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The Turnover Shop in Wilton, Connecticut – I can’t wait to go back! — March 29, 2023

The Turnover Shop in Wilton, Connecticut – I can’t wait to go back!

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What makes The Turnover Shop different from other thrift shops is that they consign clothes as well as sell donated clothes. This makes The Turnover Shop a well-visited destination for thrift shop lovers. Located in the center of Wilton, CT, and open six days a week, Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 4 PM and Saturday from 10 AM to 1 PM, it continually gains popularity and has a high turnover rate. They carry a full line of women’s, men’s, and children’s clothing, shoes, antiques, housewares, games, books, jewelry, and small furnishings.

I went through racks and racks of clothing and found a beautiful sweater, jacket, and a couple of other household items, and I spent at most $30. They also happened to have a phenomenal sale, which made it easy. The shoe selection alone was too tempting, not to mention the jewelry and accessories. I know I was not alone because the store was crowded during my visit.

I had the pleasure of speaking to Sharon Sobel, the President of the Turnover Shop. She told me that what makes the Turnover Shop special is that customers who consign can donate the proceeds of their sales to a non-profit of their choice if that organization opens a consignment account to receive the funds. It is a great way to support a favorite local charity.  The Turnover Shop donates proceeds from their store sales to many organizations, such as the PTA of Wilton, Visiting Nurse & Hospice, CT Humane Society, and ABC House, to name a few. All the volunteers love working at the Turnover Shop and look forward to their shifts there. I had a lovely visit with Sharon and saw the store. You can see that they have a very loyal customer base, and people are happy to shop there and are friendly with the staff.

Here is some history from their website: Founded over 75 years ago by a group of volunteers dedicated to serving the community’s needs, The Turnover has kept that tradition of service and generosity alive as we have evolved to help each generation. Our hard work reflects every lifestyle and fashion, and our current team of over 130 volunteers remains committed to the prospect of always being creative and innovative. Thousands of satisfied customers continue to validate their hard work.

A visit to the Turnover Shop should be on your must-see thrift shop list.

The Turnover Shop

98 Old Ridgefield Road 

Wilton, CT 06897

Phone: 203.762.3160

Monday – Friday – 10 AM to 4 PM

Saturday –  10 AM to 1 PM

The New Canaan Thrift Shop is nothing short of amazing! — August 26, 2022

The New Canaan Thrift Shop is nothing short of amazing!

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The New Canaan Thrift Shop is remarkable, impressive, and unique in many ways. It is not just impressive because I found one of my all-time favorite bargains ($65), a Pottery Barn bedspread for a fraction of the cost.  The quilt was something I had wanted for a while but was not willing to spend the $300 to buy it new. It was in excellent, nearly new condition, and I am thrilled with this purchase.  It is also remarkable because every time I go there, The New Canaan Thrift Shop has a wide variety of merchandise that is nothing short of amazing. I commend the volunteers on the eye-catching displays and the boutique feel of the shop.


They have three levels and carry men’s, women’s, shoes, teens, children’s, babies, and toddlers’ clothes.  They have an office section, a pet corner, luggage, linens, housewares and beautiful crystal, dinnerware, and serveware. Their clothes are reasonably priced for the names that you are getting. They carry Vineyard Vines, McLaughlin, Tory Burch, Coach, Ralph Lauren, and many other high-quality clothing brands, and their sales are great.

They have a fantastic selection of toys, games, puzzles, and children’s books.  Their unique sports section contains golf clubs, skis, snowboards, lacrosse sticks, tennis racquets, ice skates, and other sports equipment – all good quality for a fraction of what you would pay in a sporting goods store. 

What is impressive about the New Canaan Thrift Shop is that all the proceeds support the patient care Fund of Visiting Nurse and Hospice of Fairfield County, a member of the Waveny Lifecare Network. As someone whose family used hospice when my mom was sick, I know how incredible, compassionate, and kind the hospice community is. I am in awe of the New Canaan Thrift Shop for supporting and helping their community with their proceeds. While at the thrift shop, I was happy to meet with Stella Clarke, the Executive Director of Community Engagement and Volunteering. Stella is an extraordinary woman devoted to the Waveny Care Network and its mission to help families at the most challenging time of their lives. I commend Stella, Ulrike (Store Manager), and all the dedicated volunteers I met.

The history of the New Canaan Thrift Shop is fascinating. While 2 Locust Ave is not its original location, the building they are in now has quite a history. It was constructed in 1840 by prohibitionist Joseph Scofield. He wanted to lease the building to the Young Men’s Total Abstinence Society. That did not work as planned, as the movement did not go very far. And in 1856, Scofield sold the building to Russell Hall, who sold coffins and furniture, and for years, it was known as “The Old Morgue,” as it is historically known in New Canaan. The building was sold, and fast forward to 1928 when the building was sold to the Veterans Club.  In 1930, The Visiting Nurse Association volunteer Thrift Shop was founded to raise funds to support the charitable mission by selling used clothing. So here we are almost a hundred years later, and they are still going strong and more vital than ever.

The New Canaan Thrift Shop is well worth a visit!

New Canaan Thrift Shop (https://www.loc8nearme.com/connecticut/new-canaan/new-canaan-thrift-shop/7027323/)

2 Locust Ave.

New Canaan, CT 06840

(203) 966-2361

Monday to Friday       12 pm – 4 pm

Saturday                      9 am – 1 pm

Until next time, Happy Thrifting!!

August 17th is National Thrift Shop Day — August 16, 2022

August 17th is National Thrift Shop Day

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August 17th is National Thrift Shop Day. We all know that I think it should be a national holiday. I love my thrift shopping – both shopping and writing about it. Why do people love thrift shopping? Why do I love thrift shopping? The thrill of the hunt is looking for that great find. The chance to create your style and make a fashion statement. The ability to save money by not shopping in expensive department stores. Secondhand and vintage clothes are better quality than today’s fast fashion. Even thrift stores have sales. Help your community by supporting local thrift shops that use their proceeds to help people in their communities. It gives you a chance to keep updating your wardrobe at reasonable prices. If you dislike a purchase, you can donate it right back.

Most importantly, by thrift shopping, you are saving the planet and keeping clothes out of landfills. These are just some of the reasons why we all love thrift shopping. I have been thrift shopping for over forty years, and it brings me great joy and is my passion. There is no better way to enjoy a few hours than by going to a thrift shop and just looking through all the racks hoping to find those unique pieces that I will buy and love for years to come.

Happy National Thrift Shop Day!!

Thank you for reading – if you like my blogs, please like my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/tonionthrifting/

Until next time, Happy Thrifting!

The IFCA Thrift Shop in Ossining is delightful! — August 2, 2022

The IFCA Thrift Shop in Ossining is delightful!

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The IFCA (Interfaith Council for Action) Thrift Shop in Ossining was a delightful surprise. They had a good selection, and the pricing was outstanding. $3.00 tee shirts and $4.00 for shirts/blouses, $5.00 for jeans and pants, $5.00 for handbags, $5 to $10 for jackets, $8 to $15 for dresses, baby, and children’s clothes, $1.50 to $3.00, shoes $2.50 and up. Household items can be found for anywhere between $1 to $35. The clothes and housewares were in excellent condition, and the selection was sizeable.  I was impressed with the children’s section as they had a good selection and affordable pricing—the same for the jewelry, accessories, and linens.

The first IFCA thrift store opened approximately eight years ago on Spring Street in Ossining. The Thrift Shop moved to a larger space earlier this year at 95 Croton Avenue and is doing well. The store was busy while I was there. I spoke to Amy, the manager, and she said that there is a high turnover of merchandise, and I could see from the donations and sales that this is true. The store layout is open and easy to navigate, and the displays are appealing. They have an all-volunteer staff and are always looking for new volunteers to help with the shop and sorting donations.

 Proceeds from the Thrift Shop fund IFCA’s community programs. IFCA was established in 1968 and provides a range of affordable housing development, property management, and supportive services to low and moderate-income people. IFCA owns and manages affordable apartments in Ossining and Tarrytown, NY. It is also a pioneer in developing transitional housing for the homeless, currently maintaining 16 units through Westchester County’s Emergency Housing Apartment Program (EHAP). Additionally, IFCA has adopted innovative community service programs to help hundreds of people beyond its tenant base, including financial literacy programs and job training. What better reasons do you need than to shop and help Ossining and the local communities? Bravo IFCA.

Amy and the amazing IFCA volunteers

IFCA Thrift Shop

95 Croton Avenue
Ossining, NY 10562
Across the street from CTown

(914) 236-3000

thriftstore@ifcany.org

Store Hours:
Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, 11 am to 4 pm.

Until next time, Happy Thrifting!


					

	
	


				
 

							

					
	


		Some Thrift Shops That Have Temporarily Closed or Closed Permanently. — March 4, 2022

	





	


							
			


				
														

			
 

		
		
			
Some Thrift Shops That Have Temporarily Closed or Closed Permanently.

		
			
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Whether the pandemic or other unforeseen circumstances, these great thrift shops have had to temporarily close or close permanently. This list contains some truly amazing thrift shops. I wish all their staff an abundance of gratitude for their work and good wishes for the future. I appreciate all the hard work and dedication of all thrift shops. Especially the charity shops which survive solely on the goodness and time of their volunteers.





It is not an easy business but thankfully, becoming more and more popular as time goes on. 





Let’s all go out this weekend and support our favorite thrift shops in honor of these amazing shops that have brought us great joy not to mention some amazing finds.





And here is the list:





Westchester County:





St Thomas Church Thrift Shop in Mamaroneck has temporarily closed.





Goodwill in New Rochelle in Westchester County has permanently closed.





New Rochelle Humane Society Thrift Shop has permanently closed.





Finders Keepers Thrift Shop in Mahopac is permanently closed.





The Thrift Shop in White Plains is temporarily closed.





American Cancer Society Discovery Shop in Chappaqua is now Fantastic Finds.





New York City:





Angel Street Thrift Shop in Chelsea has permanently closed.





The Society Boutique on Third Ave. permanently closed.





Connecticut:





Village Vogue Boutique in Milford has permanently closed.





If you know of any others, please email me at tonionthrifting@gmail.com and I will update this list.





I will be posting some great upcoming Spring sales in the coming weeks. Please stay tuned….





Until next time, HAPPY THRIFTING





xoxo





TonionThrifting

					

	
	


				
 

							

					
	


		August 17th is National Thrift Shop Day!! Celebrate by shopping at one of your favorite thrift shops. — August 16, 2021

	





	


							
		
			
August 17th is National Thrift Shop Day!! Celebrate by shopping at one of your favorite thrift shops.

		
			
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August 17th is National Thrift Shop Day. We all know that I think it should be a national holiday. I love my thrift shopping – both shopping and writing about it.





When you shop The Ridgefield Thrift Shop, My Sister’s Place, Salvation Army, Habitat For Humanity, Cauz For Pawz, Housing Works, and countless others, you are supporting PHENOMENAL causes and helping change countless lives.





In honor of National Thrift Shop day, here are some quick tips for thrift shopping:





Be friendly and ask the staff when the most new merchandise is put out.





Be kind when thrift shopping, most of the people who work at charitable thrift shops are volunteers and they have already spent hours filling the racks. If you are putting items back, put them back on the right rack.





Know your labels and brands – know what to invest in for your basic wardrobe pieces and what to buy for fun.





Don’t buy something just because it is your favorite brand, make sure you love the piece and will wear it.





Remember if you buy an item and it needs alterations, the alterations can cost two to three times what you paid. Choose wisely when buying a piece that needs to be altered.





The smaller thrift shops sometimes have the best buys.





Sign up for for your favorite thrift shop’s email list so you know when the sales are.





ENJOY the hunt and know that you may not always find something. Just keep going back when you find a thrift shop you love.





Merchandise is also very geographical so go out of your own area and you will be surprised at how different (in a good way) the merchandise is.










I hope you find these tips helpful.





Thank you for reading – if you like my blogs, please like my Facebook page: TonionThrifting










Until next time, Happy Shopping

					

	
	


				
 

							

					
	


		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

					

	
	


				
 

							

					
	


		August 17th is National Thrift Shopping Day — August 16, 2017

	





	


							
			


				
														

			
 

		
		
			
August 17th is National Thrift Shopping Day

		
			
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August 17th is National Thrift Shopping Day.  Most thrift stores celebrate with  significant discounts.


Why shop at thrift stores? According to the U.S. EPA, a whopping 85% of all discarded textiles – 13 million – end up in landfills every year.  Plus textiles and decomposing clothing release methane, not to mention the dyes and chemicals in the fabrics that can saturate the soil. Let’s recycle folks, donate to local thrift shops, your local Goodwill, Salvation Army, Humane Society, local hospital or church thrift shops– there are so many GREAT charities that NEED your donations. The money that these charities raise through their thrift shops help countless others gain a better quality of life and protect out little four legged friends. I think that is one of the best reasons to donate along with reducing our carbon footprint. Plus think of all the people that are able to clothe themselves and their families at a deeply discounted price. I think it is a win-win.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


I just happen to LOVE thrift shopping for so many reasons. I love helping the environment and I like trying new styles at a fraction of the cost – if I don’t like it, I just wash the clothes and donate them right back. The key to thrift shopping is patience. If you have some time and go through the racks, you would be surprised at what you can find. You can’t go to a thrift shop think I need a little black dress and expect to find one in one visit BUT if you go to the RIGHT thrift shops, you may just find one. For example, I always say if you want something formal or fancy, try City Opera and Vintage Thrift East in the 23rd St area of NYC. With these two stores, there is a good chance especially with a freshly stocked store – you can put together a great outfit. If you are in the Connecticut area, Stamford Goodwill is one of my favorites as well, their dress section is fabulous. Don’t be afraid to ask when they put out the “new” stock – it sometimes is Wednesday/Thursday in preparation for the weekend. I am also learning to create my own styles. I once found a beautiful black ankle length sequined duster and I paired it with straight legged pants and a clingy top and I received oodles of compliments and it was something that I might not have necessarily worn in prior years. It ended up being a favorite outfit for special occasions.


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Life is complicated and chaotic at times and I find when I go thrift shopping I get such enjoyment out of finding that very special addition to my wardrobe at quite the price. I find it calming and relaxing and a great way to emerge myself in something that brings me great joy.  I have also met some pretty incredible people along the way.


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I look forward to telling you about my thrift shop visits – I have visited quite a few over the summer and I can’t wait to share my findings with you.


Until next time, HAPPY SHOPPING!!!!


TonionThrifting914

					

	
	


				
 

							

					
	


		Vintage Thrift East – A Definite Favorite and Must See! — June 5, 2017

	





	


							
			


				
														

			
 

		
		
			
Vintage Thrift East – A Definite Favorite and Must See!

		
			
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Vintage Thrift East is a must visit. They have such a wide array of women’s clothes along with shoes, accessories, housewares and more. The store setup is spectacular and the displays are eye catching. There is so much to love about this shop especially how organized it is. The clothes are in excellent condition and priced accordingly (translation reasonable). If you like to create your own style, this is the place to shop because there they have such an eclectic selection of clothing especially in the women’s section.





I was impressed with the setup of the housewares section. I actually saw quite a few gift quality platters and dishes and vintage serve ware which was quite nice.





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The window displays are striking but the pleasant surprise is that the there is much more “window quality” pieces when you continue to browse.





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The men’s section is not as extensive as the women’s but certainly worth a look.





There is just so much to this store; it is going to require a few return trips 🙂





Vintage Thrift proceeds benefit the United Jewish Council of the East Side which is another good reason to shop there. Of course, donations are tax deductible.





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VINTAGE THRIFT EAST





286 Third Avenue, between 22 & 23 Streets





(212) 871-0777





SUN: 11:00-7:00





MON- THU: 10:30-8:00





FRI: 10:30-sunset





SAT: closed





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 .

					

	
	


				
 

			
			
	
		
		



	


	

	

	
		
	




	

		
		




	

		

	

	
	


			
		
		
	
						






		
				
			
	

		

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