, Susan! So awesome! It's like being locked inside of a treasure chest! The first picture is so COOL! :-)

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  4. It looks like a great place, Susan! You did good showing restraint. I guess it helps when you are flying that you can only buy so much {unless you find the local post office or UPS store!}. They had some great ideas for vignettes, too.

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  5. WOW! Would I LOVE to shop in a place like that!!

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  6. Hi Susan!!!! I can "hear" how much fun you had just by reading your post!!! I have also now learned of a new place from you!!! I had never heard of "The Duce" but you can bet I'm going to go check it out!!!!! Thanks so much for the shout out sweetie. I'm glad I could help!!!
    xo,
    Karen

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  7. You had me at the first picture! Wow, what an amazing place, eye candy from one end to the other. It's so hard when you have limited space for all the treasures you buy, but maybe that's a good thing:-) Thanks for sharing Susan and thanks for not showing everything yet, I do have other things to do today.

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  8. WOW what an awesome place to shop Susan! I can't wait to see what you got.

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  9. I really enjoyed looking at those pictures! I follow a blog that is in AZ and she shops at that Sweet Salvage alot herself. I've never seen pictures of it until now. It was nice to see what all the fuss was about. It would be hard to walk out of there empty handed! Looks like you had a wonderful time. Looking forward to seeing what you bought!

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  10. Thanks for sharing.. Will be looking forward to you sharing your finds. Have a wonderful week!

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  11. Looks like you had a great vacation! And the sale looks awesome. But this doll head really creeps me out :)...

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  12. Wow, this looks like heaven to me! I wouldn't be able to restrain myself like you did! But I guess you couldn't take much back with you so you didn't have a choice haha. Love the silver bowls you picked out :)

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  13. so much to love! thanks for sharing the great pics, susan!

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  14. Susan,
    Oh my so much Junk Love to look at. I see a lot of fun treasures. I think I would have needed more than just a suit case!!!!! Junk treasure heaven.
    Kris

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  15. Oh Mylanta!! LOVE!! Let me get a tissue, I think I'm drooling a little. I don't want to fly out there, I want to borrow the American Picker's truck and go SHOP!!!

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  16. OMG, I'm slightly in pix #3 so we were just that close to meeting in person!!! *LOL* Small World indeed! And here I am, over 40 years in the Valley... and YOU just come for a visit and Introduce me to a great spot I didn't even know about "The Duce"... though I suspect it is in the old "Deuce" downtown section that used to be pretty Wild in the days when I worked in downtown Phoenix? MUST check that place out now... see, you're contributing to my delinquency and you didn't even know it!

    Blessings from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian

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  17. There are soohohohoooo many things in those pictures that I would LOVE to have. The sign you like is one of them...there are several corbels I spotted that I would die for!

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  18. GIRL!!!!! I am still with you because those pictures are amazing. Oh how I would love to have been there. Everything you did would be everything I would want to do.

    BTW..you look great in that picture!!

    Blessings to you, Amy

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  19. Oh my...that sale looked unbelievable!!....I always hate that when we are traveling by plane, I am limited on what I can buy!..it always seems like I find so many great things and no room in the luggage!!....So glad you had a wonderful time!!...

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  20. SO gorgeous! It makes me want to get in my car and head west...I would fly, but they don't make suitcases large enough for a big haul :-) Thank you so much for sharing!

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  21. Lots of eye candy!! Bet you had a good time! Thanks for sharing it all with us.

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  22. Oh- What fun- You are so lucky to have places like this- I can't wait to see your treasures- xo Diana

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  23. that is awesome!
    so fun you were able to go.

    more pics...fine with me. =)

    blessings
    barb

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  24. Wow Susan!!! Now I am gonna have to come right over and see what you brought back with you!!!!!!!!! Awesomeness!!!!!

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  25. Wow Susan!!! Now I am gonna have to come right over and see what you brought back with you!!!!!!!!! Awesomeness!!!!!

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  26. What a fun trip! Those places would be a wonderful shopping and eating location. Thanks for sharing.

    Judy

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  27. What fun you must have had! I haven't found a really great place to shop for soooooo long. Southwest Ohio is a wasteland! LOL Hasn't our weather been awful dreary and cold? I can't wait til spring! Maybe we can all meet up for a barn sale in the spring- there's going to be one in Mt. Vernon- think about it....... We could have fun!

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  28. Wow Susan!!! I wanna visit Sweet Salvage after seeing your amazing pics. Thanks for making us a part of your fun trip!:)

    xx
    Sumaya

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  29. I have a TON of non-playable player piano rolls I've been trying to sell on Craigslist - I KNEW there had to be SOMEONE who had a cool craft they'd be good for!

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  30. who is that "crazy" lady taking pics of the public bathroom??? ...oh wait...that's Susan from Must Love Junk :) looks like it was the place to be!

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  31. Oo lala! I spy a few things I'd like myself! Junk Heaven, indeed!

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  32. That's so neat! I have not been to any of those places. I furnished a lot of my home from the Town Dump and Tychas, and some others in Cave Creek, but most of my favorites did not survive the last four years. I didn't know anything like this existed in Phoenix, not just up north, so I'll have to check it out.

    The Lavender probably came from Concho, Arizona. They grow it up there. It's so funny it looks like someplace in the countryside of France, but I lived up there for a year when I was a kid and it's nothing like that at all. But it sure is pretty now that they grow lavender.

    So cool!

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  33. What a fabulous place! I think I would've rented a UHaul to drive home. LOL

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  35. What amazing treasures! I spotted several things that I would have packed in my suitcase! Life to the full, Melissa @ DaisyMaeBelle

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  36. OMG! I think I just about fell off the chair looking at that place!!! I saw something in every photo that I would want to take home!!! SO glad it is not near or better yet the Mister is glad..Ha! Seriously awesome!!!

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