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Friday, February 18, 2011

Ranking the Thrift Stores

Finding a great deal at a thrift store is like finding a needle in a haystack. The adventure is in the hunt. I try to stop by a thrift store only when I’m driving past. I don’t hit the same store more than once a week, and usually take longer between visits. Since I’m mainly just traveling between home and work, the stores in Roswell and Norcross get the most hits. Outliers may only get visited a few times a year, or less.

I try to go in, make a quick loop through the store to see what stands out, and get out in five minutes…ten max. So far this year I’ve done a good job staying away.

Here are the main stores in my neck of the woods…

America’s Thrift Store…not as good as the mother ship in Alabama.

Duluth Goodwill…not great. Found the $300 Padres jersey there.

Duluth Park Ave…not great.

Duluth Salvation Army…just ok. Found $40 of pottery for $2.

Dunwoody Goodwill…good stuff. Don’t get over there much.

Just People in Roswell…small & lousy.

Roswell Atl Union Mission…not great, but cheap.

Roswell Goodwill…good stuff, especially shoes.

Roswell Park Ave…just ok. Big store.

Roswell Value Village…may be best all around.

Johns Creek Goodwill…recently opened.

Marietta Atl Union Mission…found a Mickey Mantle mitt for $2.

Marietta Goodwill…not great.

Marietta Value Village…missed on a new Callaway golf bag & Bonds jersey.

Norcross Goodwill…good stuff. New Dodgers jersey, golf clubs & bags.

N Fulton Community Ministries…not great

Peachtree Corners…lousy.

Sandy Springs Goodwill…good stuff. Twins & Braves jerseys, Grant Field photo.

Woodstock Goodwill…not great

Woodstock Park Ave…just ok.

2 comments:

  1. The Goodwill in Dunwoody is a RIP OFF. I tried to find some " color of the week " tags on clothing items and did NOT find one single 'sale' tag. I am not exaggerating either. I asked several employees why I couldn't find any sale tags. I was given several responses. The most interesting being " we change the tags all the time" . I took photographs and offered said photos to the Goodwill industries head office. Someone from Goodwill responded with an email that had ZERO to do with my original inquiry. I still check the Goodwill stores from time to time. The absurd price increases and lack of sale items leads me to believe that the Goodwill is taking advantage of their thrift store status. I don't buy from goodwill nor do I donate to goodwill anymore.

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  2. Thanks for the comment, Michelle. I know exactly what you mean! It's not just Goodwill...I see the same problem at other thrift stores, like Value Village. Yesterday the Atlanta Union mission store in Roswell had a "fill a bag for $3" sale...but it was only white tagged clothes. And the bags were tiny!

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