Insider Brockiland: More Tips, and Employee's Secrets!

It's a small world. I now know someone who works at Brockiland (Fahrweid location, primarily), and was able to learn a few things about working there:

• They really do have to physically shove off greedy old people as they restock the shelves (a constant battle to prevent them from taking things out of the restocking crates!)
• Being on the till is nearly as annoying as having to restock the shelves (the best and easiest jobs are the removal jobs and sorting jobs!)
• First thing in the morning is the worst time for the old people antics: they hide things in their jackets to steal; they buy a piece of fabric or clothing and hide things inside (the people at the till have to check!); and they fight with each other over newly shelved items
• They argue about every price (I saw this when I last went). It's the same people over and over again, and every time they come to buy their things (always on the lookout for English china tea cups and other 'quality' things, presumably to re-sell later), they try to trick the lady at the cashier's desk (my friend had to say, "Nein, das ist immer 3 Fr.! IMMER, IMMER, IMMER! Es war 3 Fr. gestern, es ist 3 Fr. heute, es wird 3 Fr. Morgen sein!")
• Days when they have the 'best stuff' are days which they have cleaned out a very nice apartment. So they're sporadic and unpredictable, but the 'good stuff' that comes in is typically gone in the same day. So now we know why the oldies stay all day and lie in wait for fresh goods. ;)

Ah yes. ;) The crazies were out in full-force yesterday (Friday always seems the worst, but maybe it's just me!), and though I can tell the usual stories of people trying to take things I was reaching for and rummaging through my basket when my back was turned (yep...), let's just say it was the usual awful mess in there. ;)

BUT, it led to a few useful rediscoveries that I thought were worth sharing with other Thrifters. Please use them well and kindly.

1. SHOP THE ALREADY-FOUND FASHION GEMS FIRST. When you're coming later in the day, check out the racks of men's clothing behind the dresses and mumu's opposite the mirror at the top of the stairs. Very often the die-hard Thrifters have left their fashion rejects of the day draped over the bars (by the swimsuits). I benefitted yesterday from this. Take advantage of the fact that they've already scoured the racks for the newest and best, and take a look at what didn't fit / work for them. It might work for you! ;) It does occasionally for me!
2. LUNCHTIME IS THE RIGHT TIME? Don't worry so much about going 'at opening'. The vans that come to collect items from homes aren't arriving before work hours, and in fact they come and go throughout the day. And, given that the really weird talking-to-themselves demented folk come in force at opening (the old people have been up since before dawn after all!), it might be more pleasant to go at 'lunchtime', when people are naturally motivated to leave in search of sustenance. Later in the afternoon (esp. 4PM on a Friday) it gets quite busy with people stopping in on their way home from work. A little too busy for my preference. Hard to browse. :)
3. NATURAL LIGHT IN A QUIET CORNER. The lighting in there is pretty grim. There's a skylight above the mirror in the clothing section upstairs (which is great!), but the lighting at the mirror is still pretty bad. Also, there's now only one mirror (I suppose the other broke?), so good luck trying to use it with the pushy-sort around. Check the 'real' colours of the garments under the skylight above the apron and fitted bed sheets racks, past the racks of heavy coats. There's a fairly big space there to spread out linens (stain-checks!) on the floor, and to put your basket down with minimal risk of it getting dug-through by greedy hands.
4. OTHER MIRRORS. This one takes a little luck and creativity on your part, but there are other mirrors at Brockiland, the most useful of which are integrated into wardrobes or have their own stands. On the other upstairs (the quiet side, that is always worth checking out!), there are occasionally full-length mirrors in with the coat and hat racks and torchiere lamps. This is my favourite spot to further consider (or reconsider) prospective clothing purchases. Wardrobe mirrors in the centre of the store have the most light, but also the most curious eyes and unwanted attention, due to their central location.
5. STAY WELL AWAY FROM SECTIONS BEING RESTOCKED. I can't handle the shoving and general strangeness that happens, and even when I can ignore it and browse adjacent aisles, I often find myself trapped behind a wall of old folks waiting for the new items, OR, I find said old folks reaching into my basket (like yesterday!!!). Yes, I pity them. Yes, I know they are being compulsive and that hoarding and dementia (and loneliness) can go hand-in-hand. Yes, I can forgive them. But yes - I will also avoid them at the shop at all costs! They rarely buy what I would anyway. ;) The other benefit to not being in the thick of it is that it usually means there's less traffic elsewhere, which can lead to more fruitful and relaxing browsing for you! ;)

And to reiterate one of my thrifting maxims, "CHECK EVERY SECTION"! Don't think you need to? Think you know Brockiland well enough? Here's a quiz - see how you do! ;) 

(answers at end of post)

Where in Brockiland (Fahrweid, in this case) can you find:

1. Tall decorative flower pots for the hallway?
2. Small steel toolboxes and sewing boxes?
3. Baskets?
4. Sleds?
5. Spinning wheels and raw wool/horse hair?
6. Aprons?
7. Nice purses?
8. Scissors and thimbles?
9. Sunglasses?
10. Artwork (all)?

Where did I find the stool and the woven beach bag? :) Both up in that NW left-hand loft. I was alone up there. You should go, too!

There's another (secret) tip, and that is pricing - pricing is "as posted", but it's also to the discretion of the person at the till. If they like you, you can get a bit of a discount. Maybe not a lot, but certainly more than none at all. So be kind, be patient, be flattering if you have to - just don't be one of those rude people speaking with disdain about the item or the price and being very aggressive with the cashier - you KNOW they aren't getting any benefit! ;)

That's it for today! Happy Hunting, my Vintage-Loving Pals!
TiZ

Answers to the quiz questions (accurate to date of posting only):
1-5: all upstairs in the left-hand (NW) balcony
6: on the same hanging rack as the fitted bedsheets, behind the winter coats and in front of the winter scarves and curtain racks, on the clothing and textiles balcony (right-hand, SE).
7: directly behind the till
8-9: in front of the till, in the little alcove where the staff can keep an eye on thieves (these small things are regularly stolen, apparently)
10. EVERYWHERE. Yes, behind the stack of shopping baskets at the entrance, but some of the really eye-catching stuff is on display in the store. A good place to survey it is from the left-hand (NW) balcony. There are many photos hung above the bookshelves. Most of the pictures on the walls are quite large. Three dimensional framed artwork (wood-cut reliefs, cross-stitched samplers, that kind of thing) as well as just regular framed prints are also up in the left-hand (NW) balcony, on the back side of the stairwell amongst the floor lamps.