'Thrill of the hunt' at thrift stores

At 10 a.m. Saturday, Jen Bair was an hour into her day-long shopping spree and pleased with the take so far -- including the Mr. Potato Head she got for her child for $2 and the Vera Bradley purse she nabbed for her mom for $4.

Bair is a regular at the Unique Thrift Store in Uptown. The 35-year-old Glen Ellyn woman and her mother frequent numerous second-hand shops. "It's kind of our family secret," she said.

» Click to enlarge image

Courtney Galuza (left) and Jen Bair at Unique Thrift Store, 4445 N. Sheridan.
(John J. Kim/Sun-Times)

» Click to enlarge image

Sara Bieda and her daughters (from left) Annie, 5, Josie, 4, and Alice, 8, play a gamegame at the kitchen table in their Downers Grove home.
(Rich Hein/Sun-Times)

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But it was one she was sharing Saturday as she led three of her gal pals through a series of stores.

"I love the thrill of the hunt and getting the best deal," she said.

She's not alone.

The store's Monday sale, in which all items are half price, has become so popular that it has gradually moved its opening time from 9 a.m. to 5 a.m., when a crowd waits for a staffer to unlock the door.