Thaddeus got an early start on his love of old and often overlooked things "When we were at the Farm we would go to auctions in New Jersey, Van Pelt's Auctions.   I was sort of a noticeable kid, I suspect because I was wearing knee socks and shorts and a St. Bernard's cap, which didn't exactly fit into Hunterdon County.   We went there often enough that when Mr. Van Pelt couldn't get any bids he would look at me and said 'Give me a nickel'.   That's where I bought my Ediphone for 50 cents and also a hand-pumped vacuum cleaner. That was a little different product line from when we would go bopping around years later in central Florida."

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After they moved to Florida Polly and Thaddeus started spending many Sunday afternoons "bopping around", looking through Winter Park antique stores and junk stores, particularly after they moved into the house on College Point,  but even while they were still on Lakewood Drive.  Polly says "It was joy time because there were a lot of people who had come down to Florida with things and then  died or got rid of them and the things ended up--inexpensively--in stores.  Even if you don't buy anything you get this sort of joy of the hunt.  And we like things that not everyone one would like."