atlanta auction gallery – vintage deals for next to nothing

If you’ve ever ridden Marta southbound into the West End station, you might have noticed the backside of a huge billboard that faces east towards downtown. The front of the billboard changes regularly, but the rear consistently bears the large and highly recognizable glyph of the ubiquitous grafitti artist, DOSE. For months, that billboard was the signal that I’d reached the end of my daily work commute from Alpharetta. Every day, I’d marvel at the sheer size of the thing and the ballsiness it must have taken to climb that high and labor for hours (probably in the dark) to get the tag just right.

But, billboards and graffiti aren’t the point of this story. Well… not really.

If you were to let your eyes trail all the way down to the base of that huge billboard, you might notice a large warehouse-looking building with an array of vintage signs and large antique fixtures out in front.  None of those signs will give you a clue as to what the building is, or what goes on inside of it, however. For that, you’ll have to show up on the 2nd Friday of the month – the same Friday of the monthly Scott’s Antique show. Before you hit the door, you’ll be greeted by the smell of barbecue coming from the huge grill out front. Make your way inside, and you’ll find a wide-open space filled to the brim with dusty, but well-worn vintage furniture and antique pieces. Huge chiffarobes, marble-top tables, decorative glassware, handcrafted knick knacks and curiosities are literally stacked up to the ceiling. The other people there with you will more than likely be antiques dealers from all over the Southeast who come to the once-a-month auction held here for the free barbecue, the unlimited supply of free beer and wine served in red plastic cups, and the most ridculously cheap deals on vintage and antique furniture I’ve ever seen.

Around 6:30 or 7, the auction begins. The selection changes every month, based on what Mike, the kind-faced middle-aged guy who runs the place, has been able to get his hands on since the last auction. For first-timers, it’s best to sit back and watch the action unfold for a bit. Though a belly full of free barbecue and booze might make you want to jump head first in to the bidding, you’d be better of taking a couple of cues from the pros in the joint. Watching the crowd interact with the barking auctioneers is enough entertainment in itself, but the prices that some of the items go for will have you absolutely amazed; especially if you’ve ever paid for vintage or antique stuff at some of the retail establishments around town. They even take plastic, and give you a couple of days to arrange for transportation if you succesfully bid on one of the larger items up for sale.

In the year or so since I’ve been frequenting the monthly auction, the word seems to be getting out more about the place. This month, Mike’s even having an additional auction – on a Saturday – to give folks another opportunity to score some serious deals. Even if you don’t find anything worth buying, who can argue with free food and drink?

I would point you to some other online resource for all the details, but (fortunately) there’s no website to find them on, no ads in the paper. Just look for the billboard near the West End Marta station, and follow your way to the ‘pot of gold’ underneath.

cheers,

k

NEXT AUCTION: Saturday, April 24 5pm-until
Atlanta Auction Gallery
556 Tift Street
Atlanta, GA 30310

question: what’s your favorite atlanta thrift store?

You’re a dime store diva, a bargain hound, a clearance bin shop-a-holic. Let me know what your absolute favorite Atlanta-area thrift store is for finding your favorite deals on clothes, accessories, home goods, food stuff or whatever tickles your fancy.

photo credit: pixeljones

looking for daily atlanta deals? meet scoutmob.

 

If you’re not already signed up for Scoutmob, you’re missing out on some great deals at restaurants, bars, and shops in Atlanta.

Haven’t heard of Scoutmob? Maybe you’ve heard of its parent company, Skyblox. If you’ve ever linked into the wi-fi network at intown Atlanta joints like Joe’s Coffee in EAV, or No Mas Cantina in Castleberry Hill, you’ve no doubt seen the Skyblox home page. The company was founded about two years ago by former Earthlink  employees, and initially started as a secure wi-fi service provider for local restaurants, bars, and cafes. As an added service, Skyblox began publishing weekly emails that clued readers in to the latest happenings and specials at Skyblox wi-fi locations and other local haunts. The weekly email grew quite popular and eventually morphed into Scoutmob – dubbed a curious guide to mobile deals for the Atlanta explorer – which debuted a little over a month ago.

Here’s what’s so great about Scoutmob.

It’s opt-in – Scoutmob publishes a brand new deal each day that you can claim if you want or ignore if you’re not interested. This is great for consumers, because you’re not committed to sign up for anything,  and it’s even better for the businesses advertising via Scoutmob, because it gives them easy visibility into how many people responded to their campaign.

It’s limited-time only – Each deal expires within 24 hours, so there’s a sense of urgency to claim the deal. Once you do, you have anywhere from a few weeks to a few months to redeem it at the location.

It’s mobile – This is truly what makes Scoutmob unique. Most deals, discounts, or coupons require you to either print something out to present at the venue, or worse yet, require that you just remember the deal when you happen to show up. Once you claim each Scoutmob deal, it’s sent directly to your mobile phone – which you then present at the venue. If you’re an iPhone user, there’s a Scoutmob app that makes the process even easier.

It encourages exploration – In addition to the daily deal (which gives you incentive to try a new place out without paying full price), Scoutmob also publishes brief recommendations on local people, places, and things you might also want to check out.

The deals are deep – In my opinion, 10-15% off usually isn’t worth the hassle of signing up for something, and it generally doesn’t persuade me to visit a place. Scoutmob deals are more apt to make me act on them because they’re significant. Almost all of the discounts I’ve seen so far have been in the 40% and higher range.

Check out Scoutmob for yourself. Visit their website or follow Scoutmob on Twitter.

cheers,

k

50% off sale at bbe music

BBE Music just announced their half-off sale for all physical (read:non-MP3) music available at their site.
 
BBE is a UK-based music collective that includes several artists in what I call the ‘alternative soul’ genre. These artists run the gamut from vocal soul to funky jazz and house grooves. BBE stands for ‘Barely Breaking Even’, which is a testament to their dedication to bringing their listeners a quality listening experience without being solely motivated by commercial success. You might remember one of their artists (Slakah the Beatchild) that I recommended a while back.

So check ‘em out and support these purveyors of real music. I know I definitely need some new tunes for the ‘09, so I just finished placing my order. Only wish I didn’t have to wait for it to make its way across the pond….

Speaking of which, all the prices on the site are listed in GBP. So here’s a handy link to help you convert pounds to dollars.

cheers,

 k

the procrastinator’s christmas gift list

What a shocker! It’s little more than a week ’til Christmas, and I haven’t even begun my shopping. But I’ve at least come up with a list that should help me (and any of you other procrastinators) pick out suitable gifts for my friends and family, based on their own little idiosyncracies.

Everything is under $100, with most being well under $50. Plus, everything can be ordered online. And even if your gifts don’t arrive in time for Christmas, you can always tell ‘em it’s a Kwanzaa gift.

Ready? Here goes:

 
THE MIDDLE EASTERN FOODIE

 

THE HOLIDAY BOOZER

candy cane shot glasses

 

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oprah unveils new online store

Damn, will this woman ever quit?

Today, Oprah Winfrey launched her new online store – aptly named ‘The Oprah Store’.

The site features lots of Oprah-inspired originals in categories from Baby, to Home Living, to Pets.

Though some of the sections are woefully underpopulated (only 3 items in the Jewelry category? Insert frowny face here), and some items are a bit steep on the price ($100 for a memory album? Yikes!), there’s still enough to please the eye, the wallet, and the soul. Almost all of the products for sale feature the unmistakable ‘O’ insignia, and several are in support of a good cause - like the paper maiche bowls from Wola Nani or the entire section dedicated to Earth-friendly goods.

Here are a few of my faves I found while browsing the site:

 

 

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trade in your old clothes, save money on new ones!

Just another reason for me to love this store.

Starting tomorrow, Sole Shoes and Accessories - the store I love to hate (or is it the other way around?) – is hosting their bi-annual Clothing Trade In.

Ladies – bring in your gently used winter coats, shoes, and clothing and receive 25% off regularly priced items in the store. Donated items will be given to a local battered women’s shelter.

What better incentive do you need to get your hands on a stylish new coat for the cold season, or slip your feet into some kick-ass boots?

 

cheers,

k

7 more days…get ya democratic shwag on!!

 

Ok – so there’s only 7 days left before the election. And if you haven’t gotten your Democratic party paraphenalia, or you just haven’t found that one button, bumper sticker, or t-shirt that really represents you….

Christmas has come early for you this year, my friend.

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