ToniOnThrifting

ToniOnThrifting – Thrift Shopping Made Simple

Tag: thrift store tips

When this is all over, there will be a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow (or two) for thrifters. — May 1, 2020

When this is all over, there will be a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow (or two) for thrifters.

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I hope that this finds everyone safe and well during this unprecedented time in our lives.

I think there is a pot of gold (or two or three or more) waiting for us thrifters when the thrift shops start opening up again. But caution and patience will be the key.

Everyone has been home for weeks now and most of us have been cleaning out our drawers, closets, attics, storage and more. The trunk of my car has at least eight shopping bags waiting to be dropped off plus lots of home decor. I think the abundance of donations is going to be amazing and there will some outstanding scores for all of us thrifters. But you must exercise caution and patience when you do start thrift shopping again.

Depending on your level of comfort will decide when you start visiting thrift shops after they reopen your area to businesses. I personally will wait a couple of weeks before I start shopping. But I will arm myself with large plastic bags to put the clothes in before they go in my car. It would also be a good idea to spray with disinfectant before you put the items in your car (depending on the fabrics of course). You must also make sure that everything is washed as soon as possible. Better to be safe than sorry.

Let’s be positive, there will be deals to be had so make sure you have your comfortable thrift shopping clothes on! It will be the best thrifting that we have seen in years. Depending on the amounts of donations, this windfall could last a few months.

I think that thrifting is going to surge as the economy may be rough for a while. People have lost their jobs and have to clothes themselves, their partners and children. I believe that people will be more open to thrifting than in the past. And we all know, once you step in the thrift shop, it can be love at first sight —- and you just keep going back. The thrill of the exceptional find.

People are also more earth conscious as well and I hope that that makes a difference. As it stands, 84 percent of all unwanted clothes end up in landfills, according to Newsweek.

Pricing may be different when the stores open depending on the thrift store or charity and the amount of donations they have in stock.

I am finding that some thrift stores use comparable pricing to EBay while other shops price to empty the shelves/racks. Either way; you are helping some GREAT charities and small business owners not to mention helping the planet by not having clothes end up in landfills. It is a win-win.

I wish you happy and exciting thrift shop adventures when the stores reopen. Stay well and healthy and make sure you practice social distancing.

Look for the rainbows and the pots of gold, I promise, they will be there waiting for you.

Toni from TonionThrifting

P.S. Thanks Alice for the great pictures of the double rainbow! xoxo

One Of Brooklyn’s Best – Life Boutique Thrift — June 13, 2016

One Of Brooklyn’s Best – Life Boutique Thrift

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There is just so much to love about Life Boutique Thrift on 5th Ave in Brooklyn. The best thing being that this shop donates all profits to Chai Lifeline, an organization that provides services for Jewish children and teens with life-threatening illnesses. They also take care of the family with support programs, counseling, and educational services. Their Camp Simcha benefits 400 seriously ill children each year providing them with an extraordinary camp experience which include talent shows, concerts, and helicopter, hot-air, and motorcycle rides. What a wonderful organization. Please note that they do accept hair donations. Check out the website for further information. http://www.chailifeline.org/program/hair – Kudos!!

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Life Boutique Thrift is one of the best thrift shops I have ever set foot in for a variety of reasons. One is that it has an astonishing vintage selection. They have some really great vintage pieces and a wide variety as well. I am sure it changes weekly because their selections must fly off the racks. They have good quality pieces and the clothes that I looked at where all in pristine condition. I think the prices are more than fair especially for vintage. They carry an array of sizes but like all thrift shops, it can vary day to day, week to week.

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Life Boutique Thrift has great clothing on sales racks as well as some great shoes so make sure that you check out all the sales. Their clothing racks are loaded with a wide array of store and designer labels. Their displays are well done and I thought the front window was classy and elegant.

You must look at the vast selection of jewelry and accessories; there are lots of great buys plus some unique and lovely pieces. They have a rack of handbags that fit almost every and any occasion and they were all in great condition. The pricing was according to the designer and I think all prices were more than reasonable. They had scarves, sunglasses, gloves, all kinds of accessories.

They have lots of LPs and some great choices if that is what you enjoy.

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What made this visit extraordinary was the staff; they could not have been any nicer, any more helpful and always smiling. They are just so professional and they want you to have a great shopping experience and it definitely comes through with their demeanor. I was exceptionally impressed. This is one store that you do not want to miss. It will definitely be on my top ten list.

Life Boutique Thrift

515 5th Avenue

b/t 12th and 14th

South Slope in Brooklyn

718.788.5433

Mon

 

11:00 am – 9:00 pm

Tue11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Wed11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Thu11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Fri11:00 am – 6:45 pm
SatClosed
Sun11:00 am – 9:00 pm

Until next time, HAPPY SHOPPING!!!

ToniOnThrifting – The First Year — May 24, 2016

ToniOnThrifting – The First Year

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My dream blog has become a reality. It has been an amazing year (plus). Thanks to some great publicity from the very popular blog, Struck By Wanderlust (https://struckbywanderlustblog.wordpress.com),  my blog has been read in over 26 countries including Australia, Israel, and Greece to name a few. Outside of the U.S., the UK folks seem to be reading my blog the most :). My blogs have been viewed well over 4,000 times and the numbers keep growing. The most popular blog was on the Humane Society of New Rochelle. They posted my blog on their Facebook page and it went through the roof. The most popular day to read my blog is Tuesday and the most popular hour is 9 p.m. (Thank you WordPress for all the great stats.) Please note I am posting on Tuesday but not at 9 p.m. 🙂

Thrift Shopping has been steadily increasing over the past few years for many reasons. People who want to have a unique/individual style start thrifting to create these styles. Vintage clothing is hugely popular right now and trending. People are very cost conscious as well especially when it comes to clothing and they find thrifting a good alternative. Most importantly, by reselling and recycling clothing, you are helping the planet.

Goodwill has been evolving and introduced “boutique shopping” and opened their newest boutique in Union Square last year. Reselling websites like Real Real, Tradesy and Thred Up are thriving. Consignment shops are more popular than ever especially in the high end handbag and accessory category. The luxury handbag category is an exceptionally competitive market. In 2014 alone, revenues for the thrift store industry were close to $9 billion

I know a couple of people that buy used items at thrift stores and resell on eBay. They buy top brand name shirts, blouses and jeans at shops like St. Bart’s for a few bucks and then resell on eBay for anywhere from $10.00 to $20.00 depending on the quality, brand, etc. and what they paid.

I take great joy in finding new thrift shops, visiting my “regulars” and buying new outfits or something for the house. So whatever you desire, whether to shop for yourself or shop to make money, I hope that you enjoy my blogs; they are truly a labor of love.

THANK YOU FOR MAKING A DREAM COME TRUE!!

Here is the link to Struck by Wanderlust:

https://struckbywanderlustblog.wordpress.com/

Also check out Michael in the City on Struck By Wanderlust

Until next time, HAPPY SHOPPING!!

P.S. Feedback always welcome .

St Bartholomew’s Thrift Shop – Never Judge A Book … — January 24, 2016

St Bartholomew’s Thrift Shop – Never Judge A Book …

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When you first walk into St Bartholomew’s Thrift Shop, it looks ordinary.  PLEASE don’t let it fool you. It turns out that it is one of the most extraordinary thrift shops I have ever set foot in. The majority of their donations come from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Thrift Shop in New York City.  That should tell you right there that they have phenomenal stock. And the rest is not so bad either 🙂 🙂 🙂 I think their specialty is clothing although they carry housewares as well. The prices are well below what you pay in other thrift stores in the area. Women’s tops start at $3.00 and men’s just a dollar or two more. They have good shoe section with equally appealing prices. Look all around the shop, they have hidden treasures everywhere!

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Fortunately or unfortunately, only a small part of the shop is dedicated to housewares. The housewares they do have are high quality. I bought a ceramic serving platter for $6.00 – the price was marked $40.00 on the back –(from the MSK thrift shop I am sure). I also purchased beautiful wine glasses for $1.00 EACH.

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This is a definitely hit or miss thrift shop (I have gone back a few times and have had many more hits than misses.) This is certainly worth the trip every time, it has been for me. Especially the when I scored a Land’s End wrap dress for $6.00.

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The staff is remarkable – professional, kind and courteous. The shop is small and has limited hours and it gets crowded on Saturdays so get there when they open. When they get fresh stock, it feels like Christmas. You just never know what you are going to find. Top name brands, high quality merchandise all the way. Stop in, it is highly unlikely you will be disappointed —- and you will even be pleasantly surprised.

St. Bartholomew’s Thrift Shop

82 Prospect Avenue

White Plains, NY 10607

914.949.5611

Tuesday and Thursday from 1 pm until 5 pm

Saturday from 10 am until 12 pm

Until next time, HAPPY SHOPPING!!!!

Treasures Thrift Shop And What A Treasure It Is! — December 3, 2015

Treasures Thrift Shop And What A Treasure It Is!

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I had been trying to get to the Treasures Thrift Shop for weeks and one thing or another kept coming up. I finally made it there and all I can say – WOW! Wow for the selection, wow for the prices, wow for the staff – and I had such a good time while I was there. I thoroughly enjoyed perusing through the shelves and racks – there is just so much to see and buy. 🙂 🙂 🙂 It was a great “thrift” shopping experience.

Let me start with – they had SALVATORE FERRAGAMO shoes (in very good condition) for $12 – yes, $12. 🙂 🙂 🙂

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They also have free shelves right before you enter the store, how great is that?

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They had a good selection of jeans, tops, sweaters, jackets, suits and all at reasonable prices (quite reasonable) and they have an excellent home décor/ household section. Obviously, they have a great shoe section (see note above 🙂 ). They have a small boutique section with some designer clothes that has more than fair prices. They have shelves overflowing with bedding and linens and they had some spectacular items there too.

I understand that we should be on the lookout for our daily sales and markdowns as well as regular half-price and seasonal Five Dollar Bag sales.

Here is some additional information from their website:

Founded by Mildred MacDonald in 1968, and reinvigorated in 1993 by the efforts of Ginger Eliasberg, Treasures is staffed by a group of dedicated, hard-working volunteers from St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church and the surrounding community. Treasures Thrift Shop’s mission is threefold:

  • To provide outreach to the wider community by providing affordable merchandise
  • To raise additional funds so that St. Stephen’s can expand its outreach programs (including support of Tanzanian AIDS orphans, the Mount Kisco Interfaith Food Pantry, Friends of Karen, Canines for Combat Veterans, Fessenden House, the Rural and Migrant Ministry, The Bridge Fund of Westchester, AHOME, the Peter A. Bard Acolyte Scholarship Fund, Taconic DDSO, and the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility)
  • To provide fellowship for parish members by working together toward a common goal.

It just makes you want to shop there, all the more!! I HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend this thrift shop – it is one of the best thrift shops in Westchester. 🙂 🙂 🙂

Treasures Thrift Shop

50 Bedford Road

Armonk, New York

Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday

10 am until 2 pm

Humane Society Thrift Shop Revisited – NOW CLOSED :( — November 19, 2015

Humane Society Thrift Shop Revisited – NOW CLOSED :(

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Is this thrift shop popular or what? I revisited last week and it is even more popular than ever before. They temporarily lost their dressing room because they have received so many donations over the last few weeks. The funny part is that they have expanded space in the front of the store but they still need more room. The houseware section is bigger AND BETTER than ever and the clothing, well, there is tons of it 🙂 🙂 🙂 . The prices are reasonable, the selection ENORMOUS and Donna is just one of the nicest people ever and the shop has pretty reasonable prices.

Everyone that was in the shop while I was there purchased something. I think that that is a powerful statement and says a lot about the shop. There is a lot to go through but I promise you it is worth it. The racks are spilling over with clothes, literally spilling over with clothes.

The prices are phenomenal and well worth the trip – I definitely thought it was worth a revisit and mentioning again. And I still have to go back because I want to see the holiday windows!!!!

Patience is the key in this shop!!!!! 🙂 🙂

There is a Municipal Parking on Huguenot Street and Centre Street but don’t forget – you have to feed the meters.

Humane Society Thrift Shop

54 Centre Ave, New Rochelle, NY 10801

Store Hours:

Tuesday – Friday, 11:00 AM – 3:30 PM and

Saturday 10:00 AM-4:00 PM

PLEASE NOTE:   New Rochelle Humane Society has changed their name to Humane Society of Westchester, to better reflect ALL of the communities they serve.

See you in two weeks – HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Until next time, HAPPY SHOPPING!!

City Opera Thrift Shop Revisited — November 12, 2015

City Opera Thrift Shop Revisited

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I just had to revisit City Opera Thrift Shop because I keep hearing so many great things about them. This place is a New York staple and has been in business thirty-five years. Featured in Vogue as “the highest quality thrift shop in New York,” the City Opera Thrift Shop is the city’s only charity SHOP supporting the arts.  Browsing through City Opera is just a great experience and they have some truly amazing merchandise in this store. If you have a black tie event, this should be your first stop. The clothing, especially the evening wear is absolutely unique and spectacular. I have seen dozens of skirts, blazers and tons of little black dresses, one better than the other and all REASONABLY PRICED. And this shop just gets better with age!! The clothing is top notch and in great condition too so you can’t ask for more than that. They have a great shoe selection as well.

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The front of the store does hold some very special treasures in the form of bags and costume jewelry. You must check this out. All I can say is WOW! Although, I bet the turnover is pretty quick in this boutique.

Don’t Forget the beautiful upstairs – they have some pretty incredible home décor as well as a massive book section. There is also furniture and art work.

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This is probably one of the very best thrift shops that the city has to offer. It makes all the lists every year. I highly recommend that you visit City Opera, you will not be disappointed.

CITY OPERA Thrift Shop,
222 E 23rd St,
New York, NY, 10010
212.684.5344

MONDAY-WEDNESDAY 10-7
THURSDAY 10-8
FRIDAY 10-7
SATURDAY 10-6
SUNDAY 11-6

Until next time, HAPPY SHOPPING!!!!

Memorial Thrift Shop in White Plains — October 14, 2015

Memorial Thrift Shop in White Plains

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This fine thrift shop is located downstairs in the Memorial United Methodist Church in White Plains and it supports The Loft. The Loft provides a safe gathering place for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and supportive community of New York’s lower Hudson Valley. The LOFT facilitates a wide range of educational, health, social service, and recreational programs, and advocates for improved services for our community.” Our mission is simple and strong: The LOFT, an LGBT community center, works to further the cause for inclusion, diversity and pride through education, advocacy, and celebration.” (This information is from their website). I just think that you should know that since 2009, this AMAZING church has shared their building with the LOFT. KUDOS!!!! 🙂

It is also open Monday through Saturday. I have been to this thrift shop before and with patience, (definitely worth it) you will find something special. The clothing section is compact and I saw a few nice vintage pieces. They have accessories, shoes, jeans, dresses, quite a bit. The walls along the corridor are lined with artwork and some home décor. They do have good old fashioned vinyl albums for one dollar. And I know that these are the rage right now. 🙂

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They have a houseware section and I saw some lovely serving pieces that I regret not picking up especially with the holidays coming up. I will just have to make a trip back.

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The one thing that I did notice is that the shop was not as jam packed with merchandise as it usually is. If you live in the White Plains area, I think it would be awesome if you have some items that can be donated; you should stop by and drop them off. Tax receipts provided (only donations not accepted are children’s toys and large furniture)

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I highly recommend that you shop here. You can read more about The Loft and the great work they do at http://loftgaycenter.org/programs-and-services/

MEMORIAL THRIFT SHOP, open every Monday through Saturday!
Memorial United Methodist Church,
250 Bryant Avenue,
White Plains, NY
Hours of Operations:
Monday – Thursday: 10 am – 2 pm
Friday – Saturday: 10 am – 4 pm
Closed Sundays

Donations welcome; tax receipts provided (only donations not accepted are children’s toys and large furniture).

Until next time, HAPPY SHOPPING!!

Irvington Presbyterian Church’s Attic Sale held on September 11th and 12th Recap — October 1, 2015

Irvington Presbyterian Church’s Attic Sale held on September 11th and 12th Recap

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Just a quick report on the Irvington Presbyterian Church’s Attic Sale held on September 11th and 12th. To give you an idea on how successful this sale is, from 2000 – 2014, over $250,000 was raised and donated to many noteworthy organizations – just a few are Autism Speaks, Habitat for Humanity, Make-A-Wish, Salvation Army Food Pantry – it is quite an impressive list. I took some pictures because I DON’T THINK PEOPLE REALIZE JUST HOW BIG AND HOW GREAT THIS SALE IS. Please bear in mind, that I have been going on the second day, I can’t begin to imagine just how much merchandise I missed by not going on the first day. I understand that the home décor/ kitchen section pulled in a couple of thousand the first day.

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The men, women and children’s section was extensive and had clothes for all seasons including winter coats (which were being scooped up all over). The houseware section is amazing to say the least as well as all the other sections.

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I went on Saturday (the second day) and had a blast—I had to make two trips to the car. I bought a red plastic table for my little porch ($2.00), an adorable large tin decorative holder ($5.00) that I will use to hold my cooking magazines. Journals for my writing were $1.00 Each, I bought two packs of greeting cards ($2.00 each), a Banana Republic long sleeve tee shirt ($4.00). The book section is very book lovers dream. They had to have thousands of books for just $2 and $3 for hardcovers. I saw quite a few new releases.

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I went through all f the following sections:
Accessories
Baby
Bakery
Books
Boutique
Café (the coffee was awesome)
Children’s Clothing & Shoes
Electronics
Furniture
Holiday
Housewares
Linens
Men’s Clothing & Shoes
Sporting Goods
Toys
Women’s Clothing & Shoes

I said it once and I will say it again, this sale should not be missed for thrift lovers. I will of course keep you posted on their next sale. I just wanted to share my experience and a couple of pictures.

Until next time, HAPPY SHOPPING!!!

A Fantabulous Village Vogue Boutique in Milford, CT – CLOSED :( — August 25, 2015

A Fantabulous Village Vogue Boutique in Milford, CT – CLOSED :(

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I was in Milford, CT visiting family and later on when heading to 95 South – lo and behold —- what do I see on the way but this fabulous display and my car just automatically stopped 🙂 🙂 I came across Village Vogue Boutique in Milford on Main Street at the Village Green and what an absolutely fabulous find this shop turned out to be.

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I could not believe this place – what a mixture of vintage and modern and they had lots of sales racks – $5 and $10 sales racks with quality merchandise. All I can say is fantabulous!! 🙂

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They carry all types of clothing, casual, dressy and vintage. All good quality name brand clothes and some high end designer in there as well. Did I mention that they carry estate jewelry? Their collection is stunning as well as their accessories. Also, they have quite a selection of designer shoes and handbags.

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The prices are reasonable for a consignment store and there is just so much to see (and want 🙂 ). They also have a formal dress section that has so many beautiful dresses that you can use for weddings, proms, black tie affairs and oh yes, they even have a few wedding gowns. This store carries a broad range of clothing and in every style imaginable.

The owner was not in the day I was there but the lovely woman that was there (forgive me for not writing her name down) was amazing, kind and patient with all my questions. I love this store because it is an adventure and so much fun going through all five rooms. It’s just so chock full of surprises and full of wonder. I do enjoy it when I find special shops like this!! 🙂

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I bought this beautiful black (yes, I know you are shocked 🙂 I picked black) dress with colorful sequins 🙂 and a gorgeous broach and of course I hit the $5.00 rack and found a great long black (:))blouse that will be perfect for the fall.

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If you are in the Milford area, this is a great shop that I am sure you will do well by. Check out their website for additional information if you are interested in being a consignor — http://www.villagevogueboutique.com

I definitely plan on another visit soon and this time I will go slowly through the five rooms so I don’t miss a single thing! If you are in the Milford area, this is a must see!!! 🙂

Village Vogue Boutique
163 N. Broad Street
Milford, CT
203.283.9400
Tuesday-Friday from 11am-6pm
Saturday from 10am-5pm

Until next time, HAPPY SHOPPING!!!

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