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Internet loses it over man's 31-year-old Kmart find in vacant house

A South Australian man has shared a fascinating find while cleaning a vacant house in Mount Gambier.

Ryan Philby was shocked to discover a Kmart receipt from 1990 while wiping down furniture.

The receipt on brown paper is dated 7/12/90 in black pen at the top and gives a fascinating insight into 1990s prices and shopping habits.

A photo of an old Kmart receipt from 1990. Source: Facebook
An old Kmart receipt from 1990 has been found stuck beind a clock in a vacant house. Source: Facebook

It lists cigarettes for $18.60 and a pair of prescription glasses for $44.98.

The customer paid $80 in cash, receiving $16.42 in change.

At the bottom, it still clearly states: “Please retain this receipt for refund or exchange purposes” - which the mystery shopper clearly followed.

Mr Philby, 22, told Yahoo News he was conducting a pre-clean before new tenants moved into the property and found it stuck to the back of a clock.

“I found it so interesting,” he said.

“My initial thought was, 'oh my god Kmart sold cigarettes', and was just amazed with how well preserved it was, especially being over 30 years old.”

Mr Philby said he decided to leave the receipt where he found it.

"I felt that it wouldn't be the right thing by taking it, especially if someone was to came back and ask what happened to it."

A photo of Ryan Philby who discovered the old receipt. Source: Supplied
Ryan Philby, 22, came across the old receipt while cleaning a property before new tenants moved in. Source: Supplied

Shoppers sent into frenzy over old find

As a Kmart shopper himself, he posted a picture of the receipt to a private Facebook group dedicated to homes inspired by the popular mega-discount chain.

“31 year old receipt found,” he wrote.

The post sparked intrigue and nostalgia about what shopping was like three decades ago.

“Wow, I thought Kmart only arrived like 10 years ago,” one woman commented.

Screenshots from a Facebook post about the old receipt and some comments in response. Source: Facebook
The post was inundated with hundreds of comments as Facebook users discussed the unusual discovery. Source: Facebook

Some were surprised at the shopping list.

“Smokes from Kmart wow,” wrote one person.

“Cheap as too,” another replied.

“Now the frames would be cheaper than the smokes haha,” someone joked.

It was a trip down memory lane for others.

“Ahhh back in the day when you could get smokes and prescription glasses from Kmart. Feeling nostalgic looking at this,” one woman wrote.

“My mum always got her smokes from Kmart,” remembered another.

“I remember Big W selling them at one point too,” added someone else.

“U really could buy everything in one shop,” one woman reminisced.

A shoppers leaves a Kmart store in Sydney on Thursday, Oct. 22, 2015. Source: AAP
Some younger Kmart shoppers were shocked the popular discount mega-chain used to sell cigarettes. Source: AAP

Some were shocked at the state of the receipt after 31 years.

“Receipt has lasted longer than most Kmart products ever would,” one person said.

One man questioned whether they could “still get a refund?” while another urged Mr Philby to “frame it”.

For some, the bewildering discovery came as a reality check.

“Is anyone else a bit upset that the 90’s were now 30 years ago?!?,” one person wrote.

Another said: “I’m still just dumbfounded that 1990 was 31 years ago. Still feels like 10 years ago.”

“I'm just traumatised from this because the 90s were 30 years ago.”

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