MS. CHEAP
Tennessean

Ms. Cheap answers the questions she's most asked

Where can you get free rocks?

Jones Stone, at 2705 Larmon Drive (292-4717) and Jackson Masonry at 49th Avenue North at Centennial Boulevard (352-4996), both have free piles. You have to load it yourself, but there is plenty of rock there for the taking on weekdays. I suggest that you take along some work gloves.
What's the place that sells donated building materials?

Habitat for Humanity has started a number of stores in Middle Tennessee counties that sell donated building materials and household goods. The stores, which have great prices and great stuff, are similar but independent of one another, each being operated by the Habitat organization in that county.
In Nashville, the Habitat HomeStore has two locations, 1001 Eighth Ave. S. and 908 Division St. (259-9548). There are also Habitat stores in Franklin at 300 Eddy Court (791-4035); Murfreesboro at 850 Mercury Blvd. (849-5994); Lebanon at 207 Maple St., (453-3799); and Cookeville at 711 East 15th St. (1-931-528-1711).

Where can you get low-cost haircuts, pedicures, manicures, facials and other services?
For completely free haircuts, call 1-888-888-7778, ext. 1928, or 1-883-3377, and leave a message for April. It's the Supercuts training center at 519 Donelson Pike, where one week a month they do advanced training for licensed stylists who are new to the Supercuts' technique. All you pay is a tip ($2-$5 is good).
The lowest price for the whole variety of pampering services is at the Tennessee Technology Center, at 100 White Bridge Road between Target and Nashville State Community College. You pay a once-a-year $5 project fee and then the services are really cheap, $5 for a manicure or hair cut, $6 for a pedicure, $10 for a basic facial. The students, who are all supervised by their instructors, work by appointment on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 9–11 a.m. and from 4–5:30 p.m. They will take walk-ins if they're not already full. Appointments for cosmetology can be made at 425-5522 and for aesthetics at 425-5511. Both programs are on break for the next two weeks and will resume clinics in mid-September.
Other beauty schools with clinics include: The Beauty Institute, at 7106 Moores Lane, 353-8333, offers manicures, pedicures, facials, back treatments, hair cuts, color and other services. The student clinics are Monday through Friday from… and on Tuesday and Thursday, they are open until 8:30 p.m. and take walkins and appointments.Franklin Hair Academy in Independence Square on Hillsboro Road in Franklin, is open 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday – Thursday and 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. on Fridays. 591-2887. They take appointments and walkins. Shampoo cut and style is $7, basic manicure is $5 and a pedicure is $8.
Volunteer Beauty Academy, which has locations near RiverGate Mall at 1791 Gallatin Pike North (860-4200) and at 5670 Nolensville Road (781-1500), has clinics which take appointments and walk-ins between 9:30-4:30 p.m. and then between 6-10 p.m. on weekdays. Haircuts are $5, pedicures $15, and manicures are $6.Creative Designs Beauty Academy, a Paul Mitchell The School, 5510 Crossings Circle near Hickory Hollow Mall. 283-1000.Georgia Career Institute of Murfreesboro, 1233 Commerce Park Drive in Murfreesboro, 896-0702

Where can you get a cheap massage?

Cumberland Institute, 500 Wilson Pike Circle (370-9795) has intern clinics by appointment — 90 minutes for $60 weekdays, weeknights and weekends. Natural Health Institute in Cummins Station, 209 10th Ave. S. (627-4726) has clinics Tuesday–Saturday that are $35 an hour. And High-Tech Institute at 560 Royal Parkway (232-3770) offers 50-60 minute massages between 10:45 a.m. and 5:45 p.m. on weekdays for $25 — cash only. The students who perform services during these clinics have completed a minimum number of classroom and training hours before they practice on you.

You wrote about deals on dry cleaning. Where are they?

At Park Avenue $1.50 Cleaners, every item costs $1.50 to clean. You pay when you drop items off instead of when you pick them up. Locations include 5414 Charlotte, 4122 Nolensville Road, 2722 Lebanon Road and 794 Rivergate Parkway.

Where can you send used greeting cards?

Ruby Lewis, with The Heart Remembers Alzheimer's facilities in Manchester, Winchester, Fayetteville and Shelbyville, would love to have your cards for crafts. Send them to 1707 McMinnville Highway, Manchester 37355. Skyline Medical Center Auxiliary wants all-occasion cards, but not Christmas ones, to make angels for distribution to incoming patients. Call Karen Karpinski at 769-2205 or mail them to her at Skyline, 3441 Dickerson Pike, Nashville 37207. Brenda Lyle of White Bluff says the Ladies Missionary Class (Holiday Gospel Assembly, 1842 Grand Blvd., Holiday, Fla., 34690) wants cards. Brenda also noted that kindergarten teachers and art teachers might want them for art projects.Also, the Helpers of the Mentally Retarded — 2626 Fulton St., San Francisco, Calif., 94118-4026 — (the group that I used to recommend) was flooded with cards and needed a little break. But now they're back in action and ready to take cards again.

Where can you donate a computer that still works?

Sometimes schools want them, and it never hurts to ask individual schools if they can use what you have. But the best one-stop place to call is the Community Resource Center, 412 Metroplex Dr. (781-1036), which collects all sorts of office supplies and other resources and distributes them to nonprofit agencies throughout the Midstate.
If you know of other nonprofit organizations that can use good computers, please let me know and I'll try to help get the word out.

Where can you get cheap mulch?

The Metro Public Works facility at 1400 County Hospital Road used to have cheap mulch, but now that they have a new contractor, Red River Ranch, the price is up to $25 for a cubic yard of the basic hardwood mulch. A cubic yard is about enough to fill a small pickup truck. Other private mulch facilities in town, like the Mulch Man, the Mulch Company and Nashville Nursery and Landscape Supply, are all a bit cheaper for what seems to be about the same quality mulch. If you need a lot of mulch, like four cubic yards or more, the Metro/Red River facility gets cheaper – $11 a cubic foot. 888-663-9625
Even better than cheap mulch is free mulch, which Rutherford County residents can get at Murfreesboro's Public Works facility at 4765 Florence Road. Stop by any time between 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on weekdays and load it yourself, or if you're lucky and they have time, they'll load it for you.
Be forewarned that this is not always seasoned or treated mulch, but it would be fine for walkways or to put in a compost pile to turn for next season. 893-3681.

Where can you donate ladies business clothes to help women who are entering or re-entering the work force?

It’s called Dress for Success and was dangerously close to shutting down last year. But thanks to an anonymous benefactor, it’s still operating under the direction of Suzanne LaFond and a team of volunteers. Storage space is limited; currently they only want donations of plus-sized ladies clothing — 14 and up — as well as shoes, handbags, umbrellas and hosiery. 298-4544. Another worthy organization that wants seasonal women’s clothes — particularly larger sizes, and black pants and white shirts for restaurant jobs, and coats of all sizes — is The Next Door, a residential program that helps women who are getting out of jail or prison get back on their feet. 251-8805.

Where can you donate prom dresses?

There are several choices. Camp Okawehna, an annual summer camp for children with chronic renal failure, loves to have the dresses (suits and tuxedos, too) for a formal night. They’ll even take dresses that need a little repair. 342-0445. Becca’s Closet is a national program that collects dresses and distributes them on an honor system to girls who need one. Locally, Grassland Middle School eighth-grader Mariel D’Andrea is collecting dresses this spring. Reach her or her mom, Jo Ann, at 790-7433 or at gownsforgirls@comcast.net.

Where can you find a list of where to pick your own fruits and vegetables?

Go to the http://www.picktnproducts.org/ Web site, where you'll find a fruit-by-fruit, county-by-county listing by clicking on ''Food & Beverage'' and then ''Produce.'' It's great. If you don't have a computer, call 837-5160 and ask.

How does someone get an event or a sale included in Ms. Cheap's column?

First of all, let me know in plenty of time — at least two weeks before your desired publication day — and make sure that whatever you're pitching is free or a really good deal.
And please include a daytime phone number so I can call you if I have questions. My e-mail address is mscheap@tennessean.com, or you may call me at 259-8282.How do I get in touch with the organization that provides the cheap boxes of food every month? It's Angel Food Ministries, and there are more than a dozen churches in our area that provide the $25 boxes of food (a mixture of frozen, fresh and refrigerated meats, vegetables and breads) one Saturday a month. There is no income requirement or any paperwork to be filed, and it's open to anyone who wants to get a lot of food for a good price. The way it works is that you call or go by and order your food early in the month and pay in advance. Then on the distribution day, you go and pick it up. It's quick, easy, and there's no tax on the food. For more information on getting the boxes or on becoming a host site, call 1-877-366-3646 or see http://www.angelfoodministries.com/.

Where can you buy wedding dresses and prom dresses without spending a fortune?

Your best bets are Second Time Around consignment shop at 235 E. Main St. in Hendersonville, 822-6961; The Perfect Dress at 216 W. Main in Murfreesboro, 494-3238. Thrift stores also are an option. You can find wonderful wedding and prom dresses if you shop often and have time to look.Is there a Web site that lists children's consignment sales? Yes, there are actually several: http://www.kidsconsignmentguide.com/ and http://www.kidsconsignmentsales.com/ are national sites that include Tennessee listings. There also are two new local sites, http://www.midtnconsignor.com/ and http://www.midtnconsignmentsales.com/, that list sales and consignment stores and provide other information on consigning.

Where can you get rid of old cell phones?

There are drop-off centers for your old cell phones at all of the Metro emission control inspection stations, which are collecting them for such things as domestic abuse programs. You even get a $5 15-minute phone card for your donation.

Where is it that you can buy clothes by the pound?

It's the Goodwill Outlet store at 905 Ninth Ave. N., and the clothes are $1.49 a pound. The merchandise is the stuff that has been in the regular Goodwill stores for five weeks, and this is the last hurrah for it. Items other than clothes and textiles sell at 75 percent off the price in the regular stores. It's what I call adventure shopping, because you really have to be willing to scavenge. 346-1600.

What restaurants offer a free meal on your birthday?

The ones I know of are Atlanta Bread Company on West End, Caney Fork Fish Camp on Music Valley Drive, Bistro 215 in Green Hills, Chef Yang's on White Bridge Road, and Blue Sky Buffet in Goodlettsville. All you have to do is show your ID to prove that it really is your birthday. Other restaurants that have birthday deals through their Web sites are Genghis Grill (http://www.genghisgrill.com/), Corky's (http://www.corkysbrentwood.com/) and Famous Dave's (http://www.famousdaves.com/). You also can sign up for a free ice cream cone at Baskin Robbins.And you might also check http://www.momadvice.com/, where there's a list of places that reward birthday customers. Let me know if you know of others.

Where can you get free dirt?

Woodlawn Memorial Gardens at 660 Thompson Lane has free dirt (think about it) that you can have when it's available. Just call 383-4754 and ask for the maintenance department to make arrangements. If they have time, they'll even load it for you.

Where is that lost luggage place that you've written about, and is it any good?

It's the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro, Ala., about 2½ hours southeast of Nashville. It's a huge place with lots of stuff, but readers who have been are mixed in their ratings — some think it's great, others say they were disappointed. Let me know what you think if you go. www. unclaimedbaggage.com.

Where can you get lower-cost dental services?

Your best bets are Tennessee State University Dental Hygiene Clinic, 963-5791, where they offer free screenings and $10 appointments for cleanings, and Meharry Dental Clinic, 1005 Dr. D.B. Todd Blvd., 327-6669, where they offer services such as fillings, dentures, crowns and bridges at about 30 percent to 50 percent below private practice rates. You should know that since most of the work is done by students, a seemingly simple procedure such as a cleaning can take as many as four appointments. And there might be additional fees for X-rays or other extras. The Interfaith Dental Clinic, 1721 Patterson St., 329-4790, provides services on a sliding scale for working, uninsured families.

Ms. Cheap do you have a list of all of the thrift stores in our area?

A: I’m not sure that my list includes every single one, but this is my best information, along with a few tidbits thrift newcomers should know before they strike out: Almost none of the thrift stores will give you a refund if you decide a return is in order. A few won't even make an exchange. Most stores don't charge sales tax on clothes, but the for-profit ones have to. Some stores won't take checks, and some aren't equipped to take credit cards. But every single one of 'em will take your cash. Some have bargain boosters such as frequent-shopper programs, senior discounts and regular half-price days. The point is, get to know the stores. Here's my store-by-store report, and if you know of others, please let me know at mscheap@tennessean.com so that I can check them out and add them to this list:• Goodwill is clearly the largest player in the local thrift world with 30 Middle Tennessee stores, including the giant outlet store downtown that sells clothes by the pound, and eight other Davidson County stores. All Goodwill stores have a monthly calendar (in English and Spanish) — showing special sales such as 99-cent days, storewide half-price days, etc., so you can plan your shopping accordingly. Also, look for the color tags marking current sales. Most merchandise stays in the stores about five weeks before being moved to the outlet. When you spend $20, you get a customer award card and a punch. Every $20 you spend gets you another punch, and when you get to $200, you get a free $20 shopping spree. There's also a discount on regularly priced merchandise of 10 percent every day and 20 percent on Wednesdays for seniors 60 and older and a 10 percent discount for active military and students. The stores (except the outlet) are open seven days a week. 742-4151 or http://www.goodwillmidten.org/. Suggestion: Lower the prices a little bit — particularly on clothes.• Salvation Army Family Stores, four large, well-established stores: 140 N. First St.; 2700 Nolensville Road; 6214 Charlotte; and 1014 Mercury Blvd. in Murfreesboro. One of the beauties of these stores is that all clothing is half-price on Wednesdays. Also look for color tags that are on sale when you shop and ask about special sales. The Charlotte store is open 10 a.m.-8 p.m., and the others are open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday. 259- 2348, ext. 1. Suggestion: Arrange the clothing according to size instead of color.• Southern Thrift, with three locations — 2701 Gallatin Road; 2710 Old Lebanon Road; and 5010 Charlotte — has lots of name brands and lots of baby things with prices starting at 69 cents. These are huge stores, and unlike most of their competitors, they are for-profit and therefore charge tax on clothes as well as other merchandise. The owner of the stores, B&R Salvage of Tennessee, buys its merchandise from the ARC of Nashville and the Fannie Battle Day Home, who collect donated goods. Shoppers rate these stores among their favorites for price and selection. The only real complaint is that a lot of stuff is displayed on the tops of clothing racks, which is fine for me since I'm tall, but for short people, it's a problem. Prices are good on furniture and medical equipment such as potty chairs, shower chairs and folding walkers. 242-7340. Suggestion: Don't use staples to tag clothing. They're hard to remove and leave marks.• ThriftSmart has two large, well-lit stores, one in Alexander Plaza on Highway 96 and one in Fairlane Square, 4890 Nolensville Road. The friendly checker at the Nolensville Road store described it as "the Dillard's of thrift.'' Be sure to get a Smart Shopper card that entitles you to 10 percent off every purchase. Plus, every time you shop, you earn a point, and when you get 10 points, you get a $10 shopping spree. You can earn up to $50 per quarter. There's a monthly calendar of sales and promotions, such as half-price days or category sales, and various color tags denote sales. ThriftSmart stores are open 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Merchandise typically stays in the stores for about a month. 833-8200. Suggestion: Need more of these stores.• This 'N That Thrift Shop at 5007 Georgia Ave. has great prices and is known particularly for its well-organized book section and pristine jewelry offerings. Tuesday is the best day to shop here, since restocking goes on primarily on Monday. The 35-year-old shop is run solely by volunteers, with proceeds going to St. Luke's Community House. Open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday. 292-4032. They even have a Web site - Just go to www.stlukescommunityhouse.org/thisnthat and see what’s on sale at the shop. Suggestion: Need more space.• New Life Thrift Store, 4802 Charlotte Ave. This store is chock full of goodies and has a vintage clothing section. There is occasionally a half-off-everything sale, and always colored tags signaling markdowns on certain items. Open 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday. 298-1855. Suggestion: Lower everyday prices and add better lighting.• Hendersonville Samaritan Association Thrift Shop, at 126 Commerce Drive, just off New Shackle Island Road in Hendersonville. This shop, which has been around for almost 30 years, has a board behind the register telling what's on sale each day. Senior Day is the first Thursday of every month, and seniors 60 and older can get 75 percent off most items. 824-5652. Suggestion: Lower everyday prices, particularly on clothes.• Family Thrift in Priest Lake Plaza at 2647 Murfreesboro Road (Murfreesboro Road at Bell Road). This almost year-old shop, operated by Safe Haven Family Shelter, is one of the smallest thrift shops around, but sometimes there are great finds. The prices are right — 50 cents up to $6 on most things, and there are often sales. Be sure to ask if there are specials, and sometimes there's merchandise in the back that you can look at. Open Tuesday-Saturday. 366-4040 Suggestion: Needs more merchandise.• Helping Hands Ministry, Peytonsville First Baptist Church at 4940 Harpeth Peytonsville Road in Thompson's Station. This 4,000-square-foot thrift store in the middle of nowhere (just off I-840) is definitely among the friendliest stores and has very good prices, plus free loaves of bread on the weekends. It's mostly clothes and household goods and a little furniture. Louise Westbrook and son Bobby Westbrook run it. There's a bag sale twice a year. Open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday, 1-5:30 p.m. Wednesday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday and Saturday. 794-9594. Suggestion: Better lighting, more furniture.• Graceworks, 104 Southeast Parkway just off Columbia Pike in Franklin, is a thrifter's delight. The volunteers keep this established store organized, and the merchandise is consistently some of the best around. It's open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, and there are specials every week on certain categories — one week it might be books, another it might be jackets. There's a big furniture sale 9 a.m.-4 p.m. every first Saturday and a toy sale the third weekend of every month. The Christmas room, which is all things Christmas, will be open Wednesday-Saturday between Nov. 3 and Dec. 2. 794 9055. Suggestion: Clone this one.• Our Thrift, 1018 Columbia Highway in Franklin, hires young people with disabilities. Colored tags denote sales, so check out the color of the day. Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, and all sales are final, except on electronics, which can be returned. 591-9612. Suggestions: Lower everyday prices.• Music City Thrift, 1150 Gallatin Road, is a for-profit store that sells items it buys from the AmVets organization. The super store — 30,000 square feet — is open 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 1-6 p.m. Sunday. A 30 percent off senior discount is available to people 55 and older every Tuesday. About 4,000 items of merchandise are brought out every day as workers continually restock the store. Colored tags denote sale items. 860-0267. Tuesday is senior day, with 30% off everything except TVs, for seniors, 55 and older. Suggestion: More locations.• The Shopping Bag, 1417 Charlotte, which benefits Bethlehem Center, has been around for 40 years, thanks largely to the hardworking volunteers from area United Methodist churches. The shop is a bit dated, but there's definitely good stuff to be found, and rock bottom prices. There's a half-price sale on everything in the store at the end of summer and the end of winter, followed by a bag sale ($1 for everything you can stuff in a bag) in March and September. Hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and 10 a.m.-2p.m. Saturday. 327-2074. Suggestion: Better lighting and more space.• Lions Thrift, in the front of Ed Lindsey Industries for the Blind, 4110 Charlotte Ave., looks like a small shop when you first enter, but don't miss the large back room. It's definitely a mess, but there's a lot of merchandise, including value-priced mops and brooms made by the blind workers. Every Friday, all clothing, shoes and purses are half off, and the clerks are willing to wheel and deal if you're buying a lot. Hours are 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. 297-0922. Suggestion: Needs better organization and lighting. Other thrift stores to check out:• The Hope Center Thrift Shop, at 1115 Highway 76 in White House, open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 672-0298.• The Cope Center, at 812 S. Main St. in Springfield, 384-1465. Open 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday.• All Things Possible, at 352 West Northfield Blvd., in Heritage Square in Murfreesboro. Open 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday. 849-1305.• The Dickson Co. Help Center Thrift Shop, 107 Myatt Drive, Dickson. Open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday. 441-0076.• Nearly New Shop at Blakemore United Methodist Church, 3601 West End Ave. Open 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. 297-6519.• Christian Cooperative Ministry, 201 Madison St. in Madison. Open 9 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Monday-Friday. 868-6865.• Outreach Thrift Shop in Jackson Heights Plaza, 810 N.W. Broad Street in Murfreesboro. Hours are 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 1-5 p.m. on Sunday. 849-8278.• The Bethesda Center, 124 S. Main St. in Ashland City. Great prices -- all adult clothes $2, all children's clothes $1, shoes $1, books 50 cents and $1. Operated by the Ministerial Alliance of Cheatham County. Open 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. 792-1389.• Gallatin CARES thrift shop, at 241 W. Eastland in Gallatin. Open 7:30 a.m.-3:15 p.m. Monday-Friday and 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Saturdays. 452-5732.• The ARC Thrift Store at 1694 Ft. Campbell Blvd. in Clarksville. This is a small store, but prices are great -- most clothing is 50 cents-$2, and shoes and purses are 99 cents. Hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Thursday and Saturday. 931-905-0900.• Josephine's Closet at the back of the Hope Pregnancy Center shop, at 325 N. Second St. in Clarksville, carries gently used infant-size 12 clothing. 931-645-2273. • Smith County Help Center's Second Edition Thrift Store at 318 Main St. My kind of place for sure -- extremely well organized and dirt cheap, as in jeans and slacks are $1, books 25-50 cents, blazers and coats $3. The store takes donations from individuals and then uses the income from the store to help the needy with utilities, food and emergency situations. . Don't miss going downstairs where clothes from the previous season are half price. Closed Wednesdays and Sundays. 615-735-8090.• Smith County Help Center's Second Edition Thrift Store at 318 Main St. My kind of place for sure — extremely well organized and dirt cheap, as in jeans and slacks are $1, books 25-50 cents, blazers and coats $3. The store takes donations from individuals and then uses the income from the store to help the needy with utilities, food and emergency situations. Don't miss going downstairs where clothes from the previous season are half price. Closed Wednesdays and Sundays. 615-735-8090.

Dear Ms. Cheap, do you have a list of consignment furniture and home furnishing stores in our area, where we can buy and sell great stuff?

You are in luck there are a number of these stores in our area. Most have a wish list where you can write down what you’re looking for and they’ll call if it comes in. Many will negotiate on prices and a few offer free delivery and pickup services. Here are some details on them.Finders Keepers’ two well-merchandised stores — in the Cool Springs area and inside Bellevue Center mall — have everything from new and used upholstered items and dining room and kitchen sets to antiques and knick-knacks, from $3 candlesticks to $1,500 for a table and chairs. Prices are about half of retail, and the tag system is easy to follow (there are signs throughout the store): One color is full price, another is 25 percent off, another 50 percent off and another 75 percent off. Orange tags denote either new items or items that the store owns, as opposed to consignment, and they don’t generally get the monthly markdowns.For the best deals, go on the first day of the month, when the markdowns are taken. That discount is preceded by five days of 10 percent off, so you just have to decide whether you are willing to gamble to get the better price.Finders Keepers has a $60 delivery charge for locations within a reasonable drive.If you want to sell, the split is 50/50 and they don’t take crystal, silver or china, They offer free pickup of furniture and will ome out and evaluate what you have and tell you what they think they could get for it.Hours: 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Monday–Saturday and 12:30–6 p.m. Sundays. Bellevue store, 646-0022; Cool Springs, 333-9801. S & E Consignment Furniture, 710 Memorial Blvd. in Murfreesboro, is a 10,000-square-foot store that used to be a Finders Keepers. It’s run almost identically to Finders Keepers, with markdowns made in 25 percent increments the first of every month.New items are marked with solid white tags, and consignment items have colored tags. Store owner Rick Parsons says his store is “picky’’ about what it will take. Delivery costs $35 in the Murfreesboro area.If you want to sell, the split is 50/50 and they offer free pickup. They don’t accept china, silver or gift items. They offer free pickup and an evaluator will come out and look at your item,s and tell you what they think they will sell for.Hours: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Monday–Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sundays. 895-5095.Clearing House Consignment Interiors, 5133 Harding Road in Belle Meade Galleria, has been around since 1987 and always has a store full of interesting pieces ranging from $5 picture frames to $3,000 dining tables.The 5,000-square-foot store is open for about three months at a time. This spring season runs March 6 into June.Opening day is great for selection, but the season’s end is bargain time, with markdowns of 10 percent-30 percent taken during the last two weeks. There’s even a day at the end of each season when the owners entertain shoppers’ offers. If you want to sell, the split is 50/50 and you are responsible for getting your item to them. You can send pictures to them to see if theyc an take your items. The store has a mailing list of 12,000 shoppers.Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday. 352-9451. Estelle’s, 601 Eighth Ave. S., is always a fun place to shop. Owner Sandra Estelle Larson (and her two cats, Seymour Deals and Jingles) are very accommodating and friendly. The store has an interesting mix of antiques, collectibles and a few distressed items — ideal for someone with a little creativity and elbow grease. Estelle has a flair for display and always has a 50 percent area. The higher-end items tend to be in the front of the store. If you want to sell, the split is 55 percent to the seller and 45 percent to the store. If you have things to sell. Estell ewill come out or you can bring them, in. She offers free pickup and delivery of things that will fit in her van. Open: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. 259-2630. Stock Market, 265 White Bridge Road, specializes in high-end consigned items but has some things for as little as $3. You’ll find everything from china, silver and rugs to antiques and art. There’s no particular schedule for markdowns, but owner Amy Harvey and her mother, Shirley Harvey, watch merchandise closely, regularly marking things down. Look upstairs, where there are more big pieces. Harvey’s split is 60 percent to consignors and 40 to the store. If you have things to consign, either call and schedule a time to take them to the store, or get an e-mail address to send pictures to. Stock Market does not offer pickup but has a list of people who offer that service. Hours: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday. 352-1717.The Treasure Chest, 1015 S. Water Ave. in Gallatin. This 7,000-square-foot store is truly a treasure hunt. Owner Joyce Webb has lots of consignors, but she also searches barns, attics and basements in Sumner County and beyond for items to sell. Buyers like the variety and low prices. It’s hard to pinpoint the best time to shop because Joyce makes markdowns as the mood strikes. And it never hurts to ask whether she’ll take a little less.The store has everything from nice antiques and name-brand furniture such as Cresent and Duncan Phyfe to lower-end knick-knacks and collectibles. Oh, and she will sometimes let you look in her storage area, if you ask her really nicely. Delivery service is available for $25-$65 in the Sumner County area.Most of the merchandise is consigned, but Webb’s formula is a bit different. Instead of having a fixed split, the consignor tells her how much they need to get out of a piece, and then she prices it enough above that to give herself a cut, too.Most months, she sends out about 175 checks to consignors. In some cases, she buys items outright, but the seller will usually get less that way than they would if they consigned. If you want her to sell your stuff, you can either bring it to her or ask her to come take a look. If she thinks she can sell it and the price is amenable to both sides, a deal is struck. If you need a pickup, it will be anywhere from $25-$60 depending on where you live and how much stuff you have. Hours: 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Monday–Friday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. 230-6305.FunTiques, 118 S. Maple St. in Murfreesboro, is open the first full weekend — Thursday to Saturday — of each month, and the best selection is when they open. This 5-year-old shop is only 1,700 square feet, but it is full of furniture and home accessories at very reasonable prices. Hours: 9 a.m.–1 p.m. on the sales weekend or by appointment. Markdowns are taken after items have been in the store for two months. Get on the e-mail list to be reminded of sales and specials.If you have items to sell, either make an appointment with owner Dawn Eaton to bring them by or shoot a picture and e-mail it to funtiques@comcast.net for her consideration. The split is 48 percent to the consignor and 52 percent to the shop. Checks are mailed once a month, and most months owner Dawn cuts 75-100 checks. The shop does not accept exercise equipment, sofas or appliances. It doesn’t offer pickup service. http://www.funtiquesconsignment.com/ or 867-2896.Decorators Den at Mallory Station, 600 Church St. in Brentwood. This consignment operation in the Mallory Station Storage complex started out as a service to storage unit renters who needed to get rid of things. It once sprawled through more than a dozen storage units and into an 800-square-foot showroom in the center. Nowadays it is just the 800 square feet, evenly split between green-tagged new items and white-tagged consigned items. Two more consignment locations — 1,900 square feet each — are in the works: 6346 Nolensville Road set to open in spring; and Bakers Bridge Road near CoolSprings Galleria, opening this summer. Markdowns are fairly random and new merchandise is added as it comes in, so check often. Plus there’s free popcorn for shoppers and desserts on Friday.The split is 50/50 between consignor and store, unless you have a storage unit, then you get 60 percent of the selling price.They do not want sleeper sofas or anything they have to assemble, and they do not generally offer pickup services but will occasionally accommodate a consignor. The best bet is to call and describe what you have or e-mail them a picture of your items to see if they’re interested. Consignment coordinator Jill Vaughn will sometimes make a house call to evaluate pieces Open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sundays. 377-1299. Classic Consignment, 2009 Belmont Blvd. Owners Connie Sinclair and John Barrett specialize in vintage and contemporary furniture. It’s a two-story house with great architectural items as well as vintage jewelry and recycled and salvage items like lamps made from antique coffee pots.There is a 50/50 split with consignors. If you want to consign, either call or e-mail them. Hours are 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday. 383-4321. The Cottage at Bellevue, 162 Belle Forest Circle in Bellevue, which just opened this week, has some consignment furniture, art and glassware as well as antiques, baby items and gifts. New items are added frequently, and there’s no structured time for markdowns. There is a bid box where you can make an offer on certain items. About 20 percent of the store is consignment furniture, art, crystal, silver, etc The split is 65 percent to the consignor and 35 percent to the shop. If you have items to sell, call owner Berenice Denton to see if she has room. There is pickup service for a fee. Hours are 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Saturday. 673-0420.