Ever wonder where your donated stuff goes if it doesn’t sell? If you donated it to a St. Vincent de Paul thrift store in Dane County, it might end up at a place called Dig & Save Outlet Store in Madison, Wisconsin. At Dig & Save, people can shop for clothes and household items mostly by the pound. But as Alexandra Salmon found out, Dig & Save’s shoppers say there’s so much more to the place than just the hot deals.
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On a recent morning, dozens of people were lined up outside of Dig & Save waiting for the store to open for the day. Most of these customers were shopping either for personal reasons or for resale.
People waiting in line at Dig & Save 45 minutes before opening. (Photo by Alexandra Salmon)
“This place moves fast. Everybody will get in there and dart for a cart and then they’re straight back to wherever they go,” said Ivan Kalin, one of the Dig & Save regulars waiting in line. “There’s a bunch of different sections back there. You have to know where you’re going and know what you’re looking for. I kind of have a plan, but I try and keep it on the hip.”
I asked Kalin about the feeling he gets when he finds something he knows is a really good deal.
“Well, I’ll tell you. It’s kind of the same feeling when you gamble, or some people have problems with substances. It’s really all the same feeling,” he said. “Shopping gives you the serotonin rush you’re looking for. When you can find that really good thing here, it makes you really happy.”
“There’s a community here and I can share it with people. I definitely know a lot of the people here in line. Eventually, the line will wrap around the parking lot and you can share your joy,” added Kalin. “And then you meet different communities of people, like there’s a clothing community, an electronics community and a toys community. They’re all looking for different things, and I look for everything.”
Ivan Kalin waiting in line before Dig & Save in Madison, Wisconsin opens for the day. He was one of the first few people in line. (Photo by Alexandra Salmon)
Another person waiting in line was Tom Stassi of Waunakee. I asked him to tell me about his strategy when it comes to Dig & Save.
“Watch myself,” Stassi said, laughing. “You stay friendly. You just be nice. You come here and work with people.”
Stassi likes to look for sporting equipment.
“If I’m here and I’m looking at buying something … but if I see somebody that needs something, I will take that out of my cart and give it to them,” said Stassi. “It’s not about just the money. This is a tough time in our country right now. Believe it or not, a smile can help more than you can believe.”
Tom Stassi outside of Dig & Save with some golf clubs that he regripped. (Photo by Alexandra Salmon)
At 10 a.m., the doors opened and customers made their way inside to start digging through the bins. One of those people was Tracie Taalbi of Madison.
“I love going to Dig & Save. I love to find blankets and donate them. If I find some really nice blankets, I wash them — of course — and then pack them up and donate them to the shelters in Madison,” said Taalbi, smiling.
Room at Dig & Save with bins full of miscellaneous items, like toys, dishes, baskets, and office supplies. (Photo by Alexandra Salmon)
“If you need dishes, this is a place to go. I just found eight bowls and put them all together for somebody because they all match. I left them there in case somebody needs eight bowls. Sometimes I even find myself doing that,” Taalbi said. “I mean, hell, if I see something, I help other people shop.”
First-time customer Venashia Anthony of Madison made the rounds. She showed me what she had found so far.
“Some dishes. Some good plates and wine glasses,” said Anthony.
Venashia Anthony with some of the dishes she was excited to find at Dig & Save. (Photo by Alexandra Salmon)
I asked her how she felt after finding a “hot deal.”
“Excited! Excited. And oh, my gosh, sometimes, I’m nervous. It’s like, is this really true?” Anthony said. “It makes me feel good.”
Me, too.
Room at Dig & Save full of clothing and textile bins. (Photo by Alexandra Salmon)
