Still thinking the Trail Blazers are going to call any minute now? Have leftover sporting equipment from your glory days just lying around collecting dust? If either of these scenarios describes you, it might be time to part ways with your equipment. Maybe even put a little cash in your pocket!
If you love it, let it go
Still thinking the Trail Blazers are going to call any minute now? Have leftover sporting equipment from your glory days just lying around collecting dust? If either of these scenarios describes you, it might be time to part ways with your equipment. Maybe even put a little cash in your pocket!
Assuming that you’re beginning to see the light, your next question will inevitably be: Where do I go? Well have no fear—here are a few ideas of where to take your equipment.
To start, let’s be honest. As much as we want to donate our old stuff for a higher purpose, if we can make a little money, most of us will choose the more profitable route. That’s why Play It Again Sports and Deek and Brian’s Next Adventure are excellent choices for those who could use a little extra money in their pockets.
If you’ve got stuff that is either new or only gently used and you’re looking to put some cold, hard cash in your wallet, both of these places can help. Each give fair prices on used equipment and have large varieties of new and used sporting goods for sale as well, should you get your athletic second wind.
Taking a line from the great Randy Moss, both Play It Again and Deek and Brian’s will line your pockets with “straight cash, homie!”
Two other great options to check out are either Craigslist or eBay. Both can net the same amount of cash as the previous two, but without the time spent having to haggle with the salesperson.
For those of you who have a higher calling for your used stuff than pure economics (or it’s not worth much anyway), there are a multitude of places where you can donate your sporting equipment.
The Freecycle Network and Sports Gift are two online options for the Web-obsessed. The Freecycle Network focuses on the environment and keeping your dusty sporting equipment out of a landfill. Sports Gift is a program that takes your used sports stuff and donates it to underprivileged children all over the world. Both are great choices and will leave you with the satisfaction of knowing you helped someone else live out their sporty dreams.
Other lesser known yet local options are YMCA or Boys and Girls Club of America. With five YMCA locations and nine Boys and Girls Club locations in the Portland metropolitan area, you’re bound to find a child who could have fun with your equipment. However, calling ahead would be wise to make sure there is a need.
Just in case none of these options sound appealing to you—or your stuff is in really bad shape—you can always find one of your many local Goodwill locations and donate your stuff there. They are happy to take any belongings you have, no matter the condition.
Now that you have a place to take all that old sporting equipment, you can finally start focusing on what’s really important: figuring out how you can pay me back for getting you all that green.
Play It Again Sports
playitagainsports.com
10355 N.E. Halsey St.
503-254-4993
Deek and Brian’s Next Adventure
nextadventure.net
426 S.E. Grand Ave.
503-233-0706
Craigslist
portland.craigslist.org
eBay
www.ebay.com
Do some good
The Freecycle Network
www.freecycle.org
Sports Gift
www.sportsgift.org
YMCA
www.ymca-portland.org
9500 S.W. Barbur Blvd., Ste. 200
503-223-9622
or
6036 S.E. Foster Rd.
