Tucked away on Ming Avenue in Bakersfield sits a secondhand paradise that has California bargain hunters setting their GPS coordinates and crossing county lines with empty trunks and hopeful hearts.
The Salvation Army Thrift Store & Donation Center isn’t just another stop on the thrift circuit.
It’s a sprawling treasure emporium where savvy shoppers arrive with modest budgets and leave with vehicles packed to the headliners with everything from vintage vinyl to mid-century furniture.
The first thing you notice about serious thrift shoppers at this Bakersfield institution is the look in their eyes—a special gleam that combines hunter’s focus with the unbridled joy of someone who knows they’re about to score big…