A few of the rare finds at Thrift Store Art's Instagram page
As the old saying goes, one person's trash is another one's treasure.
Even though people can easily buy used items on eBay, the thrift store business thrives in America, bringing in an estimated $10 billion annually. At a time when the economy is shaky, thrift stores are a recession-proof business. When times are tough, people love to find a deal, and there's never any end to the fashionistas who roam thrift stores looking for a rare find.
San Francisco surfer and self-proclaimed thrift store junkie Bryan Dickerson has turned his passion for rare treasures into an Instagram page with over 246,000 followers. Thrift Store Art showcases the most bizarre things that thrifters find in stores and leans heavily into strange-looking works of art and clothing with questionable sayings. His crowds of followers send him countless strange finds every day, and he rewards them by calling them rude names in the comments.
But for Dickerson, it's all in fun.
He told Bored Panda that the idea of Thrift Store Art is “not to bash art but to expand what can be considered as art—clothing, album art, book graphics, vacation souvenirs.” Dickerson's foray into thrift store content was a much-needed break from his job as the editor of a news website.
“I wanted a space where I could post fan art of Tom Selleck and say that it’s Pat Sajak or claim that every post is our 'first post ever and still our favorite!'” he told Bored Panda.
Here are 13 of the best finds from Thrift Store Art and they cover everything from odd-looking rock stars to a truly epic portrait of a sad Barack Obama.
1.
This appears to be a work of art celebrating a kind-looking lady with three beautiful cats and a husband that loves to light up a Camel while sitting shirtless in his Lazy Boy.
Painting of a family
via Thrift Store Art
2.
It's either Elvis Presley after he went a few rounds with Muhammad Ali or an impersonator with a rather large nose.
The King (we think)
via Thrift Store Art
3.
"Chewy loves the little children. All of the children of the world."
Chewbacca scaring children
via Thrift Store Art
4.
The Kennedy brothers as remembered by someone with some serious issues with depth perception.
John F. Kennedy and Robert Kennedy
via Thrift Store Art
5.
A pillow of former President George W. Bush admiring Jesus Christ of Nazareth. This probably helped a lot of people sleep easily in the early aughts.
George W. Bush and Jesus pillow
via Thrift Store Art
6.
It's either a coffee mug of E.T.: The Extra-terrestrial or a monkey missing an arm. You decide.
E.T. in his teapot pose
via Thrift Store Art
7.
This is truly an impressive beehive. Priscilla Presley would totally be jealous.
A woman with an enormous beehive hairdo
via Thrift Store Art
8.
The artist took a big swing at capturing the majesty of Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury, but the piece falls a little flat. It could be that it looks like the microphone is attached to an upright vacuum cleaner.
Freddie Mercury on canvas
via Thrift Store Art
9.
David Bowie's French passport was located in a thrift store in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Ziggy Stardust sans Spiders from Mars
via Thrift Store Art
10.
The guy on top is clearly John Lennon and beneath him, Paul McCartney. But the other two don't resemble Beatles at all. It's more like John Oates from Hall and Oates and Sonny Bono. This must have been for some Monsters of Rock-themed Ice Capades show.
The Beatles on ice
via Thrift Store Art
11.
This is the look Willie Nelson gives people when they owe him money.
A stern-looking Willie Nelson
via Thrift Store Art
12.
It's either former president Barack Obama or Moe Howard of "The Three Stooges" after a lousy round of golf.
Obama looking super bummed out
via Thrift Store Art
13.
This painting appears to be a tribute to a dog that really needs some water.
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