Recent Thrift Store/Pawn Shop Game Sightings to Pass On

[TheDomesticInstitution]

OK. Hope I'm putting this in the right section. Not every classic system is for everyone. I've been to many stores where I've seen Atari games or Sega games, that I don't have the system to play them on. The whole idea of this thread is to pass on some recent sightings to fellow classic gamers that may live in your area. This isn't for ebay flippers, just gamers and collectors, who may need to complete their collections. So in the title of each post put state and city. In the body give the name of the store, and try and give an approximation of the location. So hopefully this will be a courtesy to fellow local gamers, that collect or play games to look for games you can't find at blockbuster or gamestop anymore. Please try to not include GC/XBOX/and PS2 consoles and newer because they are a lot easier to find right now. Please try and only post sightings that occured within a a few days of post.

So to start out...I work in Orlando near the theme parks... but live further west closer to Daytona... So I frequent a few pawn/thrift stores between where I live and work.

Yesterday I found and purchased a used dreamcast system at a Saver (Americas Thrift Store) on South Orange Blossom Trail- Near the Florida Mall... But in that store in the case up front... there are a few NES games- Jack Nikalus (Sp?) Golf, probably close to 20 Atari games like Ghostbusters and it looked like some Atari Mario Bros games. A gameboy advance version of Pacman, and a PSX console (which was the ony one clearly tagged at 35 (!) dollars. I believe the games are only a few dollars though. This maybe worth checking out if you are an atari collector in the area... couldnt tell you what Atari system they were for because they were locked up.

[deaditeash2]

I continue to have more luck for my dollar at thrifts/garage sales than anywhere else and have all but given up on ebay and online shops. It's just not cost effective to competitively bid against too many others for an item on ebay and then face current shipping prices unless it's necessary to overpay due to your demand.

Recent finds:

last summer was my ultimate find of all time (hey, for me!), a Complete in the Box Atari 2600 4 switch woody with about a dozen games for $5.00 at Goodwill. I ended up spending another $5 on a On/Off Toggle RF Switch at Radioshack because the original didn't work. The System works great...Now I just need more games!

from the same Goodwill also last summer - both light guns for Genesis, both complete in the box with the pack-in game Lethal Enforcers. Great stuff! all for like $6.

this summer from the same Goodwill just recently a loose complete N64 with two controllers, memory card, and 5 excellent games for $20.

On the other hand there's this Pawn Shop right nearby that I hate. They have about 75+ NES games, and 50+ Genesis games with riduculous pricing such as $15 for Sonic 2 loose, and averages of $10-15 for loose NES carts - unbelievable! I mentioned off-hand one day how they were way overpriced and the young kid who does the pricing says - no way these old games are worth tons on ebay...

Sometimes I think Ebay has ruined every collecting hobby there is! My father-in-law thinks some old hotwheels he has are worth hundreds on ebay (keep in mind most are missing wheels, and you can't even tell what color they were painted)...

[Porksta]

Thrift store near Fairfax VA with classic Atari games for like $1 each, and PS2 sports games for like $8 each.

[DefaultGen]

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[aaron7]

This probably belongs in the "finds" thread.

Not if you read the first post

[ryborg]

The whole idea of this thread is to pass on some recent sightings to fellow classic gamers that may live in your area.

I like the idea of this, but since when do classic video games last long enough in thrift stores to make this a viable resource? Maybe I'm being pessimistic or maybe things are different elsewhere, but old video game stuff doesn't stay on the shelves in my areas for more than an hour or two, unless they're Genesis sports titles or cart-only ultra-common Atari games priced at $3.99/each.

[Cornelius]

I like the idea of this, but since when do classic video games last long enough in thrift stores to make this a viable resource? Maybe I'm being pessimistic or maybe things are different elsewhere, but old video game stuff doesn't stay on the shelves in my areas for more than an hour or two, unless they're Genesis sports titles or cart-only ultra-common Atari games priced at $3.99/each.

yuppers

[cyberfluxor]

I like the idea of this, but since when do classic video games last long enough in thrift stores to make this a viable resource? Maybe I'm being pessimistic or maybe things are different elsewhere, but old video game stuff doesn't stay on the shelves in my areas for more than an hour or two, unless they're Genesis sports titles or cart-only ultra-common Atari games priced at $3.99/each.

True to that. And actually, most of the time after I grab a bunch of stuff while standing in line someone else comes up behind me with the remaining goods. The sad part is that I know most of those others are looking for turn-around $2 profits instead of letting them be for another gamer like myself.

This is actually a reason I like a few of the local indy store owners, they don't sell rares to obvious non-gamers or those that appear to want a profit return on eBay. Since I'm a casual shopper at their spots I ask "what's behind the counter?" or "have any good games recently come in hiding out in the back room?" as sometimes it turns out yes! That's how I got my mint, complete copies of Lunar, Lunar 2 and Arc the Lad (all PSX). I didn't get the best price ever but it was a hell lot less than eBay, and the store owner knew this. There's been other games too but these stand out the most.

[DefaultGen]

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[TheDomesticInstitution]

Its not much of a chance that some stuff will be there, but what can it hurt.. I'm just trying to share stuff I've seen... And to pass along places where you can still find games... because posts like "does goodwill even sell games anymore" makes a lot of people think that you can't find games at thrift stores... And again, there is a chance that stuff is still there a day after they put it on the shelf... I figure that there are a few people here around Orlando that may be looking for some games... or other big towns... but if people are going to discuss whether or not this would work- I guess it probably won't. Whatever no big deal... But if I continue to see stuff that may not interest me, but may interest other gamers then I'll post it, in the off chance that someone lives nearby and can make it there in a day or so.

[Cornelius]

I'm not going to make a habit of posting this stuff, but I happened at a sale yesterday that had a model 1 genny and a couple boxed games (MK1 & 3 iirc). $15 bucks, but if it is still there I'm sure you can get it for less. Around the 42nd and Jefferson in Fridley.

Unfortunately, any good deals on stuff I don't necessarily want you'll see in B&S, since I fund my hobby that way.