Bargain Hunting 101

Like beauty, a bargain is in the eye of the beholder. And though I’m a retail editor, I love a deal as much as the next guy—or should I say girl. And trust me, since we’re often featuring 
fashion and home décor that surpasses my budget, I’m truly a victim of Dom Perigon taste on a Vueve Cliquot budget.

So where do I shop? I’m a butterfly. I flit from flower to flower taking 
in the nectar of both high and low, new and old. But since this course is in Bargains, I’ve assembled a list of some of my favorite sources in a handy list from A to Z—my personal Roladex, if you will—of where to hunt 
for the best buys.

{ A }

Arc’s Value Village 
and other thrift stores.
I try to hit the Salvation Army location in the North Loop neighborhood on my way home from work at least once a month and take a quick spin through the furniture and artwork areas. I’ve also scored a few pieces of home décor at Richfield’s Arc location. Some of my favorite stylemakers in town have shared stories of their thrift store finds with me as well. Goodwill sifts through their donated wares and plucks out the best to resell at their Second Debut location. Savvy Shopper Hint: Know your favorite go-to spots and visit often.

Photo by Stephanie Colgan

Spinario Design

{ B }

Big box furniture stores.
I don’t like matchy-matchy. And I think that the big furniture stores get a bad rep for the ads that promote their five-piece living room sets. The truth is, like your closet, a mix of high and low is good in all parts of your life. Splurged on the sofa? Went for broke on your bed? Look for side tables, accent rugs, and lighting at places such as Hom Furniture or Schneidermans.

{ C }

Consignment.
Find one near your home or work and visit often. But visit with the intent that you don’t have to buy each time you’re there. Regardless of the price, only buy it if it fits and is in good condition. I recently walked away from an Escada cocktail skirt at Rodeo Drive that I LOVED, but even at $75 it wasn’t the skirt for me. In hindsight, I could have had it altered. Savvy Shopper Hint: Shopping Consignment is very on trend these days.

{ D }

DSW.
I think the really good stuff goes fast. So I head straight to the clearance rack in the back where the leftover pairs are mixed by size. With that said, much of what’s there is out-of-season. Bonus: There’s typically an additional percentage off.

{ E }

Estate Sales.
Check the paper on Fridays and plan your attack for the weekend. You do have to arrive early. If you don’t like the price you see, you can leave a bid. Bids are opened at the end of the first day of the sale. The second day items are discounted. One of my weaknesses are serving pieces for entertaining. And vintage clothes. And lamps. And mirrors. And . . .

{ F }

Fashion Avenue.
(See also Consignment.) This 50th & France hot spot gets some of the best stuff in town—and from out-of-town. But it goes fast. Thankfully, they have a “New Arrivals” rack. Nothing is taken in that’s more than two years old, unless it’s mint condition vintage or couture.

{ G }

GH2.
The outlet for 50th & France’s super-chic Grethen House is located in Northeast Minneapolis. Very edited. Very fabulous. A $450 Rebecca Taylor lace blouse for $50. Need I say more?

{ H }

H&M.
Though I have bought a piece or two for myself, my weakness at this Swedish-based fashion source is the children’s wear (available locally only at the MOA outpost).

A few of my bargain hunting parameters: Do You Need It? Try to take the emotion out of the equation for at least a minute, even if it’s a steal. Photo by Michael Hendrickson Catherine Malandrino dress (originally $475, on sale for $116) from Off 5th Do You Love It? If the answer is “yes!” that trumps the answer to question number one. How will You Use It? Its intended use and number of uses should all play into the decision if you should spend high or low. Avoid Label Lust. Don’t get me wrong—labels often stand as a mark of quality and help an item hold its value. But don’t let the blinking lights of “80% OFF!” so-and-so blind you that, a) you don’t need it, b) it doesn’t look good on you, or c) there might be a reason it’s eighty-percent off—even the best designers have the occasional dud. In the End: Be a Savvy Shopper. The seasoned deal hunter knows that uncovering a bargain is about more than just price—it’s about getting the most for your dollar without totally sacrificing style, quality, and taste—the proverbial bang for the buck.

{ I }

IKEA.
Everyone knows that Ikea is a great source for European design at amazing prices. A recent article in Domino magazine featured actress Julianne Moore’s praise of the Malm collection of bedroom furniture. Again, it’s all about the final outcome of mixing high and low in your home, and the clean look of Ikea’s furnishings allows for creativity with the rest of your décor.

{ J }

Jewelry.
Around our office, the hands-down favorite is For Love 21 at Mall of America for fast-fashion jewelry. It’s ridiculously inexpensive.

{ K }

Knock Offs.
Just say no. Better to buy a designer you can afford or find a similar look in vintage. (See also Consignment.)

{ L }

Last Call.
When you see the Last Call signs at Neiman Marcus, this is your clue to sift through the racks. This twice a year sale has hundreds of current mid-season fashions at thirty to seventy percent off. The sale lasts just a week and what’s left over is boxed up and sent to outlets. Bonus: Our NM also has a fourth floor Last Call outlet. A majority of the items are home décor and furniture from Horchow. Though our NM doesn’t sell children’s clothing, the Last Call floor does.

{ M }

Macy’s.
Between sales, coupons, and clearance racks people are crazy not to shop Macy’s. Even if you do miss Dayton’s, don’t let that keep you away for the bargains to be found on great brands.

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{ N }

Nordstrom Rack.
Nordstrom’s outlet store, just a short walk away from the MOA anchor shore.

Photo by Michael Hendrickson

Satin and leather pumps ($130) by Tom Burch from Off 5th

{ O }

Off 5th.
Along the Minneapolis skyway, Saks Fifth Avenue’s outlet, Off 5th, is the working girl's best friend. It’s well merchandised making for easy lunch hour bargain shopping. Plus, the additional incentives, such as Buy One, Get One Half Off sales, keep the fashionistas coming back for more. I’m especially impressed with the men’s department, including suits, shirts, and ties.

{ P }

Premium Outlets at Albertville.
It’s a destination worthy of a day of shopping. Here’s just a sampling of the outlets here: Banana Republic, BCBG Max Azria, Calvin Klein, Coach, Gap, Gap Kids, Gymboree, Guess, Kenneth Cole, Lancome, Lucky, and Puma.

{ Q }

Quality over quantity, every time.

Velvet Hutton sofa (retail, $1,999) from Room & Board Outlet

{ R }

Room & Board Outlet.
Lucky us that this Minneapolis–based furniture store with stores in Manhattan, Chicago, and San Francisco has its outlet here. I almost feel guilty that I bought the Hutton sofa I had my eye on for nearly half off at the outlet. But buyer beware: All sales are final.

{ S }

St. Paul Retro Loop.
Those who are into furniture and fashion from the 1940s–80s will want to tap one (or all) of the five shops that combined to create the Retro Loop consortium. Fun stuff. Great concept.

{ T }

Target.
The GO International fashion collections get most of the ink, but you can’t overlook the home area with Victoria Hagan, Rachel Ashwell, and Thomas O’Brien, plus the launch this year of collections by DwellStudio. Plus, when they are moving out the season stuff they’re giving it away. (A faux wicker patio chair for $23? Hello. Good Buy!)

{ U }

Urban Outfitters.
Even though I’m old enough to be the mother of most of the kids who shop at Urban Outfitters, I’ve loved this Anthropologie sister store since, well, since I was in my twenties. My weakness is for UO’s rugs and other home accents.

Photo by Michael Hendrickson

Vintage faux croc handbag ($24) from Hopkins Antiques

{ V }

Vintage.
I’m a freak about vintage. Clothes, coats, bags, jewelry, dishes, furniture, lighting. The works. Not only for the “no one else will have it” end result. But the prices make it nearly a no brainer. Even a $120 vintage handbag at StyledLife is a steal when you consider the price of new. I’d be hard pressed to find a vintage or antique store in this town that I haven’t shopped.

{ W }

West Elm.
Like many, I eagerly await the opening of the East Coast urban modern source du jour. Again, like most places on my list, I wouldn’t want to outfit my home top-to-bottom from one place. Prices will land you somewhere between an Ikea and a Room & Board.

{ X }

TJ Maxx.
I used to be addicted to TJ Maxx for fashion finds. But I lost my patience with having to work through the racks. Now I’ve turned my sights on sifting through the offerings of their HomeGoods spin off. One of my professional sources gave me the tip when I recently needed a rug. It took me multiple trips to three different HomeGoods stores, but I finally found a great nine-by-eleven footer for $400.

{ Y }

What’s Yours . . .
could be mine, someday. But only if it’s gently used.

{ Z }

Z Gallerie.
After shopping this trendy shop in other cities, I was thrilled when they finally came to the TC. The only bummer is it’s too far off my beaten path. It’s like fast fashion for home.