My Go-To Thrift Stores

Thrifting

May 14

Not all thrift stores are created equal and that is okay. They all offer something different to their area and serve their own customer base.

In our local area in and around Charlotte, NC, my go-to thrift stores are:

Salvation Army Family Store

There are 3 locations in and near Charlotte. I love that they offer sales and discounts daily in addition to 50% off on clothes/shoes/accessories on Wednesdays and Saturdays. They also will have a storewide sale roughly once a month which is a great time to score deals on furniture and home decor!

Goodwill

The best part about Goodwill is their hours. While most thrift stores close up early, you can bet on Goodwill staying open until 8p (sometimes later).

Goodwill & Salvation Army both operate on a similar model. Donations are accepted at their stores, while some items go directly into that store, most of donations are packed up and shipped to their distribution center. From there, they are sorted and redistributed based on size of store and availability of space.

Just because a Goodwill isn’t in “the fancy part of town” doesn’t mean it won’t have name brands and quality items. I’ve found Burberry in Matthews and Barbour in Gastonia. In fact, I prefer the stores that are off the beaten path!

My interest in Habitat ReStore and Value Village has waned over the years. Not for any particular reason but I just don’t find myself venturing there as often as I do the previous two. If you are a ReStore person, then I recommend the Habitat ReStore located in Lenoir NC. Worth a day trip!

Honorable Mentions:

Hospice Thrift (Shelby, NC & Hickory, NC)
Pawsibilities (Fort Mill, SC)
Bargain Hunters (Mt. Holly, NC): Their pricing is all over the map but I have found many a good deal in that store.

The tip to finding deals and items is time. Budget a few hours per store and you can score some deals!

What is your go-to thrift store?