Consignment stores, thrift shops and antique stores are often filled with treasures to award photographers on a walkabout. Most of these places don't have a problem with photographers. If they do, you will find out shortly after taking a couple of pictures using flash, or whenever they happen to notice you if you are not calling attention to yourself by blasting the place with a really bright light while wandering about the store.

The lighting can even work in your favor. Many of these places are not well lit, and you want to minimize your use of a flash, so large apertures are called for. These will give you the added benefit of a limited depth of field, helping to isolate the subject from the frequently cluttered background.

I'm not sure I understand the latest fad for "distressed" furniture, but this place was filled with it. It sort of looks like artificially worn-out furniture to me, and it reminds me of new jeans that are sold with holes worn in them and the denim pre-faded. You actually have to pay extra for the holes. Why would anyone pay extra for jeans with pre-installed holes?

A lot of what you might find may be just junk, but occasionally you'll come across a treasure making the trip worthwhile.