The Joys of Discount Stores
Who loves shopping at consignment stores? Here at FunnyAnd, we love them! Not only can you find incredible deals on topnotch brands, but you can also pick up some great vintage clothing and items at super low prices. Goodwill is one of the most popular consignment stores across the nation, known for their unique approach to inventory that’s curated through donations.
For one mother, she headed into Goodwill one day on the hunt for a diaper bag, but she ended up with much more than she expected. This would end up setting off a chain of events you have to read to believe.
Sarah Thomas: Bargain Hunter
When it came to finding the best deals, you could consider mother Sarah Thomas a pro when it came to finding great deals. According to Thomas, she would hit up the local Goodwill stores several times a week, hoping to find a diamond in the rough.
On one particular day, she was on the hunt for a diaper bag and found one that met her needs. However, when she got back to her car she noticed something was off about it…
Making A Living
Known for her knack for finding amazing deals, Sarah Thomas had built an entire online business that revolved around her love for bargains.
Called Sarah’s Southern Oregon 2ndHand Deals, she worked hard to provide the best prices around in the second-hand market. Whether you were looking for kids’ clothing or something more vintage, she worked hard to offer a wide variety of merchandise to her customers.
Donations, Donations, Donations
One of the great things about Goodwill is that they acquire their inventory strictly from donations.
It’s a win/win because there’s literally no inventory cost and the products are always changing, which drives customers into the store. The downside with donations, is sometimes what you purchase is more than meets the eye.
Personal Shopping
While Thomas loved shopping for store inventory, sometimes she enjoyed indulging herself in some great deals every once and awhile.
Searching the racks at Goodwill was her form of “therapy” and the perfect way to release some stress on a busy day. Therefore, when she found a practically new designer diaper bag among the racks, she was beyond elated.
A Real Great Bargain
Even better, besides being a designer diaper bag, it was also vintage. A rare find, since diaper bags were a hot commodity in the mommy world.
The price was also a steal…$3.00! Where can you purchase a diaper bag for that price?
Amazing Condition
The condition of the bag was also impressive—it was practically new!
Thomas was familiar with the designer as well and knew that those types of diaper bags retailed for close to $200, so she immediately checked out and slammed down three crisp $1.00 bills. There was no way she was leaving the store without that bag.
Something Was Wrong
After returning home with her new bag, Thomas immediately knew something was “off” with her new item. “I was cleaning it and just noticed something heavy shaking around in there,” she told the local news.
This was concerning to Thomas because she knew with the item being secondhand, anything could have been stuffed inside it.
The Strange Hole
Thomas searched the bag inside and out, trying to locate what felt like a heavy item inside it. Unfortunately, the search yielded no results.
It was then she noticed a strange hole in the lining of the diaper bag. What could be hiding inside it?
Curiosity Takes Hold
At first, Thomas had no desire to ruin her new bag by making the hole in the lining bigger.
However, curiosity soon trumped her initial decision and she slowly began to stretch the interior lining. What in the world could possibly be in there?
Something Doesn’t Belong Here
Thomas worked very slowly and diligently, so she didn’t ruin more of the bag than need be.
When she finally had stretched the hole wide enough, she reached in and was shocked to find something hard, cold and almost metal. You’re not going to believe what was tucked away inside.
The Case of the Missing Camera
When Thomas pulled the item out of the bag, she was surprised to see a practically new purple digital camera.
Now, the next question was would it turn on? Thomas knew there was only one way to find out and decided to check.
A Simple Press of a Button
Locating the switch, Thomas held her breath and pressed it. To her surprise, the camera whirred to life, and shortly after pictures began to display on the screen.
Sarah didn’t want to invade anyone’s privacy but started to look through the pictures anyway. After scrolling through a few photos, she realized something had to be done.
A Mother’s Loss
As Thomas scrolled through the pictures, she saw tons of images of a baby, as well as who she believed to be his mother.
Countless memories flashed before her eyes and as a mother herself, she knew how heartbroken she’d be if she had lost a camera with irreplaceable pictures. Therefore, she decided she had to take action.
A New Mission
Thomas decided that she had to track down the owner of the camera. There were too many memories saved on the camera that couldn’t be replaced.
She knew in her heart, the right thing to do was find the mother who lost the camera. But how?
Social Media to the Rescue
Since Thomas already had a large social media following thanks to her online store on Facebook, she decided to turn to her Facebook friends for help.
She shared a few photos she found on the camera of the mother, hoping that someone might recognize her. What happens next is almost too good to be true.
The Power of the Online Connection
When there were no leads at first, Thomas began to worry the camera was too old and the owner was no longer in the area.
Thankfully, the power of social media came through in the end. The owner of the camera was identified as Katie Connor. Now, it was time to reach out and return what she had lost.
Reaching Out to a Stranger
Thomas decided to use Facebook messenger to reach out to Katie and informed her that she had her camera.
At first, Katie was confused. What camera was this woman talking about?
It All Clicks
Thomas decided to send some of the photos to Katie in an effort to jog her memory. When she saw the pictures, she almost burst into tears. The camera and memories she thought were gone had finally been found.
Thomas asked Katie if she wanted to meet a Target parking lot nearby so she could be reunited with her camera. Of course, Katie agreed.
Thank You So Much
As Thomas parked in the Target parking lot, she found a very enthusiastic Katie running toward her. Katie couldn’t contain her excitement, shouting “thank you!” to Thomas before embracing her. Katie revealed that she thought the camera was long gone and never expected for someone to find it.
Thomas was shocked to find out from Katie that the photos on the camera had been taken over six years prior when her son was only one. Now he was seven, and she couldn’t wait to rush home and see what memories were stored on the camera. “I just knew it was the right thing to do,” Thomas stated. “It makes me feel good knowing that she’s happy.”