Treasure Tuesday's are a tradition within the Blair Pack family. Every week, my grandparents celebrate their seniority by loading into their Toyota Camry and venture across the Southeastern Mississippi region visiting local Dirt Cheaps and banking on the extra 10% offered to senior citizens.
For those of you who are not familiar with the topic, Dirt Cheap is the low-end, sister business of Hudson's, a salvage mecca. Parallels can and have been made with Utah's infamous Desert Industry aka D.I. Whereas D.I. caters to cheap, extensive Mormon families through the act of thriftdom, Dirt Cheap encompasses D.I. by a landslide. Besides the occasional nicks and stains, Dirt Cheap sales quality, brand new items at a significantly discounted price. They receive weekly stocks from popular stores such as Target, Old Navy, and Dillards.
My grandparents have an immense talent of finding both useful and useless objects for under a single dollar. It is a running joke among our family and friends to slyly insert a sales price (normally 25 cents) after a compliment is directed towards any original Hudson's item. I love it.
Lauren and I spent a recent afternoon investing quality time with our mothers+ grandparents at Dirt Cheap. For me and the woman who birthed me, it was all too much. We must have seen the same trailer trash sandcastle water dispensers at all four store locations. At one point, I even fell asleep across a tattered futon for sale. Due to adult "lingering," I'm not sure that I have entered the store without at least one wheelchair race across the parking lot.
I like to think that I have been blessed with the gift of shopping knowledge. At any point, I can walk into a store, scan the racks, and know quite suddenly whether or not there are items which interest me. Unfortunately, the rewards of Dirt Cheap are found when opposite tactics take place.
With its odd consumer base and its stereotypical southern edge, Dirt Cheap is simply vulnerable to satire. Yet, I've found that for the most part, that makes it all the more lovable. It is one of the things that I always miss most about home.
For those of you who appreciate price comparisons and/or are interested in purchasing a sandcastle water dispenser, I can confirm that they are cheapest in Petal.
6 comments:
Every time you guys talk about Hudson's or Dirt Cheap I seriously cringe with jealousy. Not fair!!
I just cannot commit to every Tuesday--even with the senior discount.
Every Tuesday? That's a lot of Dirt Cheap. Then again, my step-dad Keith goes at least once a week too when he is home.
I love that they get so much joy from this. However, I too can go in a store, scan and know if there is anything worth digging for. I commit to going with them once a year during Christmas break. Some pictures of our Christmas '07 venture are on their way to you (via e-mail). Feel free to share them. Lauren was there and we had a fun time. Please keep in touch while in Scotland and make a post as soon as possible. Love you!
This is Grandma (using emmie's username). Hannah, you are a wonderful writer. If I didn't know anything about Dirt Cheap, I would want to go right now. You are a dear. Please do not go anywhere alone without a buddy... especially Paris. I love you, Grandma.
I wish I had the Dirt Cheap touch. Grandma and Emmie are the true masters. I bow to them. I cannot tell you how many times one of them has shown up with the exact item I paid full price for at Target. And you really don't even need to ask. But, yes, they probably paid 25cents for it. So not fair.
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