Saturday, January 26, 2013

Today's Wonderful Thrift Store Find!

Today my bf and I stopped by the local Goodwill looking for bed rails.  As we were passing by the area where they keep the oversized items, I spotted two little boys playing with, what I believed to be a Barbie house.  I stopped in my tracks, knowing that I wasn't moving another inch until I had it in my hands.  I didn't want to disturb their play, so I was waiting patiently for a few minutes.  My bf said, "just ask them to move". So I did.  One little boy even helped me fold it up.  Turns out it is the Grand Hotel that I have been wanting forever.  The tag said $8.58!  Bet!  It's mine.  It's mine.  It's mine.

The front

The back

There are quite a few pieces missing.  It did come with the vanity/bed combo piece, but I forgot to take a picture of it because I didn't know where it was supposed to go.  I love that it has a working elevator. 




Behind the door on the second floor is this little phone room.  This hotel also has sound.  I think the phones actually ring and maybe light up.  Not sure yet.


In this picture the elevator is on the second floor.  It has supports so the dolls can stand.

So now I have to clean it up and get it ready for use.  I hope to paint it one day, but I will not wait for that to happen before I use it.  I'm pretty slow when it comes to repainting.

45 comments:

  1. Super congratulations to you! Wow, what a great find!! Looking forward to seeing how you use it. I am off to see what my thrift store has. Lol!

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    1. Georgia Girl - I try to stay out of the thrift stores, but I love when I am led there and find something wonderful. Good luck!

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  2. Congrats! Maybe one day, I actually have space to have some Barbie Houses too. I can't wait to see how you decorate it, or who's going to live in it.

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    1. Verona - Thanks! I am super excited. It will be used as a hotel, so no one person will live in it, but quite a few will visit for various reasons.

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    2. Verona - Forgot to mention, I will use this in conjunction with the hotel room I've been using this past year.

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  3. Oh you are excited...well, this is a super find and I'm waiting too! I know you won't dissappoint!
    Luv & Hugs

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    1. Loretta - Oh, did my excitement show through? LOL! Stay tuned!

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  4. Wow, great find! I should go shopping with you sometime. You always find such cool stuff! Congrats! :-)

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    1. Cindi - There was divine intervention in that find. My boyfriend was headed to Ikea to buy a bed and I convinced him all he needed were rails. He called some thrift stores and we ended up there. Turns out the rails were King and too big, but the Grand Hotel was just perfect!

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    2. I, too, believe in Divine Intervention. Everything happens for a reason. Isn't it great when things come together? Your bf will find his rails somewhere else, and when he does, you will probably find another great buy for Morristown! LOL :-)

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  5. $8.58?? Not even $8.99...$8.58!! That's a serious deal! Those boys would have seen smoke from my feet, snatchin' it up so fast and at the counter with that bad boy. I'm excited to see how you use it. You've got such a great collection of residents, this will be a really nice addition.

    Congrats!!

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    1. Tracy - Strange price indeed. Some little girl was eyeing my boyfriend as we were headed to the counter. She was looking like she wanted my hotel. My bf started talking to her. I kept walking to the counter. I was not leaving without my hotel.

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    2. Tracy - I forgot to tell you. That hotel, new on Amazon, is listed for $512!

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  6. The coolsest "pre fab" doll house ive ever seen. Looks a lot like a palace. I love it.

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    1. Duke of Swann - It does have that palace feel to it. I am going to try to make it more majestic.

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  7. oh wow, what a wonderful find!!!! can't wait to see how you will arrange it!! and who will live there :)

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    1. jewel snake - I love days like this. It almost feels like winning the lottery. No one is slated to live there. I will keep it as a hotel and there will be lots of visitors and maybe some conferences, etc.

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  8. Congratulations on your purchase! It's awesome! I look forward to the new stories that will happen there!
    Keep in touch!

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    1. Farbield - Thanks. I've been wanting this one for awhile. My mind is already turning with new stories.

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  9. Replies
    1. Lisa - Thanks! I'm still jumping up and down.

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  10. Congrats! You lucked up! Yours came with the hardest pieces to find. the doors and the front desk! I am selling mine. I don't want it now that I have the HSM school! Maybe you can work it into Disney World.

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    1. Ms. Leo - I was surprised it came with the bed/vanity. I will probably make a luggage cart for it. It's not going to make DisneyWorld, but I do have a story in mind for it back in Morristown. I really think this one will get a paint job and soon.

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  11. *sings*
    "I'm gonna pop some tags
    Only got twenty dollars in my pocket
    I - I - I'm hunting, looking for a come-up
    This is f*****g awesome"

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  12. Amazing. You were definately in the right place at the right time, Vanessa. I look forward to seeing your doll families' visits to the Grand Hotel of Morristown.

    dbg

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    1. DBG - Definitely made my day! Nice to have a hotel facade for the hotel room we already have.

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  13. WOW!!!!! Such a price and such a great purchase! The Hotel is wonderful and you were very lucky to find it, I'm sure you'll do the most wonderful dios in it!

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    1. Rossetti - Right place. Right time. Right price. We are going to have a good time with this one.

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  14. Congratulations! I have this hotel. It is one of the best pieces Mattel ever made in terms of architectural detail. I picked up a Barbie plane at the Goodwill on Saturday for the same price. It is soaking in Pinesol right now and will definitely get a repaint because it is the obnoxious glam pink. The pink they used for this hotel is much more pleasant so don't let repainting hold you back from using the hotel in more spectacular stories. :-)

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    1. limbe dolls - Thanks. I am elated. I will move forward using it even before it gets a paint job. Congrats on your jumbo jet.

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  15. Great thrift store find! It is such a cute hotel. Maybe One of the Morristown families, though I am not sure which, can go on vacation and stay there. Just a thought.

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    1. sisilovessinging - Thanks. I can use it for some upcoming hotel meetings. I'm sure it will have guests staying there soon.

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  16. I know I say this all the time but I am so jealous again.That house is awesome. And you are such a lucky devil cant wait to see it in use.

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    1. Mustiwait - I know how you feel. I always get jealous when I see other people finding great items at the thrift store. We'll get this hotel in the mix real soon.

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  17. Lucky,lucky you, this looks amazing even if it hasn't got all its orginal pieces (and an amazing price). It will have a prime position in town very soon, I'm sure.

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    1. Carrickters - Thanks. It's in great condition. Of the parts that are missing, the one I wouldn't mind recreating is the luggage cart. The rest of the items, I have here already in a different form.

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  18. Hello from Spain: I need to go and live in America ... It is the paradise of cheap toys. I love your new home. I love her and I love her for that cheap price. Enjoy it. Congratulations for the wonderful purchase. You're lucky. I'm excited ... Keep in touch

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    1. Marta - Do you have a lot of thrift stores where you live? If so, do they have Narnie stuff sometimes?

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  19. $8.58? Are you kidding me? Wow wow wow! Super pleased for you. Those are wonderful structures, even if just for the parts. Congrats on scoring it at such a great price.

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    1. Roville - Nope, I'm not kidding you. To date, that makes the 6th Barbie house I've gotten from the thrift stores. This was the most expensive one. This one will stay in tact and be used just as intended. I can't wait to get it setup in the basement.

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  20. WOW! Had to come all the way back to this post to start catching up on your blog. This was may last day of freedom. I don't think I look at many post after this point and you post often. So I have a lot of catching up to do. I quickly looked at all the pictures back to this point but that is cheating. I will now have to go back and read! Girl, you have been busy!!!!

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    1. Ms. Leo - OMG! You do have a lot to catch up on. That was two months ago. Make sure you look at the Happy Family room redos. There are two stories with two different families. Hope you had a wonderful time at the flower show. I'm sure you saw Mr. Dotson there. He did you proud.

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