Dayton Area Craft/Thrifting

[redpurse]

 I've been to both Graeters and Bills and they're great.  Too great!   My husband and I started going to Bills after we would go on a walk on Saturday mornings... kinda cancels  all that excercise out!  I've seen the Mexican place but haven't tried it yet.  I'll give it a try.  I was kinda spoiled back in Kansas because they had all these great authentic Mexican restaurants/stands due to the growing immigrant population.  Thanks again for the tip on Marcos paper... I checked out the website and plan on stopping there soon.

[redpurse]

Anyone know of any good coffee shops?  I did find an okay flea market between Dayton and Cincinatti on 75 called Turtle Creek... there's another across the highway from Turtle Creek that I haven't been to yet.  Mostly new stuff though... not a ton of good old finds.

[NynaeveAS]

The one across the street is slightly larger but the same type of stuff.  The exit is past Middletown.  Before the exit, you'll see a big horrid statue on the east side of the road and be careful because non-locals tend to slam on their breaks to stare.  Drives us all crazy.  I've seen a semi truck have to swerve off onto the shoulder because some moron stopped.

Have you gone down to Waynesville and seen the antique shops?  It's a fun town to spend the day.  There are a lot of shops to walk through.  I've found some great items there. 

Have you been downtown to Mendelson's?  If you're looking for old electronic pieces and such, it is great.  Most women though don't see the appeal.  Between Third Street and the Dragon's Stadium there is a farmers market that has some great booths.  Last time I was there, one booth was yarn heavan.  Nearby is a good place for lunch called the Therapy Cafe (http://www.therapy-cafe.com) and some shops along third that I like.

Link for info downtown
http://www.downtowndayton.org/experience/interest.html

[redpurse]

Thanks for all the great tips.  We nearly went to Waynesville to check out the Sauerkraut Fest but were warned that it's a madhouse.  BTW I saw that hideous statue. Who/what was the brainchild behind that behemoth.  It's like watching surgery on the health channel... you want to stop looking but you just can't pull your eyes away.  People get upset about having too many billboards and McDonalds' polluting our scenic landscapes when the true crimes live on in their evangelical glory!

[staralee]

you simply MUST go to Boston Stoker--a dayton staple in the coffee house genre...actually pretty much the only independant coffee shop I've found in the area.  They are located in both the Dorothy Lane Markets (which is a fun locally-owned grocery/specialty foods store) and there are 2 on Main St. (one at the corner of 48 and Whipp, other one in Englewood, quite a bit North).
Oh and the scary Jesus has something to do w/ the big scary Solid Rock Church...Every time I've heard it discussed people have the same reaction of disbelief/disgust...

[redpurse]

Solid Rock Church?  Haven't heard of it but it sounds scary!  Well, that's not fair... I always think church is scary:)  What's scary about it?

NynaeveAS, I called Marco Paper and they referred me to their Kettering store... should I just stop in their Centerville location and ask about scrap paper?   Is there a code word or a secret handshake or something ?

[redthewitch75]

I can't believe Troy finally got a Goodwill. AFTER I stopped working over that way! Argh! I am sure you know of the Thrift stores in this area. There are Goodwill stores in Piqua, Troy, Greenville, several around the Dayton area, Hamilton and Richmond, Indiana. There is also a decent Salvation Army store down by the Dayton Mall. These may seem far, but my mom and I will drive pretty far for a day of thrift shopping. Heck, it is even her purpose for going on vacation. Her and her girlfriend go to Florida, and when they aren't sipping yummy fruity drinks under an umbrella, they are crusin' the local thrift stores down in the Destin area. They always come home with a truck full of great finds. Anyway, I live near the Richmond Goodwill, and we also have a Salvation Army. I don't know about yarn stores, and the like. There used to be the Yarn Barn in Greenville, but that was some time ago, I don't know if it is still there. But they had TONS of yarn and knitting and chrocheting supplies. Plus there was a yarn shop downtown Greenville. I think there are some other shops in downtown Greenville that you could find a great selection of yarn. But again, I am not sure, as I have not lived there for a VERY long time! As for crafts, we have Hobby Lobby in Richmond, as well as an art supply store downtown. There used to be a scrapbooking store in Greenville, also. Not sure if that is still there, either.

[NynaeveAS]

The Marco Paper I go to is on Whipp Road.  The old little one is by Centerville Elder Bermans and they have nothing now.  The one on Whipp is near the corner of North Main.  From downtown Centerville, take North Main past Bill's past Crosspoint Center past 675 past Dorthy Lane Markets and turn left onto Whipp.  It is on the right in a white older shopping strip mall thing.  Once you're there it's a normal store.  They also do print work.  The code words are "Show me the Paper!" 

Solid Rock church is a bit odd.  You see the ads all the time in Cincinnati.  The woman on the ad looks like she applies makeup with a paint brush.  I have a friend who went once and actually left in the middle of the thing because she did not feel comfortable.  It's a very odd church but it's hard to miss seeing it on the side of 75.  There has been much discuss if that jesus looks more like Zeus.  No one seems to know why he is half underground.  I'm not going in that church.  I only go to church if I am in a wedding. LOL

[redpurse]

Well, I'm glad I double checked with you before I showed up and the Marcos on South 48!  When I passed the giant Jesus I was wondering why the heck he's half buried... wondered if it was supposed to be some kind of symbolism.  Probably not though... if the people who made it believed in symbolism they probably would have just used a cross like most people:)

On the Salvation Army thread... the one down here by the Dayton Mall is huge and I've found some pretty nifty stuff. 

There is also a Goodwill a few miles East of the Dayton Mall on 725 on the South side of the road (right by Dingleberry's... a very good used music store).  It's a small Goodwill but I have found some excellent stuff there.  I think it has something to do with the upperclass people that probably donate there.  Found a brand new beautiful Lapis dress with the tags still on it.  Just had a busted zipper.  I hope the old owner didn't bust it because it was too tight... been there and that ain't a good feeling

[redthewitch75]

I have been to that Goodwill, on 725. I got a TON of cute shirts. The thing about our Goodwill over in Richmond, it used to be located right down the road from Earlham College, and they always had TONS of funktabulous threads. Then they relocated to over near the mall, in the more heavily populated area of Richmond. I hate that EVERYONE and their daughters/sons now shop there, cause it's TRENDY. Blah.
A bit off topic, location-wise, but a long time ago I used to have this sort of list for a ton of thrift and funky shops in NYC. Got it out of like, Seventeen Magazine or something. It was quite handy when I visited NYC with my friends. Anyways...wouldn't it be fun to organise some sort of thriftstore get together? We could go around to all of the shops in the area?