Bargain Finds
San Gabriel Valley
San Gabriel Valley Listings
Asian Ceramics
Want to spruce up your patio or yard with unique and colorful pots and planters? Look no further than Asian Ceramics in Duarte.
Usually selling only wholesale to landscapers, developers and designers, Asian Ceramics can save you 25%-80% on ceramic planters, pots and more in overstock, seconds and damaged product
Custom Comfort Mattress
The deal here is value. Instead of paying for over-hyped marketing, advertising and the huge markup the big commercial mattress companies charge, at Custom Comfort you’ll get your mattress manufacturer direct. All the mattresses here are made by them at their factory in Orange. No middleman, no excessive markup, no hyped “Sale” and no bull. You’ll save 20%-40% below the biggies on better quality mattresses.
Felikians Carpet One
One look around Felikian’s Carpet One and you’ll never get your carpeting or hardwood flooring anywhere else. Under the leadership of Greg Felikian, a knowledgeable staff help make saving money on quality flooring easy. Savings start at 10% and often go up to 40% and more off regular retail prices. Stanton, Armstrong, Lee, and Bigelow are also here offered at solid savings.
Happy Eyes
Happy Eyes is a gem of a store that has had the same prices on standard ophthalmic frames since they opened in 1992. Single vision lens with frames start at $39.95 complete. Bifocals start at $59.95 complete and at Happy Eyes you can get transitions lens starting at $85.00 and up.
Hollywood Piano Company
The Hollywood Piano Company will help you to find that special piano for the best price in Southern California. From uprights to concert grands, player pianos to digital, they have them all… at 20%-60% below retail everyday, all the time.
National Flooring Liquidators
National Flooring Liquidators is a 30,000 square foot warehouse full of first quality flooring in overruns, end of run, end of bolt, closeouts, overbuys and discontinued styles in ceramic and porcelain tile, laminate flooring, carpeting and hardwood flooring selling them to the public at 30%-60% below original retail. You’ll see well known names in the industry here: Shaw, Delin, Mohawk, Pergo, WilsonArt, Datile, Interceramic, Armstrong, Alloc, Edge, Mannington and more.
Pillers
The Piller’s outlet in Monrovia has hip, elegant and well-known designer labels at 50%-90% off everyday. You see first quality overruns in both in season, last season and last years designer apparel for women crammed onto every rack. Something for every age range, size and budget.
The Outlet By ELS
This fun place is a great source for incredible savings on almost anything imaginable. You’ll find apparel, home furnishings, electronics, small and large appliances, home and garden, hardware, home theater, bedding and linens, housewares, sporting, toys and more! All at savings of 40%-80% below retail!
A Star Furniture
Affording really good or even best quality furniture, even at a bargain price isn’t always achievable. Some of us may be single, in our first apartments, raising a family or another situation that prohibits buying the high quality furniture.
There is a place for low to mid level quality furniture and one of the places to get a good deal on that level of quality is A Star Furniture in Glendale.
Bargain Molding
On any renovation or home upgrade sometimes it’s the little extras that really make a difference both in the look of your home and the balance in your checkbook. But because of price, it’s often these little details that we do without.
Unless you know where to shop….
Childrens Resale Stores
Shopping at kids resale stores when my daughter was little was a real budget saver. She had a great wardrobe and we didn’t have to spend much. Even now at 13, we go in to our local store and I let her pick a couple of items. I used these stores to pick up books, videos/DVDs, shoes, furniture… anything I may have needed at real budget prices.
Chiropractic Care
This last winter, I needed some chiropractic adjustments. I didn’t have a lot of money to spend on it and needed regular visits.
Considering our difficult move in February, the stressful renovations and a long history of old dance related back injuries, I needed to get back in alignment. I also was hoping to start a more serious work out regime this Spring and knew I wouldn’t be able to handle the exercise if I was out of alignment.
Deja Vu Fashions
Back when I was teaching at Scripps College in Claremont, I used to stop into Déjà Vu Resale. I hadn’t been in a long time, so it was time to go back.
Wow… this women’s resale shop has gotten even better. They are bigger, have a better selection of designer goods for women as well as vintage clothing for gals and guys….and they even have a small room with vintage home décor finds…. All at 30%-90% below retail everyday!
Department Store Outlet
Are you a bargain basement shopper? Willing to go the extra mile to score rock bottom pricing. If that’s you, a visit to Department Store Outlet is in order.
This is a funky, self serve, no frills shopping adventure in an old store front. There are just incredible deals of 65%-95% off retail on past seasons, department store overstock, customer returns, and distressed merchandise in better men, women and children’s clothing and house wares.
Garden View Nursery
If you have big plans for new plants and landscaping, like us, you’re gonna want to try a bigger nursery that that has a wide selection of plants. Since we are planning on redoing our front garden ourselves, we headed out to Irwindale to prowl around Garden View Nursery. The pricing here runs from retail to 40% off on landscaping bushes, trees, shrubs etc.
Habitat Restores
Habitat ReStores have both new and used surplus building materials donated by building supply stores, contractors, demolition crews and individuals. The products here range from door knobs to doors, sinks to lighting, windows to hardware, flooring and almost anything in between, all at prices that are 40%-70% below what you would expect to pay.
Home Improvement
Spring and Summer are the time most of us think of doing some home improvement projects. If you’re tight on time and a budget too, don’t settle for Home Depot or Lowes just because it’s easy without checking out these great discount sources for Home Improvement projects:
Hughes Estate Sales
If you like to treasure hunt for furniture, great buys on upscale stylish home furnishings will surprise you at the Hughes Estate Sale in Altadena. Savings here are 50% -75% off market or retail prices. If you get on their mailing list they’ll notify of estates sales they do from San Diego to Ventura. But, it’s at their monthly warehouse sales that they sell furniture that’s been pulled from storage units or estates that didn’t have time to arrange a formal sale. And the prices are so low ….their stupid!
Interior Incentives
Life is stressful… Saving money on home furnishings shouldn’t be. That’s why we really like Interior Incentives. Not only will you save 30%-60% on home furnishings, but owner, Denise make the process so easy, you’ll wonder why you ever shopped without her.
With this one women dynamo, you can shop catalogs for everything from hard case goods to upholstered pieces all in the comfort of your own home.
Jack Winter Auto Inspection
Shopping for a good used car takes some research and a good mechanic. After doing the initial homework on the car ourselves, including web search, consumer reports buying guide and a test drive, we call in our favorite roving mechanic, Jack Winters, to inspect the car.
Jorge Garcia Furniture Restoration
When we wanted to restore our antique furniture, only one re finisher totally understood our concept of restoration. Jorge Garcia works out of a small warehouse in Pasadena and specializes in antique polishing, restoration, refinishing as well as caning, rushing and carving. Jorge Garcia is especially good at matching wood tones and repairs. He does terrific work, gives accurate and fair estimates and is easy to deal with.
Kasper Outlet
Average prices run 20%-60% below retail on last season and this seasons women’s suits, career separates and wardrobe essentials. They also had 2 suits for $149.99 and last spring’s suits at $49 or less. Complete inventory turnover here is every six months. Sizes run 2-16.
Liquidation Center
Savings of 30%-90% on closeouts and liquidated goods in clothing, houswares, tools, home decor, bric a brac. A store full of surprises.
Mattel’s Toy Outlet
Don’t know where to buy safe, good toys for the kids? Hold on to your seats cause getting kids toys and gifts just got a whole lot cheaper. The Mattel Toy Store, the official outlet for Mattel and Fisher-Price has direct to the public outlets with savings of 35%-80%!
Being a good Santa just became affordable!
Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse
Men’s and women’s current designer shoes at 20%-70% below retail. Big designer names, huge selection, no kids.
Accessories too.
Off Fifth
The Saks Fifth Ave outlet has discounts on high-end, designer items 25%-70% off original retail. Designer clothing for men and women, accessories in designer handbags, shoes, scarves, jewelry and leather goods. Cosmetics by Estee Lauder, Clinque and Bobbie Brown.
Once Upon a Child
A larger resale store with a terrific selection of cribs, furnishings, toys, strollers, hi-chairs, books, bedding and apparel from infant to size 12. Good selection of labels from boutique brands to department store. Savings are 50%-85% off original retail
Our Home Renovation Sources
Our new home renovations are finally finished. We spent a lot, but saved a lot on quality workmanship and goods. Here’s who we used and where we bought stuff:
Al Menendez - Contractor.
We used him for everything from our new wood patio cover ($1200) to re-roofing ($6900- half was Spanish tile), garden cement pathways $3500, electrical, garage conversion w/ new foundation and new office finishing.
Premier Antiques Furniture
We are always on the prowl for quality used and antique furniture. Not only can you save money, but you’ll usually be able to buy higher quality than buying brand new. Hubby and I came across Premier Antique Furniture when we were buying flooring at National Flooring Outlet in Monrovia. Hidden across the parking lot in a 2-story building was a small sign for antiques.
Intrigued, we ventured in.
Top 10 Bargain Sources for 2012
Here they are…our top 10 new Bargain Sources for 2012!
Every year we research dozens of new stores, outlets and discounters. Out of these we pick the top ten new sources for each year. It isn’t easy, but here they are.
See if you agree.
Toys, Toys and More
Let’s face it, one of the best parts of Christmas and holiday shopping is buying for children. The annual ritual of ripping gift wrap off packages and the memories of the oohs and aahs that result from this gleeful event last a lifetime.
So here are my picks of places to find that perfect toy for that perfect kid for a lot less!
Trina Turk Outlet
The Trina Turk Outlet is located at rear of their sample cutting factory in Alhambra. Savings look to run 50%-85% off original retail. More like a boutique than an outlet, everything in stock appears to be first quality overruns. The outlet only sells merchandise that is 6 months old or older.
Wholesale Garden Ceramic Planters
Since we live in Southern California we spend much of our social life outdoors. So we’ve been slowly planting and sprucing up our yard and patio areas. As we continue to work on our garden and patio we have been shopping for good prices on ceramic planters.
World Caravan Outlet
If you keep your eyes open you can find outlets in the strangest places… like a retail mall!
Hello!
The World Caravan Outlet at the Paseo Colorado mall is a real discount outlet. This is a great place to shop for casual linens, home décor and home furnishings with savings of 20%-70% everyday.


