Kobey's: Just a Big Easter Egg Hunt!

by Liz Anderson 

MMDigging through Kobey's garage sale area reminds Carole Kling of what a child must feel when going on a big Easter egg hunt. She says emphatically, "I can go through a stack of junk and find that one sparkling treasure. For me the process is almost a meditation or some form of stress reduction. I've never gone home empty-handed!"

MM Carole, who has been both buying and selling at Kobey's garage sale area for the past fifteen years refers to her passion for resale as recycling. She suggests instead of stressing out when you're short on cash, go through your stuff and bring it to the swap meet. She says, "There's always something you don't need. I've always, always made it during the most stressful times of my life by selling at Kobey's."

MM Reselling her belongings has additional benefits as well. "Recycling is my favorite thing because I feel I can't really make a mistake. I'm a kind of gypsy at heart, so buying and selling is in my blood. In a sense, Kobey's gives me the opportunity to do what I love without the guilt because I always know I can resell things. I don't worry about if I made a great choice or not because, regardless, someone else will always come along and want it."

MM Carole keeps what she calls a "dream book" of interiors and objects she's cut out of design magazines. Over the years she has accumulated a house full of great "dream finds" including dramatic mirrors, leather jackets, jewelry and interesting candelabras, but cites a leopard print rug as one of her favorites. She elaborates, "I recently redid my new condo in purple and leopard. I wanted a leopard rug for a long time, and I finally found a fabulous one at Kobey's. I hand-dyed it myself to match everything. I've dyed clothes before so why not a rug?"

MM She adds, "My thing with Kobey's is I never limit myself when I'm shopping anymore because if one thing bothers me about a piece, I know I can always change it. The prices are so reasonable it doesn't worry me to do that. I antique, I paint, I spray. I mix and match things. If you study the interior design magazines you get an idea of antiques and things and what's worth what. I trust my intuition more now because I've developed an eye. You might find something messed up or broken but if you recognize it as special, that's where the treasure part comes in." M

MM Carole explains she prefers Kobey's over thrift stores because you can quiz the seller about their merchandise, often finding out the history of a piece. She says if she knows it's something wonderful, she'll sometimes pay more for it. One of those finds includes an authentic hand-painted three-piece mirror from a Spanish gypsy caravan for just $40.

MM "I've traveled a lot," Carole remarks. "My favorite country was Morocco. The whole country was like one big swap meet. It's known for its bazaars, or 'Medinas'. It's full of colors and smells. It's so old and exotic, it's almost like being in a James Bond movie! Ever since that trip I've been fascinated with that kind of culture and it's exoticness. Kobey's has a lot of that."

MM Besides refinishing, reselling and working at Mazi Boutique in La Jolla, Carole is currently studying Ayurvedic and meditation at the Chopra Center for Well Being in La Jolla. Although her life may seem full to capacity she concludes, "I'd like to see the swap meets of the world!