I like to hit the thrift stores from time to time looking for clothes, older electronics, music, or just the random unexpected item I can't live without. These are some of my best scores to date.
Hannah showing off the fully reassembled Vita-Mix 3600. Photo by Corey Geloneck.
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VitaMix 3600
One afternoon in 2013, while the rounds of the K Avenue thrift stores in Plano, I stumbled upon an incredible find. It was the base and motor portion of an old Vitamix 3600, which dates to sometime in the late 1960s. Vitamixes are renowned for their power, longevity, and long-term reliability, and after plugging it into an outlet I was able to confirm that the motor worked as well as ever. Unfortunately, there was no price tag on the base, and the rest of the unit was missing. I took it up to the checkout counter and asked for a price, only to be told that the manager would need to look at it and get back to me. A couple of days later, I was able to finally get a price quote... ten dollars. I sourced a vintage carafe, lid, and Action Dome off eBay (not dirt cheap, but still much better than trying to buy a complete unit) and using them I was able to assemble a completed machine. As I already owned my own high powered Vitamix blender, I gave the thrift store one to Hannah (she of the lemonade post), who I knew would appreciate it. Top notch new Vitamixes can retail for $500 to as much as $1,000.
Hannah showing off the fully reassembled Vita-Mix 3600. Photo by Corey Geloneck.
I bought the disc for the music, casual fan that I am. I paid no attention to the writing scribbled across the front until a day later when I actually took a good look at it, realizing to my surprise that it appeared to be an autograph. After researching and comparing my specimen with examples of her signature found online, it does appear that this one is legit.