On a brisk November afternoon, Marissa and I met up in order to explore Columbus. The plan for the day was to thrift for a while, specifically looking for records to paint during the afternoon. We jumped into my car and started the trip as all college students do, stopping for coffee first. Because Marissa wasn’t feeling well this day, we decided not to stop at too many locations, instead, we focused on obtaining the records and returning to Smith-Steeb. We grabbed some coffee and hot tea from the Starbucks on Olentangy then headed up high street to Flower Child.
This was the first time both me and Marissa had been inside Flower Child. It was a two-story thrift shop focusing on 60’s and 70’s vintage household items and random clothing bits. While looking around we found old magazine prints, aesthetic shirts, and groovy lounge seating. It was a place we agreed all individuals should experience, but not one that was the best choice when looking for cheap goods. A majority of the pieces were $50-75 for a single tee shirt. It was too much money, especially for a piece that we would be painting over. I rated the experience a 6/10 and Marissa stated it was a 6.75/10.
Moving on we decided to go to a place we knew we could count on for cheap goods. Good Will on North High street. We rolled in and went straight to work. I went to go find the records, Marissa began looking at the clothing section, both working hard to find quality goods. Once I found two records that would work for painting, I went to go find her in the men’s sweater section. We probably spent the next 30 minutes looking at random clothing articles and pretending we would look good in these ridiculous styles. From there we purchased our items and packed up to go back to Smith Steeb.
Once we returned, Marissa put her stuff in her room while I went to the Smeeb basement to access the paints. Being an RA in Smith-Steeb gives me access to some of the supplies on hand and allows me to utilize a free and private space to work on our art. Marissa and I worked diligently, completing the interview while doing this. It was one of the nicest days I had had all month, allowing me to explore the city and maybe even establish a new friend while doing it!