270: Unexpected Places to Find Valuable Vintage (Like $1,000 Levi's), feat. Quinn Welch
The Get Thrifty PodcastShow Notes
Valuable vintage finds can turn up in the most unexpected places, from roadside free tables and estate sales to boatyards and thrift stores. And sometimes, a $15 pair of vintage Levi's can turn out to be worth $1,000! On this episode of the Get Thrifty Podcast, host Maggie Scivicque talks with Quinn of Raglan Vintage, a Cape Cod vintage enthusiast, reseller, and content creator who has a talent for uncovering secondhand treasures with incredible stories. Quinn shares some of his most memorable discoveries, including rare Winnie-the-Pooh books signed by A.A. Milne and illustrator E.H. Shepard that he purchased for just $1 and later sold for more than $2,000. He also talks about finding valuable vintage denim, sourcing free items along Cape Cod roadsides, and why some of the best treasures are hiding where you'd least expect them.
GUEST HANDLES & RESOURCES IG: @raglan_vintage Painting IG: @quinn_welch_painting Website: www.quinnwelch.com
SHOW NOTES How Quinn discovered a pair of late-1960s Levi's 505 jeans worth approximately $1,000 at a thrift store. Why roadside free tables, estate sales, and unexpected locations can be great places to source vintage items. The incredible story behind two rare, signed Winnie-the-Pooh books found at an estate sale. What Quinn looks for when sourcing vintage clothing, collectibles, and one-of-a-kind treasures. Why he uses eBay for higher-end vintage items and Depop for more affordable clothing. How Brimfield and Cape Cod flea markets fit into his vintage sourcing adventures. Why preserving the history of vintage objects inspired him to create Trinket, a community-driven platform for collectors.
More from The Get Thrifty Podcast
Finding better thrift store pieces starts with knowing what you love and where to look. Full-time thrifter and content creator Kristin Spence joins Maggie on the Get Thrifty Podcast to share her approach to finding unique vintage clothing, secondhand furniture, and home decor that reflect your personal style without breaking the bank. From decorating an entire apartment for just $350 to discovering vintage treasures in unexpected places, Kristin shares her favorite thrift finds, shopping habits, and the reasons she loves secondhand shopping. She also explains why frequent, shorter thrift store visits can be more rewarding than spending hours searching and how she uses inspiration to guide her shopping.
What if the most overlooked items at the thrift store could become clothing people actually want to buy? From vintage pillowcases and tablecloths to secondhand sweaters, upcycling artist Alex DiMauro is transforming ordinary thrift finds into one-of-a-kind fashion. On this episode of the Get Thrifty Podcast, host Maggie Scivicque talks with Alex, founder of Mayfly, about her creative approach to sustainable fashion, how she sources secondhand materials, and how she grew her upcycled clothing business from pop-up markets and a vintage VW bus into a brick-and-mortar boutique in Harvard Square, Massachusetts. Alex shares how she turns discarded textiles into wearable art, why learning to sew opens up new possibilities for thrifted clothing, and what she's learned about selling handmade fashion. She also discusses the realities of running a small business, building a creative community, and using social media to share her work.
Vintage reseller Andi Jenkins has figured out how to turn thrift hauls into demand. After sourcing vintage overseas, she uses YouTube haul videos to build excitement around her finds, then releases them on Etsy, where her drops typically sell out within 24 hours. On this episode of the Get Thrifty Podcast, Maggie Scivicque catches up with Andi of All Put Together to talk about what changed when she stopped treating reselling as a side hustle and started building it like a full-time business. Andi shares how YouTube increased her sell-through rate, why showing your inventory matters, how she chooses between Etsy, vintage booths, and other selling platforms, and why multiple income streams helped her confidently leave her consulting career. She also shares plenty of sourcing insight along the way, including what makes European flea markets and UK car boot sales so appealing to vintage hunters, what kinds of finds can be much easier to come across overseas, and how she packs and brings vintage inventory home without relying on expensive international shipping.
Twenty years of thrifting can completely change what you notice on the racks. Fashion creator and stylist Beth Jones shares how decades of studying vintage fashion, designers, runways, and personal style have shaped the way she finds extraordinary secondhand pieces. Beth takes host Maggie Scivicque through her journey from childhood rummage sales and the early days of fashion blogging to becoming one of the early creators filming thrift shopping for YouTube. Along the way, she shares some unforgettable vintage finds, including a tagless Vivienne Westwood cardigan, a '90s Norma Kamali suit, and an incredible Cope Copine dress.
What can U.S. thrifters learn from secondhand shopping in Brazil? Marina, a São Paulo native and passionate secondhand shopper, shares how Brazil's curated brechós turn resale shopping into a boutique-like experience, with carefully selected fashion, luxury finds, and a strong focus on giving quality clothing another life. Marina also joins Maggie to talk about finding better-quality clothes at thrift stores, developing patience for the hunt, and building a wardrobe that looks elevated without paying full price. From a roughly $6 Barbour jacket to vintage L.L.Bean, Peter Millar, and her dream Dooney & Bourke find, this conversation is packed with reasons to check secondhand first.