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(MAPQUEST) Largest Thrift Stores

Goodwill Industries, Thrift Store Shopping, Thrift Stores

With everyone hurting from the recession, it seems like more and more people are discovering the joys of thrift store shopping. Thrift stores run the gamut from large stores that are the thrifty equivalents of retail chains to tiny hole-in-the-wall places with rock-bottom prices and a truly random selection of things you’d just as likely find in your grandma’s attic. Sometimes the hardest part about thrift store shopping is finding stores in your area! Whether you are new to thrift store shopping or just want to learn about the largest U.S. thrift stores, read on for some tips on finding the best thrift stores in your area.

Goodwill Industries

One of the largest thrift stores in the United States, Goodwill Industries operates hundreds of thrift stores across the country. Find the one closest to you using the Goodwill Store Locator. It’s hard to say which specific Goodwill store is the largest, but the Seattle Goodwill has to be the best. It’s well organized and has lots of special sale days and plenty of parking. Still, if you want a real thrifty thrill, check out the 16,000-square-foot Goodwill Outlet. Soft goods (like clothes and linens) sell by the pound, and other items are as cheap as they get.

St. Vincent de Paul

St. Vincent de Paul thrift stores are staffed by church volunteers and can be found around the country (though Rhode Island, sadly, has none). Because the staff works for free, the prices are cheaper than many other thrift stores that have a larger overhead. The quality of merchandise varies significantly from one location to another, and new items are added daily, so be sure to check out a few stores in your area in order to find the best one for you. One of the best St. Vincent de Paul thrift stores in is Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Find your local store by using the St. Vincent de Paul Store Locator.

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Salvation Army

The name sounds scary, but you don’t have to be afraid of high prices when you shop at your local “Sally.” With everything from quality clothing, shoes and purses, to books, kitchen goods and furniture, you’ll find everything you need except food. You’ll find Salvation Army stores in just about every state, but for a real thrill, check out the stores in ritzy locations throughout the U.S. Why not see what the Hollywood or Manhattan Salvation Army stores have to offer? Find the store closest to you or your dream travel destination using the Salvation Army Store Locator.

Deseret Industries

Make sure to visit Deseret Industries when you are in the western part of the U.S. Yes, you will find a lot of stuff old ladies wear to church, but everything is clean and well-organized. The author purchased a “Bling Bling” T-shirt with a picture of Gary Coleman on it at a Salt Lake City Deseret Industries store for $1. Visit the Deseret Store Hours and Locations page to find one of the 45 locations in seven states closest to you.

ARC Thrift Stores
The Metropoltian ARC was founded in 1963, and opened its first thrift store in 1986. Since its debut, ARC has made amazing contributions to the state of Colorado. They have 19 stores throughout the Denver-Metro area, Greeley, Fort Collins, Pueblo, Colorado Springs and Loveland. They are also a leader in education and equal opportunity employment, as they are one of largest employers for the developmentally disabled. ARC employs more than 800 people! ARC takes everything from vehicle donations to purses to clothes! Whether you are donating or buying, your money is going right to the ARC fund, which helps developmentally disbaled families in Colorado.

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More Information

Looking for less “corporate” thrift stores in the U.S.? Use MapQuest’s search function to find the thrift shops closest to you. You won’t necessarily find every discount emporium in town, unless you search for different terms like “consignment store,” “thrift store,” “resale shop,” etc., and some places might be out of commission. Call before you go, and ask the clerks and other customers for their tips for other thrift stores in town.

You also might want to check out “Dirt Cheap, Real Good: A Highway Guide to Thrift Stores in the Washington, D.C., Area” (2004) by Chriss Slevin and Leah Smith. The book’s a little dated now, but many of the largest thrift stores are still in operation. Again, call before you make a trip, especially since many thrift stores have unusual hours.

Sources

1. http://www.goodwill.org2. http://www.seattlegoodwill.org/shop/stores/seattle3. http://www.nwsource.com/ae/scr/edb_vd.cfm?c=s&ven;=26726&s;=nws
4.http://www.svdpusa.org/AboutUs/FindaThriftStore/tabid/174/language/en-US/Default.aspx
5. http://www.satruck.org/
6. http://www.providentliving.org/content/display/0,11666,8064-1-4425-1,00.html
7. http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?country=US&countryid;=250&addtohistory;=&searchtab;=searchcat&searchtype;=search&cat;=Thrift+shops&address;=&city;=Dallas&state;=TX&zipcode;=&search;=++Search++&finditform;=1#a/search/l:::Providence:RI::US:41.823898:-71.4133:city:Providence+County:1/m::6:41.709292:-71.287354:0:::::1:1:1::/so:Thrift+Shops:::r::25:::::/e
8. http://www.thriftstoreusa.biz/top9thriftstores.htm