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View Full Version : My First Dumpster Dive!



Goodwill Hunter
10-25-2003, 04:42 PM
I walked in a game store the other day, horrified to find that all of the Genesis boxes had disappeared. The carts were still there, but the boxes were apparently taking up too much space. With flashbacks of all the NES boxes suddenly vanishing from Funcoland years ago, I decided to try a little dumpster diving in hopes of rescuing those Genny boxes.

As I went around back to the dumpsters, the first thing I saw was this huge pile of unused promotional material sitting right on top. Dozens of literally brand new, oversized promo game boxes, posters and signage, plus stacks of “display only” system boxes for Xbox, Psone, PS2, GBA and much more. Since I had to move it anyway to get to whatever was underneath, I just threw it all in my trunk. I’ll for sure display the Rebel Strike box and Soul Caliber signage showing the fighter unique to each system…don’t know about the rest, but it just seemed wrong to leave it to be thrown away.

Had all the garbage bags in there turn their heads and cough, but it was clear that none of them held the Genesis boxes. The only other things in the dumpster were 2 folded closed cardboard boxes, which felt full when I prodded them. I pulled them both out, but could tell they were too heavy to be holding empty Genny cases.

When I opened them, at first glance they looked like they were full of shattered CDs. But closer inspection revealed rows of PSX game cases underneath, along with other miscellaneous stuff. Thinking at least I could upgrade some CD cases, I threw both boxes in the back seat.

When I got home, I emptied both boxes and in addition to the broken CDs, I found some more promotional stuff (the Crono Cross clock being the best of the lot), a mix of controllers and memory cards, some loose Genesis and NES carts, an Xbox JGR/Sega GT disc, and well over 100 PSX GAMES! Many of them are sports games, and there was a healthy showing of Driver, Driver 2 and Gran Turismo games, but most of them are complete in case with instructions!

A fair number are stickered “Field Destroy”, but aside from light to moderate scratching, they are in good shape, and the dozen or so I cleaned and tested have all loaded fine in my PS2. I may have to buy one of those CD buffing kits, but I’m guessing there’s at least 30-40 games I can add to my collection….and the price was right!


http://members.aol.com/whanewsltr/ebay/dd.jpg

Not a bad haul for 15 minutes of indignity…I may have to start hunting dumpsters as well ;) .

Rich

Sylentwulf
10-25-2003, 04:50 PM
That's a DAMN NICE dumpster dive if I do say so myself.... and I just did O_O

sisko
10-25-2003, 04:53 PM
wow...nice haul....

Something seems fishy with all of those PSX games though.... why throw that many away? Maybe an employee was in the process of stealing them?

If they were being destroyed, what store was this? I might try to get in on the action ;)

Saturn Sensei
10-25-2003, 05:29 PM
While working at Blockbuster years ago we had to "field destroy" stuff every now and then.

I remember breaking about 30 brand new copies of Good Burger(after bagging one for myself) because of a trailer for an R-Rated film on the tape.

Disney's Rescuers(VHS) was pulled a few days after release because of hidden pictures of nude women in a couple of frames.

Tiger Woods 99(?)(PSX) was pulled because of an uncensored South Park episode used as filler on the disc.

Qixmaster
10-25-2003, 05:33 PM
that is way way too cool.... i am going to have start in on this as well.

Sotenga
10-25-2003, 05:48 PM
O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O O_O

Time to gain a new habit! :D :D :D

maxlords
10-25-2003, 05:52 PM
Nice haul! That's some spanking good luck :D

Rev. Link
10-25-2003, 05:54 PM
My only question is: How do you get your car around to the back of the store where the dumpster is without attracting a lot of unwanted attention?

kainemaxwell
10-25-2003, 07:14 PM
Nice haul! i'd try that my mall but they got those compacting dumpsters there.

Sylentwulf
10-25-2003, 07:34 PM
My only question is: How do you get your car around to the back of the store where the dumpster is without attracting a lot of unwanted attention?

NOBODY cares if you drive around back in most stores, most of the time noone will even notice, let alone care.

Balloon Fight
10-25-2003, 07:37 PM
How did you do this without being spotted? The Star Wars and SC2 boxes are the coolest in my opinion. O_O

Jorpho
10-25-2003, 08:38 PM
The clock looks pretty cool. I'm guessing that's not common.

wberdan
10-25-2003, 09:55 PM
the worst possible thing that could happen is the police will show up and tell you to stop or make fun of you...
you wont get busted or anything, geez.
i seriously doubt if anyone will get in any kind of trouble with this.
so hit those dumpsters!

willie

Griking
10-25-2003, 10:28 PM
I hate to admit it but I do this as well and have had a buch of nice finds.

The getting caught thing CAN be a problem but only because employees / security people will most likely think that you are illegally dumping and not dumpster diving. Either way its best to just do your business as quickly as possible. I usually grab quickly and then examine my finds later.

dave2236
10-26-2003, 10:15 AM
Yeah, I do it. the first couple of times are a little weird, but now its ...open the top..... check inside... hop in in...toss the good stuff out....pick it up...toss it in trunk.


I've been caught once by an employee. asked me what I was doing, said "stealing your promo stuff"....." oh , ok" ...." You want some more"?


came homw witha bunch of promo boxes and posters.


FYI movie theatres throw out movie trailers about once a month...check your theatre dumpsters for trailers and posters.

Chunky
10-26-2003, 10:57 AM
sheesh between you and jj nice little haul there.

I used to do this ll the time with some haxxors.(like 10 years ago) we dives all the local ameritech(now SBC) building finding all sorts of phones, telly testing eq and even uniforms. have not done it in a long long time.

And I have been thinking about it for the past 3 years, never had the balls to go do it. Since no one i know now actually would want to anymore. maybe we cn get a party going, check every GS/EB in the area one day.

The Unknown Gamer
10-26-2003, 11:27 AM
I've been dumpster driving for years and new found that great a haul. I agree someone might of been stealing.

Here is a short list of what I found:
Sms console
Evander Holyfield boxing Genesis
SW:ESB 2600
COCO 2 with everything

I was checking out some computers that were thrown away
I nearly doubled my RAM from the cards I found err...salvaged

hamburgler
10-26-2003, 01:02 PM
I remember my first dump diving finds. I found so much posters and boxes that I nearly had to put them in the back of the store because it was starting to make my arms tired from carrying them with me.

Masco73
10-26-2003, 03:04 PM
Great finds!!! :D
Why the hell wouldn't this stuff be offered/given to the employees?? I can't see why they would have to trash this stuff. Or even give them as bonuses to good customers. It just doesn't make sense. I just might have to start diving myself.

Rev. Link
10-26-2003, 03:12 PM
My only question is: How do you get your car around to the back of the store where the dumpster is without attracting a lot of unwanted attention?

NOBODY cares if you drive around back in most stores, most of the time noone will even notice, let alone care.

Good to know, then. Thanks. :)

sisko
10-26-2003, 03:57 PM
I just checked two Gamestops and one EB.

Not a damn thing :(

Flack
10-26-2003, 04:10 PM
Well I have to admit, this thread inspired me to drive around my town this morning and look in trash dumpsters as well.

The only other time I've ever really done this is when moving, as it's a great way to get moving boxes -- although I did learn the hard way, make sure all food is removed if getting them from a fast food resaurant. Even a little old cheese stinks.

No luck with anything today. Hastings has some sort of POS display out back, about a five foot tall thing with coke colors, but I couldn't think of a use for it so I left it.

In retrospect I think our city trash stuff runs Saturday so Sunday seems like a bad day to try it. Maybe I'll have better luck on a different day.

Videogamerdaryll
10-26-2003, 04:15 PM
OMG!!..I'm sick now...

Congrats...


Wow!..

Man it's a shame what's thrown away..

pokobocket
10-26-2003, 11:30 PM
I am very jealous of the psx games... Nice find Hunter! :D I must promptly go liberate some trash now