Written by: John Stephen

Question: What do old wedding dresses, vintage records and a painting of Captain Jack Sparrow all have in common? Answer: They all can be found at Salvage thrift shop, among an enormous treasure trove of other items.

Located at 612 Baytree Rd., Salvage may seem normal enough on the outside with its pleasant brick façade and red door and cracked concrete driveway.

But look around back and you’ll begin to see the place’s true character, evidenced by a lawn adorned with picturesque fountains and statues, intriguing trinkets and toys, and even a sign of a horse telling you where to park.

Step inside and take in the many rooms bursting with merchandise−merchandise that you won’t find anywhere else.

Vintage clothes, hats, shoes and sunglasses, rusted signs and quirky pictures, fun costumes, jewelry of all kinds, 8-track tapes, The Hardy Boys mystery books, comics and classic Disney cartoons−just to name a few things.

One could spend weeks looking through all that Salvage has to offer.

In the midst of the many display tables, racks and shelves, you’ll find Dawn Rocheleau, the woman who opened Salvage in 2012.

Rocheleau, an avid collector, said she created Salvage in order to share her unique and unusual findings with other people at affordable prices.

“We try to have something different for everyone−all different age groups and styles,” Rocheleau said.

Salvage is generous toward VSU students, offering a 10 percent discount and even a referral program that allows students to accumulate store credit.

Kenysha Thompson, a 26-year-old graduate student studying social work, has visited Salvage several times and plans to continue doing so because of its diverse and affordable vintage selection.

“(Salvage) is a hidden gem,” Thompson said. “They have so many different items; it’s like a little treasure box.”

Rocheleau also said she wants to implement DIY workshops at Salvage as well as yard sales that will allow students to sell their own belongings.

Salvage is currently open Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Call 229-460-7276 to contact the thrift shop, the place where, as their motto says, they are “making old things new again.”