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It's hard to let go of some things in life. But in a minimalistic world where Marie Kondo tells you to only keep the stuff that "sparks joy," you're bound to eventually part ways with items you once held dear. In Utah, the selection at local thrift shops will tell you right away what state you're in — even if you had just woken up from a coma.
For people who grew up around here, these items may jog a childhood memory, provoke a laugh or even deliver pangs of nostalgia. Others will just be confused at this random assortment of collected goods. Either way, here's a preview of some of the items you're likely to come across while rummaging through a local thrift shop.
Lion House cookbooks
In the heart of downtown Salt Lake City sits the historic Lion House, the former family home of Brigham Young, Utah's first governor and the second president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But even if you don't know the history of the building, you might be familiar with their famous rolls — or at least caught a whiff of them as you strolled on by.
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Jell-O molds
Utahns love their Jell-O. They love it so much that they even made it into a highly-coveted Olympic trading pin in 2002. While you probably won't find one of those collector's pins at the local thrift store (you'll have to hit eBay for those), you probably will encounter a Jell-O mold or two. Or dozens.
Many come in that classic bundt shape, but don't be surprised if some unique ones catch your eye, too. If you're lucky, you might come across vintage molds in the shape of clams, fish or other distinctive forms.
Wedding dresses
Fun fact: Utah has the third highest marriage rate behind Nevada and Montana, according to Statista. That means there are plenty of wedding dresses cycling through the state at any given moment and they sometimes wind up at thrift stores. You might even find a $3,000 gown for just $50 like one lady did at Deseret Industries. Back in 2016, KSL reported that an anonymous donor dropped off 1,000 wedding dresses to the thrift store.
Crocheted items
Utahns love their do-it-yourself projects and homemade goods, which is why you'll likely find some crocheted table toppers, tea cozies, potholders and coasters lying around. Also keep your eyes peeled for DIY seasonal decor.
Jack Weyland books
Though his day job was as a physics professor, Jack Weyland is better known in Latter-day Saint culture as the guy who authored more than 30 squeaky-clean novels for young adults. According to Deseret Book, his books have sold more than a million copies throughout the years.
His most famous book, "Charly," was made into a movie in 2002. (You can rent or stream it or you might even find a VHS copy at the thrift store, but make sure to have your tissues ready.) From "Charly" to "Sam" to "Emily" and "Adam's Story," it's highly likely you'll come across a few Jack Weyland books in your thrifting exploits.
Old Utah Jazz gear
The Utah Jazz basketball players may be changing their colors to black, white and yellow this fall, according to KSL. But long-time fans will remember back to the glory days of John Stockton and Karl Malone with their classic purple and gold uniforms. It might be more difficult to find the vintage 1984–1996 jersey, but the 1996–2000 version with the snow-capped mountains on a purple backdrop could easily wind up on the thrift store rack if someone is doing some spring cleaning.
BYU and U of U gear
It's not just the local professional basketball team whose merchandise is likely to wind up at thrift stores. If you find some cougar-clad BYU sweatshirts, t-shirts, blankets or footballs, that's a dead giveaway that you're in the Beehive State. You'll also find their rival's gear—many bright red t-shirts will tout the U's infamous logo. So if you're in the market for some vintage (and sometimes even new) college gear, you're sure to find something at the local thrift stores.
Casserole dishes
Aside from Jell-O, funeral potatoes are another popular staple in Utah food culture. In fact, the Cooking Channel has a funeral potato recipe called Utah Potato Casserole. And you can't have funeral potatoes without a few good casserole dishes! The Blue Cornflower dishes by CorningWare will instantly transport you back to your mother's kitchen if you can find them.
Tabernacle Choir CDs
The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square (formerly the Mormon Tabernacle Choir) has long been a major source of pride for Utahns, mainly within the Church community. The choir's roots go back to the pioneer days and they've sung in many world-renown venues. According to discogs.com, the Choir has released 158 albums over the years! If you knew them back in their "MoTab" days, collect the old CDs while you can. They might just become a collector's item later.
6 of Utah's most historic and prominent abandoned structures
Many of the following places and structures will sound familiar, but there may be some you've never heard of before. Either way, each of these adds a fascinating dot on the map of Utah history.Dirt shirts
If you've been to Moab, you'll know about the iconic dirt shirts. Dyed orange to match the rock in the surrounding areas, these shirts are a tourist must-buy in the land of arches. Vintage is making a major comeback in fashion. So much so that ThredUp expects the secondhand clothing sales market to grow to $51 billion by 2023, according to a BBC report. See if you can find dirt shirts from years ago, and you'll be a fashion icon (in Utah at least).
Can you find them all?
Now that you've got a good list of some of the easiest items to find at the local thrift shop, why not make a game of it? Visit your closest Deseret Industries or other thrift stores near you and see if you can track down each of these items one by one. Who knows? Maybe you'll find something truly priceless in the meantime.
