I had to drive to Chicopee on Wednesday to get an insurance form stamped. I was not going to stop at the nearby Re-Store, because my Dear Husband would KILL ME if I rescued any more vintage and brought it into the house. But then you know what happened?
That darn expressway exit sign was all confusing and I got dumped RIGHT onto the street pointing toward the Re-Store.
It was just 5 minutes away. And I was going to have to Drive Right By. So I just had to stop.
You know? I just had to.
Well, and I’m glad I did. Because it was just a Re-store BONANZA.
First of all, I need to clarify that my local Re-Store — which is about 50 minutes east of where I live, so I can only go there when I’m out that way for some reason anyway – isn’t called Re-Store anymore.
There must have been some sort of issue, because now they are called CET Eco-Building Bargains. Sorry CET Eco-Building Bargains, but that doesn’t really roll off my tongue like ReStore Habitat for Humanity, so I am going to continue to call you by the name I have always known you by.
Such are the difficulties of rebranding. I actually have had jobs where there have been Brand Meetings. And Brand Managers. And Brand Research. Gawd, I went to two separate weeks of Brand mega-training when I worked Ford.
Start talking about the ”Brand” in a corporate meeting, and people run screaming.
But, now that I have my own brand — Retro Renovation — to protect and nurture, I actually understand all the brand stuff a lot better.
Like, the color of those petals around the “i” in Retro Renovation were very scrupulously chosen. To bring my brand to life. *angels start singing*
Retro Renovation® is now Registered, too, didja know? I have a piece of paper and a $350 cancelled check from important United States of America officials to prove it.
Mess with my brand, and I mess with you.
Oh, so what was I talking about?
The ReStore in Springfield. It was a Re-Store Bonanza.
There was a local plumbing store that was moving and they had “cleaned out their back room” and sent everything to ReStore.
Those are the words we love to hear: Cleaned out the back room.
There were about 300 bathroom and kitchen faucets, NOS, I am not exaggerating. 300. Yes: 300.
There were bath tubs NOS.
There were sinks NOS.
There were not any toilets NOS, as far as I could see.
But, in the tent there were a gazillion NOS Nutone and Miami Carey bathroom lights.
There were CHURCH TOILET SEATS.
Piles and piles and piles of pastel colored toilet seats NOS.
Now mind you, a lot of this vintage bathroom stock looked like… 1980s, or even early 1990s.
But I have a big heart for anything “cleaned out of the back room” of a big ole plumbing supply company in Springfield, Mass.
Why is it that this is such a fantastic Re-Store and that every time I visit there is more more more wonderfulness to ogle and to imagine renovating 37 more houses with?
Well, the biggest volumes of vintage stuff are in cities that were prosperous and growing during the post-war era. Places that, also, were pretty well-populated already before the war started. They woulda had a jump start over places like California, for example, where everyone was new new new.
Around Springfield, there were military installations built for the war… lots of factories that pre-dated the war… and of course, Massachusetts had been well-populated already for like 200 years. Those Church toilet seats: Originally made in Massachusetts.
During WWII, there was plenty of work in and around Springfield. All the citizesn saved their money, because they couldn’t spend it easily during the war and because that USED TO BE the American Way.
After the War ended, they remained employed, as American industry returned its armament production to production of domestic goods. The BOOM was ON, and the population was already in Springfield (and similar cities) to take advantage of it.
Springfielders started building, renovating, remodeling and otherwise spending… and this continued through, when? The 80s? When the manufacturing base started to move south and overseas.
There is A LOT of mid century stuff — mid century modest, especially — in cities like Springfield. Where an already large middle class exploded even further in the immediate aftermath of WWII.
Just look at ALL THIS STUFF. There was So Much Stuff that there was enough to let sit – in unopened boxes – for a couple of decades! Every week, readers send me more of these stories:
- Emily and her West Virginia stash of tile: http://retrorenovation.com/2011/02/04/gold-min-of-new-old-stock-tile-and-accessories-from-the-1930s1940s-1950s-1960s-1970s/
- Jason and Nikki drive hours to Emilys (more photos and color): http://retrorenovation.com/2011/02/27/where-to-find-vintage-bathroom-tile-follow-jason-and-his-wife-on-their-epic-trip-to-the-west-virginia-stash/
- Russ and Paula buy a huge stash of lighting (and more) from an old lumber store to sell online: http://retrorenovation.com/2011/04/22/vintage-nos-exterior-lights-for-your-ranch-cape-colonial-or-mediterranean-home/
- Sort of along the same lines…and, “All the best stuff’s in St. Louis”: http://retrorenovation.com/2011/04/04/wendy-buys-3-vintage-lights-at-a-time-capsule-lighting-store-in-st-louis/
Keep sending me these stories, readers — I love them!
Can you believe how many photos I took?
I have more, but I am going to wind down and show these: OH MY GOSH, FANTASTIC avocado kitchen sinks that held some kind of wacky faucet. I am pretty sure I have a photo of this design on my site somewhere. If anyone can find the story, can you add the link in a Comment? Thank you!
The double bowl had a hold on it, or else I woulda had to buy it. Although I wonder, does it need a hudee? Where’s the hudee. Be sure to get your hudees. this was NEW OLD STOCK MINT. Can you believe it???
I only spent $20 — about $10 on little somethings to make collages with and another $10 on a NOS Miami-Carey exhaust fan. nanananana. I will put it on ebay to help pay server costs.
I am glad I took a wrong turn.
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I was in the Springfield Sheraton on Wednesday but I left at 6 AM to go shopping at the Brimfiled flea markets. You were only a couple exits from that on the Pike at Palmer.The town is filled of 1000′s of dealers with junk, antiques, vintage and repurposed in big fields and tents. Miles of walking from show to show finding prizes. I got some great things including a 60′s 30″ wire garden planter in the form of a martini glass. Fun times. Next trip I have to go to that store formerly known as “Re”.
Yes, Brimfield is amazing. I remember (years ago, before cell phones), people walking the aisles, using walkie-talkies to discuss what they were seeing. Miles and miles of treasure. You can still find retro bargains, because in many parts of New England, MCM is still considered recent history, and so the prices are often more reasonable. Definitely worth the trip!
WOW. There are so many things that I like in your pictures! I love the thrones! (I guess they are really from a church or something). Not to mention the blue sinks and blue bathtub. Sigh.
Jealous, the Re-Store here in Austin is rather a disappointment. Probably because the retro-vintage market here is so strong (read: overpriced) most vintage goes straight to dealers. What little makes it to the Re-Store is probably snapped up quickly by dealer’s “vultures” with back-room access… never to be seen on the floor by the general public.
I haven’t checked to see if Austin has re-branded yet. I too will stick with the Re-Store monicker regardless.
J.R., I think my Re-Store rebranded because it’s different ownership… I think it’s an isolated instance.
We have the same problem here in Tulsa, so it’s difficult to score reasonably priced Mid-Mod goodness before the dealers swoop in.
well drats, i guess i should become a dealer because i am a good swooper. except, i have no interest in become a dealer!
We found a bunch of switchplate covers at the Re-Store in Austin. I heard that it was the first one in the country! We were in Austin a few weeks ago visiting family and when they asked us what we wanted to see, we told them we wanted to see the Re-Store. They think we’re weird, but oh well!
Whoa. I grew up in central/western Mass. (hated those traffic-tying flea markets) and now live in CT. We’re about to buy a mid-century ranch. Clearly there is a trip to Springfield in my future.
Congratulations on your new/vintage home, Jen. Yup: You’re not too far away! Bet there are some good Re-Stores in CT, too, though!
Ok, so I’m going to have to go to my restore – but I don’t hold out much hope. It’s in the city so it’s more row houses, even though I live outside the city, that is the closest. I’ll have to check the one downstate where I’m from, much more ranches from the 50s down there!
Pam – we love your brand and we will not mess with it! We will spread it to the masses…mu ah ahahahahha.
Lookit those pink drop-in oval sinks with the hudee ring!! WANT!!!
Jon, for your house, if you have the space in your bathroom, I’d go straight for the long marbleized countertop with undermount pink sinks for $40!
Oh yeah, with the double sinks! Those are really bananas!!
I just noticed there’s one of these stores by me, in New Brighton, MN — I have so much stuff to do this weekend but I’m already planning an early-Saturday-morning voyage there to see if there’s anything awesome!! I see ours lists “cabinets / millwork” — maybe I can find some cabinet doors to match our cabinets!
Sigh…… I just live in the wrong part of the country. Far from any store, much less one that holds such treasures as a corner bathroom sink, or pink sinks. So fun to look at the pictures though.
Pam, I heart your brand. You do a great job with it!
I’ve yet to visit the Detroit Re-store. It’s in a not-too-great location, but I shall get there someday.
The REStore on Greenfield? It isn’t too bad there. We should make a date. I have a nice handyman who comes by every so often to buzz through my honey-do list, and he gets so excited about that store. Last time, He was casting hints big as bricks that we go over there and see what we could find. He babbled on about the colored bathroom sinks. They have new stuff over there too.
Amazing, great treasures. We have a restore here but nothing like this
I just love those green kitchen sinks!! What type of faucet would fit on this unique design? I live in NC but have not yet visited the Charlotte store. How would you compare that one to this one in Springfield Mass? This was great thanks!!
Uh-huh, “rescuing,” I would have had to “rescue” at least one of those chandeliers in the second photo for sure…and at least one sink…and…
I’ll ‘rescue’ the other chandelier then. Aren’t we all just about the sacrifice ;o)
Cool pix, Pam! I liked your historic perspective on the bounty in some of the big city ReStores. Seems like in Portland it’s hard to find much worth having: not many “back rooms” to clean out, and mid-century dealers scooping up the few things that make it into the ReStore or The Rebuilding Center. But we can still dream of scoring!
I love those pink sinks!!!
OMG!!!! I am soooooo jealous!
I only wish our Re-Store here in Ocala (FL) was as good. I am a regular visitor, but NEVER find such a wonderful bounty of treasures! I would die for that yellow bathtub!!! It would be perfect for my bathroom! Thanks for the additional history lesson on the Re-stores. BTW: Pam, the “Bonanza” comment was not lost with the picture of the wagon wheel light fixture. 
Wow, whatta store! Thanks for sharing with us!
In regards to those avacado sinks with the funky faucet hole. We actually have one in our kitchen. Ours is white though but it has 3 bowls. Two large ones and one small one in the center. I bought it off of criaigslist. It didn’t come with the facuet. We almost thought were were going to have to get a different sink, because only a special type of faucet will fit it. We were lucky in finding the faucet for it. We went to an old plumbing store and talked to one of the older guys there. He remembered the sink and faucet, and said that he thought he still had one faucet left. Sure enought he had one in the back. Brand new still in the original box. It cost us more than the sink did, but it was well worth it. It originally had a place for a soap dispenser, as well as levers for the drains. Unfortuneatly those were purchased seperatly and thus we weren’t able to obtain those for our sink. I can send pics if you like. Justin
Justin, can you send me a pic? Pretty please with sugar on top????
Just sent you an email with a pic of the sink and faucet.
Hey! I’ll be going to the Re-Store in springfield the end of this month. We are driving to Oneonta, NY to visit Nikki’s family, and will go on to Springfield.
I’ll get to see it firsthand!
Stop by and see me! Exit #2 on the Mass. Turnpike!
I really would love to, so would Nikki – she’s my new wife as of April 17! I will email you later so we can meet up
It would be really kool to meet THE Pam Lol
Trouble…stop and see me!
Springfield is my hometown and I love living here. Re-Store is a weekly trip!
Pam, the decline of Springfield, and so many other cities- really began during the early 60s with the birth of Interstate Route 91, the Massachusetts Turnpike and the closing of the United States Amory.
Armory…sorry . It’s late
Sweet! No doubt the retro gods adore you, Pam, and rightly so.
The restore near me isn’t that fond of mid-century outside of the odd lamp and frequently charges more for second hand than new on sale so they often don’t do that well. I suspect the problem is the people who work there are doing good deeds but don’t exactly understand how the market works or that customers are not always looking for things that were popular 5 to 10 years ago. We tried to give them mint original slab doors complete with hinges and door knobs when the walls came down and they were very bitter but you can go to a big box lumber store and buy repros which I had to do to put in closet doors as the house didn’t come with them.
This might be a serious road trip for me.
I am stuck with the “Famous for being overly fond on greige” Re-Store in La Crosse, Wi, which actually TURNS AWAY mid century stuff, because the guys in charge don’t like it themselves.
I had one of the men literally backed into a corner last week while I chewed him out for their lack of taste.
He said, “Yeah, but if we took in a pink toilet, we’d be stuck with it forever. No one wants a pink toilet.”
I bet him a hundred bucks it would be gone within three days. He wouldn’t take the bet, and I think he just wished I would go away.
That’s okay. My new plumber is on the prowl for me. He says if he ever hears of someone “updating” their bathroom, he will give me a call.
Meanwhile, the La Crosse Re-Store remains the place for old tables, brown recliners and tan ceramic floor tile.
I could just scream. I spent five days in West Springfield just a couple of weeks ago, and I think I knew about the Re-Store there from a previous post on RetroRenovation, but FORGOT about it while I was actually in Springfield for the first and probably only time in my life!
I DID remember about Osgood’s Fabrics, scoped them out and found the building, and then failed to notice they are closed on Saturdays, the only day I could get there. Another scream.
Our local Re-Store (Hagerstown, Md) is nowhere near what this one looks to be. It’s only a year old, so maybe there’s hope—but still, so mad at myself for forgetting about the Springfield store, and here I had a whole Saturday afternoon!
There are so many cool things to do up in that “neck of the woods,” maybe I’ll have to plan another trip! Thanks for the photos, Pam, they are great, and I loved the running commentary!
Pam,
Thanks again for visiting us…and I’m sorry I missed you!
First, some quickie info. on the name change: Our “ReStore” was actually never part of the Habitat for Humanity chain. When we started 10 years ago, there were only a handful of stores in the U.S. called “ReStore”—there are now around 100. Our name change is the result of our expansion into a larger, more accessible building (coming this Fall, and right around the corner from our current location!) and seeking a name that better explains who we are and what we do. Actually, our customers almost unanimously picked “EcoBuilding Bargains” from a series of focus groups we held. Hope this clears up some confusion! We are big fans of Habitat for Humanity and have partnered with them on several occasions, and obviously our missions are similar—to keep building materials out of the landfill.
That being said, we’re huge fans of all things retro here, and we recognize that many customers aren’t looking for modern. Those pink drop-in sinks may stick around our sales floor longer than more modern white drop-ins, but when the right person comes in and squeals that is *EXACTLY* the sink they were looking for, something pretty magical happens!
BTW: I spoke with one of our regulars who bought the avocado sink and told her that I had *just* read an article on RetroRenovation’s FB page about avocado green coming back—and when she was wondering what kind of faucet would fit I told her to check out your site and put the question out to the readers! Spreadin’ the love.
Andrea G.
EcoBuilding Bargains
Wow, that’s quite a collection of sinks, tubs, and lighting!
Love Habitat Re-Store in Louisville! It’s also a great place to purchase flowers, plants, etc. in the spring and summer. Lowe’s donates their flowers that they deem “not first rate” & with a little TLC – I’ve always managed to have beautiful flowers more than 70% off while helping a great organization.