In Maine, when you need stuff, you have a couple of options. Craigslist exists there but it’s not the go-to market for when you need stuff: Uncle Henry’s, the paperback proto-Craigslist, is what most people use when they need a used cap for their pickup truck, or a pile of lumber scraps, or a dining room set, or puppies, or a weed-whacker. My issue with Uncle Henry’s is that it’s difficult to find just what you’re looking for – there are broad categories of stuff, but you have to wade through a lot of coal to find your diamonds, so to speak. On Maine’s Craigslist, the pickings are better organized, but they’re sparse; Mainers love their Uncle Henry’s and have been slow to embrace the newfangled Craigslist technology, so if you do find that weed-wacker you’re looking for it may well be all the way up in Meddybemps, which isn’t much help if you’re in York.
Once we moved to SLC, I was sure that because of the higher population density Craigslist would be overflowing with fabulous stuff that I absolutely need (like a beater road bike, gently-used mountain bikes, gently-used rock skis, a coffee table people can put beers on with no fear of leaving rings, a beater fridge just for beer). I was surprised to find out that although SLC’s Craigslist is certainly more abundant than Maine’s, it wasn’t overflowing with good stuff. To get the good stuff, you have to go to KSL’s excellent online classifieds*. KSL is one of the television stations out here and their online site is just like Craigslist ... but a little slicker and there’s tons of stuff just ripe for the picking. I can't wait to start picking!
* Thanks to Susan and Jody at work for clueing me in.
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Georgetown has a place like that. In the olden days we called it "the dump", but I think it's called a "transfer station" or something like that now. :)
ReplyDeleteThat's what I love about living in Phoenix and Dallas when I did. TONS of stuff to be found. Of course, I can't give away my 35" Sony CRT TV to save my life. Posted it on CL this morning and not a single nibble.
Phippsburg has the same, of course. But, do you know, on Nantucket, it's the "Take it or Leave it" and your time there is measured so noone gets an unfair advantage. It can be worth the trip there for the goodies!
ReplyDeleteLOL - I find it hilarious that I'm getting more comments on a "where to get stuff" post than on some of the ones with the pictures of pretty scenery.
ReplyDeleteGet rid of that TV yet, Tim?
Yup, FINALLY off-loaded it late Monday night. New setup is more or less in place. Star Trek and UP look AWESOME in Blu-ray on the new HDTV.
ReplyDelete