2015-08-20T15:59:57-04:00

A Goodwill In Elmsford Not To Miss – Now Closed :(

August 20, 2015January 17, 2023/ToniOnThrifting.com/Leave a comment

I fell in love with this Goodwill the moment I walked in. It is spacious; clean with an incredibly friendly staff. (Thanks Janae for all your help and patience with me 🙂 you were great). I absolutely love love the layout, you can go through the roomy racks and shop with ease. Of course Sunday is a great sale day at Goodwill (two different color ticket items at 50% off ) and in my opinion, the best day to shop and I did very well for myself. I bought a Ralph Lauren denim skirt for $2.49 🙂 (almost new condition) and Ann Taylor (also almost new condition) slacks for $4.29. 🙂 (FYI – When I mention a label, it is with the intent that I would like my readers to know the quality of the merchandise that I am purchasing. 🙂

What this Goodwill lacks in the casual/work dress selection (my favorite department) – it certainly makes up for in every other department.

The women’s’ section is filled with jeans, slacks, blouses, shirts, skirts, jackets and wide selection of coats. They also had a rack with women’s suits that were reasonably priced. I saw Harve Bernard, Ann Taylor, Calvin Klein, Jones of New York amongst others and all in great condition. The men’s section was equally as impressive with a very wide selection of merchandise. The shoe rack was amazing and if you are a women’s size 10 shoe especially, I would definitely check it out – the shoes were all stylish and quite a few (more than usual) were brand new.

I did not see too much art work, but what was out was in decent condition.

The housewares section was extensive with the usual dishes, glassware, etc. What I did score on was a glass percolator for $7.99 (GREAT PRICE) and it had just got in the store a day earlier (Goodwill dates the items for when they came in). I just love percolator coffee from the stovetop; it is absolutely delish in my book.

All in all, I walked out with 2 pairs of pants, 2 skirts, a leopard scarf, a pair of shorts and my percolator for $23.62. Bear in mind I used $5 in Loyalty Points – but I still did brilliantly well and enjoyed my little excursion. I have a feeling that the store was not fully stocked on Sunday, it seems to be in a high traffic area – it had a nice crowd shopping on a Sunday morning. I can’t wait to see it fully stocked. This Good will is definitely worth a return trip or two or three. 🙂

Goodwill
380 Saw Mill River Road
Elmsford, NY 10523
(Westchester County)
914.347.4376
Monday – Sunday 10am-8pm

Until next time, HAPPY SHOPPING!!

August 17th is National Thrift Shop Day

August 16, 2015August 8, 2019/ToniOnThrifting.com/1 Comment

According to the website nationalcalendarday – 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. While just this morning I scored a Ralph Lauren denim skirt brand new (with tags on it) for $2.49 in Goodwill :). It really can be fun shopping for bargains like these. I take great enjoyment out of the “hunt” and I have met some remarkable people along the way. Please remember when you shop Goodwill, Salvation Army, Habitat For Humanity, Angel Street, Cauz For Pauz, Housing Works, Humane Society of New Rochelle and countless others, you are supporting PHENOMENAL causes and helping change countless lives. So on National Thrift Shop Day, please go out and shop, you will be supporting someone in need!! 🙂

CELEBRATE

On National Thrift Shop Day, watch for specials at the Thrift Shops in your area and have a Happy National Thrift Shop Day! Use #NationalThriftShopDay to post on social media. 🙂

Until next time, HAPPY SHOPPING!!

Humane Society Of New Rochelle – NOW CLOSED :(

July 28, 2015April 23, 2022/ToniOnThrifting.com/1 Comment

There are a lot people who hold the New Rochelle Humane Society Thrift Shop near and dear to their heart. I completely understand and you can tell from the exorbitant amount of donations they receive. The fact is that the New Rochelle Humane Society services over 19 communities in Westchester County and rescues over 500 dogs and 900 cats a year. They provide loving care to animals that have been lost, abandoned, injured, and mistreated. What a phenomenal organization and what uplifting work — I have nothing but respect for this organization.

Upon first glance, this shop looks stuffed to the gills and then after looking around you realize that it is and just overflowing with bargain after bargain 🙂 (loving making things so positive). And this store does everything in its power to keep those shelves and racks bursting with goodies. (They do excel at this) 🙂

This shop can definitely double or even triple its space easily just to hold the donations they have on hand alone. The quality of clothing donations is mostly good but with patience, there are some great high quality pieces. You will find lots of jeans, tee shirts, shoes and casual wear with an extensive houseware section that you would normally see in a much larger store. They carry men, women and children’s clothing so there is a lot to go through Where the real treasures are when you first walk into the store to the right side sits some fabulous home décor, pictures and almost new or brand new items.

I have seen some stunning artwork, exquisite candle holders and so many other wonderful decor just waiting for a new home 🙂 .

The shop has been under new management for some time and Donna really puts her heart and soul into the shop and she is more than fair in her pricing.

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

Humane Society of New Rochelle Thrift Shop
54 Centre Street
New Rochelle, NY
11am – 3:30pm – Tuesday thru Friday
10am – 4pm – Saturday
(914) 336-1207
I SUGGEST YOU CALL FIRST TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE OPEN!!

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

Until next time, HAPPY SHOPPING!!!!!!

A Trip To Long Beach Island That Amazes

July 14, 2015August 8, 2019/ToniOnThrifting.com/Leave a comment

A wonderful friend invited me out to Long Beach Island in New Jersey a couple of weeks ago and it was a spectacular weekend all around – the company was outstanding, the weather cooperated and the food was absolutely delish! And while there, lo and behold 🙂 to my surprise, I found a thrift/consignment shop 🙂 called Coastal Consignment & Salvage Co. Do not let the name fool you – this shop was so good that I am contemplating another trip there 🙂 even if it is just for a day. Their business card states “An LBI Experience” – and it truly was — the layout of the store, the quality of the merchandise, the pricing, the variety, all well above average. I think the reason for this is that they have very strict guidelines for donating/consigning and it shows in the exceptionally high quality merchandise.

They only carry ladies’ clothing and it was all stylish and very much in fashion, the layout of the store was one of the best I have ever seen and the pricing ridiculously reasonable. They had beach themed home decor for sale along with beautiful vases, crystal, porcelain, you name it and all good pieces and high quality. The clothes were very chic and in a wide variety of sizes as were the shoes. All name brands, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Jones New York, Gap, Eileen Fisher too many to mention.There is a good variety of handbags from inexpensive to moderate. The shoe section is on the small side but what they have is AWESOME. They had a nice rack of jeans all sensibly priced. Great accessories as well! They also sell estate jewelry.

I picked up two pairs Vera Wang pajamas in what looked like new condition for $12 each, a gorgeous black lace overlay skirt for $15 and a great Ralph Lauren stretch tee shirt (black of course 🙂 )for $10.

I hope that the pictures do this shop justice because it has definitely made may top ten and I don’t ever see it falling off the list.

So I must tell you if traveling to Long Beach Island in New Jersey, you must stop at Coastal Consignment! It was a GREAT shopping experience. 🙂

Coastal Consignment & Salvage Co.
511 North Bay Avenue
Beach Haven, New Jersey 08008
609.492.9400
www.coastalconsignments-salvage.com
Mon, Tues, Wed and Sunday – 10am-5pm
Thurs, Fri and Sat – 10am-7pm

A note about summer months – for the smaller thrift shops, always call first as most of the those shops close or have shortened hours during July and August (especially those affiliated with churches/houses of worship).

Until next time, HAPPY SHOPPING!!!!!

Using Facebook For Buying And Selling

July 8, 2015August 8, 2019/ToniOnThrifting.com/Leave a comment

Did you know that you can buy and sell your “stuff” on Facebook? Facebook has dedicated groups if you are looking to buy, sell or are “in search of” (ISO). Most groups are geographically based such as Yorktown Mom’s, Bronx Yard Sale, Westchester and Putnam, etc. The groups can contain dozens, hundreds or even thousands of members. Some groups are public which means that anyone on Facebook can join and see who is in the group, the group description and what members post. You can also be invited to join by a member of the group. A closed group is where anyone can ask to join or be added or invited by a member and the only difference from above is that only members from the group can see postings from the group. There are also “secret” groups. Anyone can join a secret group but they have to be added or invited by a member and only current and former members can see who is in the group and what members are posting.

There is an admin(s) who runs the page and approves if you can join the group. Only an admin can change the privacy settings for the group.

How do I join a group? Go to the group you want to be part of and then click Join Group in the top-right corner. Or if you see a group on a friend’s page, you can click on the group.

The great thing about Facebook groups is that for the most part, prices are negotiable. I must warn you that one of the drawbacks is that, occasionally someone is trying to get over or not being honest about their merchandise. That is where the admins come in, the great ones do not tolerate any nonsense or bs and they call out people for their “games”. Most pages also have a set of rules that they expect you to adhere to if you are joining their group. Admins are not paid so they have less tolerance for drama and I don’t blame them. Most admins will post general “rules” for joining their group. One in most groups is that you are contacted in the order that the buyer received the post or message. Things along those lines — one thing that does disturb me is that sometimes people post rather nasty comments when a sale or purchase does not go the way they intended or if they disagree with a price – folks – no need to be rude or nasty – just keep it moving – life is too short. Will what is upsetting you matter in a month or two, I doubt it.

Some of the Facebook groups local to the Bronx area that I belong to are:

Westchester Tag sales
Bronx Yard Sale
Stamford’s Treasures & Tag Sale
Westchester Yard Sale
Bedford Yard Sales
Northern Westchester, Putnam & Dutchess Yard Sale

Above are some of the items that I have posted on Facebook for sale. I have sold many items on Facebook with no issues whatsoever!

One of the issues I have noticed is regarding designer handbags. I have seen a knockoffs attempted to be sold as authentic. Also, please remember it is illegal to sell knockoffs on the internet so buyers and sellers beware. Authenticity can be confirmed with a receipt in most instances. One major helpful tip I can give you is beware of anyone who has just created a personal Facebook page to sell merchandise – that is one major RED FLAG and one that should be taken seriously.

PLEASE NOTE:

There is also a group that helps people in need in the Bronx & Westchester that you could join ☺:

Helping Friends In Need Bronx/Westchester — it is always great to help those in need.

I have many more options to tell you about buying and selling in the coming weeks!!

Until next time, HAPPY SHOPPING!!

A “Unique Boutique” On The Upper East Side

June 30, 2015August 8, 2019/ToniOnThrifting.com/Leave a comment

Thrifting refers to the act of shopping at a thrift store, flea market, garage sale, or a shop of a charitable organization, usually with the intent of finding interesting items at a low price. A larger philosophy permeates the act of thrifting which celebrates the recycling of formerly-owned items, finding new use and new love for vintage material goods which had been thrown out, and the thrill of imagining what the former life of the item was like. A zine called “Thrift Score”, published in the 1990s by Ms. Al Hoff, celebrated this lifestyle. Many “resale” shops pull their more interesting items from thrift stores and sell them at higher prices – the premium is because the “digging for gold” has already been done.

This is from Definitions.net – I just thought you would enjoy! 🙂

I always find thrifting much more fun when I am not on the hunt for a particular item. It is because I am going through most racks and I stumble upon pieces that I may have otherwise missed if on a specific hunt. I have also noticed that my wardrobe is becoming much more eclectic and fun because I am mixing traditional with funky or vintage when appropriate. I have received compliments on some of my outfits so it must be working :).

There is a “Unique Boutique” on the Upper East Side that is pleasantly nice. There is a good selection of men and women’s clothes, a decent book selection and the inventory seems to constantly change. They have some housewares and the good news is that they do use the color coded tag system so there are always sales. 🙂

I enjoy this small shop because it is reasonably priced and if you are lucky enough to find items that you like and they are on sale, all the better. They have a great tee shirt section and if you are job hunting and need a suit, the suits are sensibly priced. The shoe selection is not bad and quite often, there are some new shoes on the rack for sale. (I think what happens with shoes is that us lovely ladies buy shoes and then have buyers regret or they are too tight, heel not right, etc. and it is not in the window of returning so we donate 🙂 which works out well for thrifters. 🙂

Unique Boutique
1674 Third Ave
New York, NY 10028
(between 93rd & 94th)
212-427-0077
Mon-Fri: 11 AM- 7 PM
Sat: 10 AM-6 PM
Sun: 11 AM-5 PM

There are two Housing Works that are in the area that are worth a visit;

Housing Works
202 East 77^th Street
New York, NY 10021
212-772-8461
Mon-Fri: 11 AM- 7 PM
Sat: 10 AM-6 PM
Sun: 11 AM-5 PM
Closing at 5 pm on July 4th.

Housing Works (Yorkville)
1730 2nd Ave. (at 90th Street)
New York, NY 10128
212-722-8306
Mon-Fri: 11 AM- 7 PM,
Sat: 10 AM-6 PM
Sun: 11AM – 5 PM
Closing at 5 pm on July 4th.

I must say that I favor the 90^th Street location as they always seem to have a great inventory (both men’s and women’s) and the prices are reasonable. They seem to jam pack some great finds in this smaller space. I think that this is most definitely worth a visit. The 77^th Street is also worth a visit.

I tried to capture the 77th Street windows above – Housing Works does a great job on their windows.

Have a safe and wonderful July 4th holiday and until next time, HAPPY SHOPPING!!

Mount Vernon Has A Treasure Trove And A Blue Door

June 2, 2015August 8, 2019/ToniOnThrifting.com/Leave a comment

Westchester County is an oasis of thrift shops. From Pelham to Bedford to Tarrytown, up and down the Harlem and Hudson line, you will be delighted to find some of the most notable thrift shops. There are shops more spacious than New York City but equally as impressive as their NYC counterparts. The consignment stores are numerous as well and new ones are opening all the time. You can spend a day just hitting the shops in one or two towns alone and I highly doubt you would go home empty-handed. There are wonderful estate sales in Westchester County every weekend and I know I have come home with some amazing treasures from these sales. If nothing else, it is always enjoyable just to browse.

The focus of this chapter is Mount Vernon;

Some quick history on Mount Vernon– In 1850, a merchant tailor from New York City by the name of John Stevens set out to create a property that would help improve the condition of the working class in the city. To this end, he founded the Industrial Home Association No. 1 of New York which enrolled 1,017 due-paying members. This land went on to become the Village of Mount Vernon. It was then a part of the Town of Eastchester. The community was named after George Washington’s estate in Virginia. (Mt Vernon info from CityTownInfo.com website.)

Treasure Trove’s Thrift Shop’s motto is “Where Lost and Hidden Gems Are Found”. I cannot understand for the life of me why Treasure Trove in Mount Vernon is not on everyone’s radar. They do have lots of gems. I understand that this place is off the beaten path, but on the upside it has tons of parking (which we all know can be a major issue at times in many places). The place is humongous; they have a couple of thousand feet of everything you can imagine not to mention the owners are incredibly nice.

Parents, if your kid is going to college, this is the place to find some great dorm room pieces and accessories. For those getting their first apartment, this is the place that you should go to get started –they carry so much and have so many options for your decor. If you are looking to change-up your home décor a little, they have quite the selection. They have racks and racks of clothing in the back and shoes as well.

This place should not be kept secret; it has quite a lot to offer – just check out the pictures.

Treasure Trove Thrift Shop
152 South Macquesten Parkway
Mount Vernon NY 10550
Tel. 914.612.3215
Monday-Saturday from 10am-6pm

The next place up is The Blue Door Thrift Shop at the Community Church at the Circle. This shop hopes to provide a source for stretching the family clothing budget for people in the community. Proceeds from the shop provide a resource for church programs and maintenance.

It is a pleasant little shop and everyone that works there is so wonderful. They have mostly women’s clothes and some men’s and tons of books, CDs and videos. The housewares section is right when you walk in and there are some other things all along the back wall along with kitchen items. It really is worth browsing because you never know what you are going to find there from one week to the next.

They have 1/2 price Thursdays every week where selected items of a certain color will be half price. It is definitely worth shopping there on a Thursday.

FLEA MARKET

The Community Church at the Circle will be holding a Flea Market on Saturday, June 6, 2015 at 7 East Lincoln Avenue, Mt. Vernon between the hours of 10:00am – 3:00 pm. There will be a wide selection of new and used crafts, jewelry, cosmetics and clothing. The event is in-doors. Admission is free and parking is available.

Tables are available for $25 for the day. Call 914.668.8989 for additional information.

The Blue Door
Community Church at the Circle
7 E Lincoln Ave
Mt Vernon, NY 10552
(914) 668-8989

I found this great website that I wanted to share with you; find garage sales, yard sales and estate sales in your area by viewing a map. Plan your next weekend bargain hunting trip on www.gsalr.com.

UNTIL NEXT TIME, HAPPY SHOPPING!!!!

Two Blocks On The Upper East Side Equals Three Great Shops

May 26, 2015August 8, 2019/ToniOnThrifting.com/Leave a comment

There are two blocks on the Upper East Side of Manhattan that have three of the most popular thrift shops in that area. “Thrifter’s Row” is one of the most popular names that it goes by. The (Memorial Sloan Kettering) Society Boutique, the Cancer Care Thrift Shop and the Arthritis Thrift Shop are all within three blocks. You would be hard pressed not to find a bargain in one of the three. Even though I find these to be “high end” thrift shops, they do have sales and good ones at that. And if you are into designer duds J, these are the shops that you want to visit. 🙂

Proceeds from the Cancer Care Thrift Shop helps offer free (and extensive) professional services for people with cancer and their loved ones.

What I like most about this store is that they go by the color coded sale system so ultimately there is always a sale. This store definitely has more stock than the others but not too much space to move around in to shop. There are designer treasures buried among the racks, it just takes patience to find them. The shoe section is a definite must look for designer shoe lovers and the jewelry section tends to have some unusual pieces. The women’s section is much more extensive than the men’s. This is definitely worth looking a visit.

Cancer Care Thrift Shop
1480 Third Ave. (between 83rd and 84^th St.)
New York, NY 10028
212.879.9868
Wed. & Thur. 11am-7pm
Friday 11am-6pm
Saturday 11am-4:30pm
Sunday 12:30pm-5pm

Proceeds from the Arthritis Thrift Shop help make a difference in the lives of adults and children living with arthritis. They fund research to find a cure for arthritis, advocate for better access to care and connect families to the treatments and support that they need.

Racks and racks and every single one is worth going through. There are lots of treasures to be found.

The women’s clothes range from very casual to exceptionally dressy. The sales are exceptional; the day I was there it was 50% off jewelry, handbags and shoes. The shelves were getting thin by the time I arrived late afternoon. It can get a little crowded but this is where patience pays off. The shelves high above carry art work and I always enjoy checking it out. I would say this thrift shop is definitely worth a visit.

P.S. Don’t forget to check out the windows and ask about special previews and sales!

Arthritis Thrift Shop
1430 Third Ave. (between 81^st and 82^nd St.)
New York, NY 10028
212.772.8816
Mon.-Sat. 10am-6pm
Sunday 12pm-5pm

The Society of Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK), founded in 1946, is a volunteer-led organization within MSK dedicated to promoting the well-being of patients, supporting cancer research, and providing public education on the early prevention, detection, and treatment of cancer.

The Society Boutique (formerly Memorial Sloan Kettering Thrift Shop) is the most expensive of the three. They carry more designer items than not and this is where you may find the piece you always wanted or even the one you didn’t know J you wanted. They are currently renovating the back room so they are not fully stocked at the moment. The have fine china, crystal and some houseware (a bit overpriced in my opinion). The book selection offers some coffee table books but be prepared to pay but it is still better than full price. They also carry some evening wear. The store is spacious so you can browse leisurely.

This shop has a very loyal following but please don’t listen to the naysayers who think it is a shop for the older crowd, there is something here for both young and not so 🙂 young.

Great window displays, check them out.

PSA: Their Summer Bazaar takes place from Wednesday, June 17 – Saturday, June 20.

The Society Boutique (formerly Memorial Sloan Kettering Thrift Shop)
1440 Third Ave. (between 81^st and 82^nd St.)
New York, NY 10028
212.327.2957
Mon.-Sat. 10:30am-6pm
Sunday 11:30am-5pm

A thrift shop is only as good as the donations it receives. Now that summer is coming and you may be cleaning out that closet again – please, please bag up the clothes that you no longer use and donate them to charity. Donate to your favorite charity or any charity. Goodwill, Salvation Army, any local thrift store by you — just donate – thousands of people are being helped in New York every day by the money thrift shops raise throughout the area. They help so many people with a wide variety of needs. Hopefully as I tell you about each charity, you will understand how your shopping dollars help those in need. Pay it forward.

Until next time, HAPPY SHOPPING!!

ToniOnThrifting