The Bins

Everybody's heard of/been to a Goodwill store. When people think of second hand stores, they think of Goodwill first off, probably. However, the Goodwill just outside of Milwaukie is a different beast entirely. This, my friends, is The Bins.

Many of my readers will know what I mean, as you guys have all been with me to it numerous times. For those of you who haven't seen it, let me first give you a rundown on the history and layout that makes The Bins unique. Unlike most Goodwill stores, there are massive bins where everything is tossed into. Other than electronics and furniture sections, there is no organization. You pay by the pound for the most part, and you go through these huge troughs of used stuff, looking for whatever treasures catch your eye. The store is much larger than a standard one, and that's one of the big selling points of the Bins experience.

The kind of people who go there are, to be fair, usually average Goodwill customers. However, it's slightly different. They often bring extended gripping devices (or as I call them, grabbers) to rifle through the mounds to find what they want, they sift through the bins much more carefully, or they throw things around and act quite the opposite. Back at the old location, which was more cavelike, there was a back area that was roped off with jumper cables until a certain time. This was where the "good stuff" was. Likewise, the back saw many people camping out, waiting for the cables to be lifted so they could flood in and scavenge to their heart's content. Good times long gone, sadly, as there are no jumper cables at the new Bins. Still, the general experience is there.

I myself have gotten a few things from there, such as a Nerf Tech Target pistol in working condition that I have yet to get darts for, and I got a gift package from my cousins Paul and Tony containing a 1987 Bon Jovi shirt, a working Atari Super Pong machine, and a Paul Lekakis vinyl. Also, I got my computer chair from there for 5 dollars, a good deal, if slightly beaten up.

On my most recent trip to The Bins, I found something hilarious, interesting, and just a little unsettling. My brother and I were leaving, and he spotted $3 grab bags. Walking over, we picked some up and saw that they contained rather hazardous materials. Rusting aerosol cans, propane canisters, and pest control sprays. Looking at all this, I came to the conclusion that it wasn't the best idea to be selling all this flammable (and possibly explosive) material for only 3 bucks in a plastic bag. To me, it seemed like a grab and go bomb kit, and needless to say, my brother and I had a good laugh at it.