Thread: How are the thrift stores where you live?

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The pricers at most of the stores around here are on crack -- many things are priced at close to retail, and the things that aren't are still priced awfully high. The only way to shop at the Salvation Army stores is to look for whatever color tag is half off that day. Otherwise, it's just insane.

No store EVER has formal wear on sale. I saw one hideous, old-fashioned wedding dress for $99! There are some non-SA shops that aren't quite as bad, but they're sporadic at best.

I did manage to fine one Halloween-usable thing yesterday, and for half off, so it wasn't too bad: a tombstone cookie mold for $1.99 (reg. $3.99).

I totally agree. There are a couple in my area that think they're selling brand new products. I have been able to find some useful things there at decent prices though.

Melissa, Its ironic you posted this thread because I was just telling one of my friends that I thought the Goodwill and Salvation army stores have lost their minds. You are right, the prices there have gone way up. I will tell you I find the best prices not at the Goodwill stores but at the little mom and pop thrift stores. I found a great all lace victorian wedding dress at a mom and pop thrift store for $20 dollars, a very similar one in the Goodwill store sold for $105. So maybe start looking around in your neighborhood for those types of stores you might do better.

There is one "chain" that might be more reasonable; sadly, I used to work for the charity and believe in my heart that they're corrupt, so I won't step foot inside. We don't have any mom & pop style thrift stores. There are a few resale shops, but they're in or near snootier areas, and their prices are nuts as well.

The St. Vincent dePaul and Value World shops are better, but they don't have sales based on the tag color. I don't think any of them allow for discounts on formal wear, coats, etc.

There is one SA that is more nuts than any other. I don't even bother driving over there now, after seeing the ridiculous prices!

At the same time, they all crack me up b/c of what weird crap they put in their "collectibles" section. Those are in the front, with orange tags, and NEVER go on sale. But they pick the strangest things!

ah, come to Canada...in specific, London Ontario...where thrift stores HAVE to keep the prices at a not bad level because there are SO MANY...we have the 2nd highest unemployment level in the province tied with Oshawa...second only to Windsor...the free trade deal hit us really hard...we have Salvation Army (lots), Goodwill (lots and lots), Talize, and Valu Village (2).
Now Valu Village gets their halloween geer in every year (Its' coming in September) specific for the season, and ITS retail, but the college kids who stop off by the bus load don't care after they get that white shirt or checked pair of pants.
Dollarama has also already cleared out an aisle, their stuff is coming in next week..

There way over priced down here. The only cheap stuff is stuff that needs a ton of work done to it. So really no good deals.

I did go into an indoor flea-market a few days ago, they had a huge stuffed animal witch probably close to 5ft tall that was in good shape only $8.50 I might go back for it.

I used to have a little side business, putting together "feast gear" packages* and selling them on eBay. I had a pretty serious route of thrift stores. Some of the ones out of this county are more reasonable, but since I'm not reselling anymore, I can't do that kind of driving! This is, supposedly, the county with the highest cost of living in the state, and it's high up on the list for the country, too. It doesn't mean that everyone here can afford all this! (We're looking to move out of the county.) I've been told that many of the people who price for the stores are well-to-do volunteers. If that's true, they have no idea what it's like out here in the real world. That's while you'll find things that were FREE priced at $2-$3. There's one SA nearby that is more reasonable, but it's in a really bad part of town and I won't go there alone. My husband doesn't like to go there!

I had a friend who did most of her thrifting outside of this county and she was always finding great deals.

Even with the stupid prices, yes -- there are cool finds to be had.

*For Renaissance and SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) folks to use at their feasts.

I already mentioned the $99 wedding dress. What ticks me off about that is that I just got married 3 years ago, and my NEW wedding dress cost $99. True, I got an abandoned layaway, but $99 for a 30+-year-old, yellowed dress is bananas.

Other examples: One store had 3 ratty old wigs: $12.99 each.

My local goodwill store isn't too terrible. The prices are decent for small things, and we found lots of odd bottles and such for under $2. I picked up white sheets for draping over our furniture for $4, and a huge curtain sheer that I cut up to cover 2 long windows and a sliding glass door area for under $4 last year.

I haven't really checked the clothing pricing, but it's probably okay.

I think some of the local thrift/consignment stores in my area do get a little deluded about pricing certain items - this stuff is really used, and shows it, and they should be priced cheap!

There area ton of them around the Northern Virginia area. I am not sure on prices as I used to have my sis get me items cheaper as she worked in one of them =)