Take me to Goodwill with you, Macklemore!

One step away from rockin’ a wolf on my noggin’.

If you own a radio, have ever listened to a radio, or have friends with a radio, you’ve probably heard Macklemore’s hit single, “Thrift Shop.”

It is obviously my most favorite song in the universe as I write this post. “Thrift Shop” is so popular that hot blog Young House Love has enlisted scads of readers in an unofficial “Macklemore Thrift Shop Challenge.” Oh yes. Thrifting is the next big thing.

The lyrics can make parents squirmy, but aside from the rough language, the message is clear: you can find amazing items at thrift stores that will elevate your style no matter the size of your budget.

Macklemore claims to have just “20 dollars in my pocket” as he goes on a wild romp through thrift shops in Seattle near where he grew up, including a Goodwill outlet store. He lists some of the outrageous things you might find— crocodile shoes, fur coats, a keyboard, a kneeboard—and then Macklemore’s shopping pals boogie down in the aisles with the same enthusiasm they’d show off in the hottest dance club.

The song has seen some heavy criticism. A much-tweeted SPIN article scolded Macklemore for pushing the novelty of shopping at thrift stores without recognizing the needs of many who rely on such stores to keep working families afloat.

But I say there’s room for both sides. As someone who grew up on hand-me-downs and thrift-store treasures, I’m still grateful that stores like the ones Goodwill offers provide a place for me to save big-time. And there’s the thrill of the hunt that can’t be beat in a regular retail store. Macklemore says it best:

“I’m digging, I’m digging, I’m searching right through that luggage
One man’s trash, that’s another man’s come-up.“*

The song is fun, and I can’t help but dance to the infectious sax loop. Is it the thrifter’s anthem? It might just be. If Macklemore is today’s poster-boy for Goodwill and other secondhand shops, I’ll gladly take him as my representative.

What do you think? Check out the video and leave your thoughts (and favorite lyrics!) in the comments.

THRIFT SHOP (PG Radio Edit Clean version) – MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS FEAT. WANZ from Garrett Wesley Gibbons on Vimeo.

*Urban Dictionary defines “come-up” as “A bargain, or a found item that is of value to the finder.” Sounds about right to me.