BEST PLACE TO FIND A BARGAIN

Land of Lincoln Goodwill

2001 W. Wabash Ave.

815 N. 11th St.

2531 North Dirksen Parkway

75 W. Plummer Blvd., Chatham

789-0400

Ron Kanoski, the personal injury lawyer who urges television viewers to give him a call so he can help, has good taste. We know, because we have his raincoat. It’s a Burberry trench, way nicer than struggling journalists should be able to afford. We found it at Goodwill, complete with the receipt from a bar tab in the pocket. Kanoski’s apparent weight loss – he looks much better in TV commercials than we do in real life – was our gain. At less than 10 bucks, the coat was the kind of deal that keeps bargain hunters coming back to Goodwill, which recently opened a boutique shop in Chatham, right next door to the regular store. With prices at the boutique starting at $9.99 for a single item, we feared the end of a good thing, but a visit to the regular Chatham store on opening day of the boutique was reassuring. We found a wool peacoat by Mackintosh, a pair of trousers by Corneliani and two Scottish tartan ties, apparently never worn, by Edinburgh Woolen Mills. Out the door for $9.93. At prices like these, friends don’t let friends wear polyester.

Runner-up: T.J. Maxx