Nestled between the Pet and Garden Center and Family Dollar on Walnut Street, a small thrift shop makes repurposing its business.
With cold weather creeping in to stay, the owners are taking old sweaters in to the shop and making them into pet beds to donate them to the local animal shelter.
Co-owners Pamela and Mathew Konkle use Facebook and word-of-mouth to offer 10 percent off a customer’s next purchase if they show the owners a picture of what they repurposed.
“We love to see customers reuse old, broken doors and make tables out of them. All it takes is a little love and some paint,” Pamela said.
One woman buys old tiered coffee tables at the Bargain Stop and turns them into Lego tables for resale.
“She repurposes them and it helps her make it through the holidays,” Pamela said. “It’s a repurpose culture: reuse, repurpose, recycle.”
Nineteen flea markets and resale stores are open in Muncie, and many more have closed due to bad business.
The Bargain Stop co-owner Bryan Hardy can list off with both hands how many flea markets have come and gone in Muncie.
“It’s due to a bad economy. But flea markets are always going to be here,” Hardy said.
One of the reasons Mathew believes that the Bargain Stop has thrived is because they are easy to work with, and vendors do not have to pay rent in order to sell their inventory.
“You come in here and put a vendor number and a price, that’s all you have to do,” Pamela said. “All you have to do is come in on the 5th of the month and collect your check.”
The Bargain Stop is filled to the brim with old VHS tapes, discounted grocery items, tools and anything that the four co-owners think they can sell.
“If you want a toy for your kid, we got toys. If you need an appliance, we got appliances,” Hardy said. “But we don’t charge an arm and a leg for them. We are called The Bargain Stop for a reason.”
Selling used items isn’t their only goal. The owners also provide a service to their customers by helping them find what they want.
“When people come to a flea market, they want used stuff. If they didn’t, they would go to Wal-mart,” Pamela said.
“If you tell us you’re looking for something and we don’t have it, we will keep our eyes out for it and let you know if we find someone who does,” Pamela said.
Hardy owned an appliance repair shop for 10 years and is a self-proclaimed tinker.
When he sees a machine on the side of the road waiting for the garbage truck, he usually picks it up.
“If I can fix something up and sell it to you for cheap, why on Earth would you go buy a new refrigerator or whatever?” Hardy said.
The shop takes in almost any appliance, working or not.
“Everything has a purpose. I’m not a packrat, but I grew up with the mentality that you don’t throw anything away that you can use,” Hardy said.
Before the shop lets a customer take home a new appliance, they make sure it works. If it doesn’t, they will fix it.
An October Bargain Stop Facebook post said, “Do you have a washer that does the hippy hippy shake or a dryer that leaves your clothes in the cold or a stove that looks at you and says not today use the microwave? Well if you do call us and we can check it out! Service calls only $30 ask for Bryan."
From antiques to special edition Jimmy Johnson VHS tapes, there is something for everyone.
“Holler if you see a price you don’t like. We are here to make deals,” co-owner Tina Hardy said.
Ball State students will get a 10 percent discount if they show their ID at the register.
With the holidays coming up, The Bargain Stop decided to help out Lean On Me, a Facebook page dedicated to helping the needy in Muncie, and Second Hand
Blessings by donating toys and asking customers for donations.
“We are doing a ham give away on Dec. 23. It’s a way to give back to the community,” Pamela said
For the eight days leading up to Christmas, most of the shop including Christmas decorations will be 50 to 70 percent off. The owners expect the shop to fill up with customers along with the tonnage of inventory dropped off.
“It’s kind of like [a] Santa-forgot-something-on-the-list-so-run-out-and-grab-it kind of sale,” Pamela said.
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