[Logs and Dogs]

Vermont needs and IKEA like it needs another wind farm.....which is to say it doesn't IMHO. As previously mentioned, luckily there is little chance of IKEA wanting to be in VT.

Trader Joes.....something Burlington might want, but not Vermont necessarily.

[zhugeliang1]

I would recommend that you stop by the Otter Creek Bakery in Middlebury

Ah yes! And my 11 year old discovered it, not me....and try Good Companion Bakery, they come to the farmers market at Middlebury every Saturday. Bread so good that my East European genes wept with joy. Better than any French bakery.

[arctichomesteader]

I think if I were on a tight budget (well sometimes I actually am) I'd go to yard sales and such for furniture rather than walmart or ikea. I've gotten nice antiques at yard sales for next to nothing, not to mention plenty of good quality non-antique stuff.

Go around to the various farmstands and farmers' markets and there's no real need for those other stores either IMHO.

[pauldorell]

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

I think if I were on a tight budget (well sometimes I actually am) I'd go to yard sales and such for furniture rather than walmart or ikea. I've gotten nice antiques at yard sales for next to nothing, not to mention plenty of good quality non-antique stuff.

Go around to the various farmstands and farmers' markets and there's no real need for those other stores either IMHO.

That's one of the differences between city and country. Most of the housing in and around cities is fairly new, so there isn't a lot of used furniture readily available. Real antiques are expensive there. However, Craigslist and Freecycle work anywhere, with a bigger selection in cities. We stocked up on stuff from Craigslist before we moved here, and now we give stuff away on Freecycle. I like the fact that things don't get wasted in Vermont.

[LisaMc46]

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

I think if I were on a tight budget (well sometimes I actually am) I'd go to yard sales and such for furniture rather than walmart or ikea. I've gotten nice antiques at yard sales for next to nothing, not to mention plenty of good quality non-antique stuff.

Go around to the various farmstands and farmers' markets and there's no real need for those other stores either IMHO.

I agree. I just snagged beautiful barstools for my kitchen island from Craig's list. A local restaurant was remodeling and wanted to get rid of them. Similar barstools would have cost $180 each; I got 4 for $160. They are super sturdy and other than a few scratches on the leather seats have no defects whatsoever. Definitely something that will last forever unlike the cheap IKEA stuff.

And for $3 at a church yard sale bought the most charming 1940s phone bench. The finish was ruined from being in a barn for a few decades, but it had great bones. After sanding it and painting it, it's a gorgeous living room side table.

Today, I took my little girl to a local school playground and the school was giving away some old desks, file cabinets, and an old wooden art table that was a mess but could be spruced up quite easily and cheaply. Everything was stacked on the sidewalk with a FREE sign. I had every intention of taking the table away, but it was too heavy to lift by myself and I'm sure it will be gone when my hubby gets home from work.

And, of course I bought all of my baby gear and furniture at garage sales (not a problem as long as they meet up-to-date safety standards.

[tkln]

I've actually been a bit surprised by all the stuff I've given away on CL and Freecycle down here in NYC...I had about 50' of phone wire that my dad had in the garage for years, posted it just for kicks and had at least 6 emails in an hour. Things that years ago I would've tossed I have given away and it's a bit encouraging that even in NY people aren't all about 'new new new'.

I can't wait to start scouring for furniture/etc when we finally get up there...some of the stuff I've seen on the side of the road or at garage sales are great.

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by pauldorell

Actually, IKEA is much better than Walmart for home furnishings. It's a good option for college kids and people with low incomes. I know you hate cheap crap, but some of their stuff isn't bad.

I am surprised that there isn't one in Concord or Lebanon, NH. Everyone has to either go to CA or down to Stoughton, MA of New Haven, CT.

There are two on geographic LI (1 in Brooklyn, 1 in Hicksville). While I haven't been to their Brooklyn location, the Hicksville store is always crazy busy. The bulk of the shoppers appear to be 1) young couples; 2) college students; 3) foreigners/immigrants; 4) people redoing their children's bedrooms; 5) elderly people looking to beat the heat and get something cheap to eat. There are plenty of people who fit into one or more of those categories in VT & NH. I guess the low population density hurts the chance of us ever seeing one in VT or NH.

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by pauldorell

That's one of the differences between city and country. Most of the housing in and around cities is fairly new, so there isn't a lot of used furniture readily available. Real antiques are expensive there. However, Craigslist and Freecycle work anywhere, with a bigger selection in cities. We stocked up on stuff from Craigslist before we moved here, and now we give stuff away on Freecycle. I like the fact that things don't get wasted in Vermont.

I currently have a ca. 1940's kidney shaped desk with hepplewhite pulls which is in good, usable condition. If it were restored, it would fetch about $300. I have placed it on local (NY) FC pages and people who have responded are looking for me to be giving away a desk which is in $300 condition -- perfect -- as opposed to understanding that this one is solid, no breaks, no gluing, no missing pieces, and can be used as-is. A little lemon oil and it looks amazing.

Meanwhile, if this were in VT, someone who would appreciate it would come and take it home.

[pauldorell]

Originally Posted by OhBeeHave

I am surprised that there isn't one in Concord or Lebanon, NH. Everyone has to either go to CA or down to Stoughton, MA of New Haven, CT.

There are two on geographic LI (1 in Brooklyn, 1 in Hicksville). While I haven't been to their Brooklyn location, the Hicksville store is always crazy busy. The bulk of the shoppers appear to be 1) young couples; 2) college students; 3) foreigners/immigrants; 4) people redoing their children's bedrooms; 5) elderly people looking to beat the heat and get something cheap to eat. There are plenty of people who fit into one or more of those categories in VT & NH. I guess the low population density hurts the chance of us ever seeing one in VT or NH.

The closest one to us is in Montreal, but if I were driving to Montreal, IKEA would be the last place I'd want to go. I wouldn't mind if there were a closer one, but not too close. We're trying to avoid hot spots with lots of construction and population increases, which is where they build. There's no Interstate around here, and I consider that a big plus.

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by LisaMc46

I agree. I just snagged beautiful barstools for my kitchen island from Craig's list. A local restaurant was remodeling and wanted to get rid of them. Similar barstools would have cost $180 each; I got 4 for $160. They are super sturdy and other than a few scratches on the leather seats have no defects whatsoever. Definitely something that will last forever unlike the cheap IKEA stuff.

And for $3 at a church yard sale bought the most charming 1940s phone bench. The finish was ruined from being in a barn for a few decades, but it had great bones. After sanding it and painting it, it's a gorgeous living room side table.

Today, I took my little girl to a local school playground and the school was giving away some old desks, file cabinets, and an old wooden art table that was a mess but could be spruced up quite easily and cheaply. Everything was stacked on the sidewalk with a FREE sign. I had every intention of taking the table away, but it was too heavy to lift by myself and I'm sure it will be gone when my hubby gets home from work.

And, of course I bought all of my baby gear and furniture at garage sales (not a problem as long as they meet up-to-date safety standards.

The other day I could have brought home an 1870's Eastlake style chair, in quite good condition except for the ugly modern fabric on the seat (easily replaced), for a mere $5. I just don't have the room here to store it. I've got a large closet stuffed with antique chairs I've paid nothing or next to nothing for, including a couple waiting to have the seats caned (which I'll do when I have the time). I'm headed out of state for the Winter to get my master's in forestry soon so I can't justify buying too much more now, but there are lots of bargains around. I recently missed out on a Sandwich glass whale oil lamp from the 1850's for a mere 25 cents, by about 2 seconds (lady blocking my way picked it up before I got around another way). I think I payed all of 20 dollars for my wood dining table (circa 1890's). My antique bed frame was free out of an old barn though it needed refinishing first, and I've got an old brass bed packed away I payed a buck for (found out it was too short for me when I got it together lol).

I did bring home an 1839 woodstove recently, for a mere $10. It looked rough, but a wire brush, stove black and a few hours work and it's quite beautiful now. A tiny Tyson Furnace (Plymouth, VT) bedroom stove with early steamboats on the sides of it. Today I passed on an electrified Bradley and Hubbard parlor lamp (a.k.a., a "Gone with the Wind" lamp) for $5, complete with the glass shade, because of space issues and the fact restoring it to oil is quite a project (big round wick center draft burner). For a person looking for a nice electric lamp though, it would have beaten any Walmart lamp.

Funny how a state as expensive as VT has some pretty cheap antiques around if a person puts in the effort to track them down.