The official thrift/discount store bragging thread

I hit two consignment shops and one thrift shop today and left with NOTHING! My cold streak continues through another week. Tomorrow, I'm heading to a Salvation Army Thrift Store a little out of my normal rotation...trying to find something decent.

Dying to find a motherload of BB slim-fit or extra slim-fit....

^^Wonderful looking ties.

The ties look great.

I dropped in on a thrift yesterday that I've pretty much given up on. It's the one where I got into the arguement with the flipper and it must be his #1 stop because its always picked clean. I caught them putting out a rack and on it were 2 Zegna silk/wool sportcoats. I snagged them and 2 pocket squares for $12.50 total.

I was also digging through a bucket of ties on a counter and they told me to stop because "our lady has to go through them and pull out the good ones". I had seen an Armani and a Polo in there so I figured those would be jacked up but she let those go out on the "normal' rack. I talked to her and she actually appeared to know what she was doing. She just goes through them and looks for Hermes, Brioni, etc. Those she marks $19.99 and puts them in a case. All the rest are $1.99. She said that she hates having to do stuff like that - apparently the same fate would have awated my Zegnas if I hadn't caught them on the way out of the stockroom - but they're being pressured to because their Board knows about eBay, flippers, etc. and they want in on that much profit. She says the store management agreed to start marking up higher-end labels but if that doesn't work the Board will make them start listing the stuff themselves on eBay.

I guess it was only a matter of time. The only thing going for us is the fact that thrift store workers who have any sort of clue still seem to be a rare breed.

Originally Posted by EBTX66

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.........but they're being pressured to because their Board knows about eBay, flippers, etc. and they want in on that much profit. She says the store management agreed to start marking up higher-end labels but if that doesn't work the Board will make them start listing the stuff themselves on eBay.

I guess it was only a matter of time. The only thing going for us is the fact that thrift store workers who have any sort of clue still seem to be a rare breed.

Apathy on the part of store workers works to our benefit. The world of thrifting would be changed by something as simple as the stores implementing a policy of checking labels and holding back the brands which are on a list for further inspection and evaluation.

I'm beginning to think the TC Metro area Salvation Army stores are starting to pull aside any high-end items. I haven't found a single thing worth buying from any of their 4 stores that I visit in months. In past years, I used to find a lot of great stuff for cheap there. It's hard to think that such a large charity is experiencing a lack of nice donations to put out, too. The Metro area Salvation Army has gotten very greedy over the past several years and is pretty crooked in my opinion (I worked for them for 3 years). Oh well, only time will tell what's going on. For the time being, I concentrate on other thrifts that are treating me well and pass up the Sallys.

Originally Posted by Nataku

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The Metro area Salvation Army has gotten very greedy over the past several years and is pretty crooked in my opinion (I worked for them for 3 years).

I'm highly curious, when you worked for SA, did you keep any nice stock for yourself before it got put out? Not judging, just wondering.

^I've found local SAs and Goodwills to be less than productive.

Does any one know if there are fake Bijan alligator shoes out there and how to tell the difference? I snagged a pair of Bijans, but would like to know if they are authentic. Thanks!

Bijan pix:

I'm really starting to think the same about SA. For the amount of people that work and volunteer in there, someone must know men's fashion and pulls aside items for either markup or personal purchase. It's been very very dry as of late in my area, but every time I stop in, the same lady has a shopping cart and is filling it with men's clothes. We must arrive about the same time (her daily, me once a week), but she knows what's going on and must list on ebay. The best thing I've found lately has been a couple BB Makers ties...thats about it

Originally Posted by Temujin

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Bijan pix:

I'm sure they are real, no idea who would fake those. 6.5? Can probably sell those to some japanese dude on ebay for a small fortune.

Originally Posted by Nataku

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I'm beginning to think the TC Metro area Salvation Army stores are starting to pull aside any high-end items. I haven't found a single thing worth buying from any of their 4 stores that I visit in months. In past years, I used to find a lot of great stuff for cheap there. It's hard to think that such a large charity is experiencing a lack of nice donations to put out, too. The Metro area Salvation Army has gotten very greedy over the past several years and is pretty crooked in my opinion (I worked for them for 3 years). Oh well, only time will tell what's going on. For the time being, I concentrate on other thrifts that are treating me well and pass up the Sallys.

I have n-e-v-e-r had luck with SA stores here. It's not even that they appear to pick the good stuff, it's more that the overall quality of donations is garbage compared to other stores. IE, you don't even see the mid-tier stuff like JCrew, Nordstrom store brand, or whatever. Just a bunch of rags from the 70's to 90's with the very, very rare random nice thing missed in. High volume, low quality.

The average thrift store, if run by competent management, realizes that there is really no money to be made in picking out the "nice" stuff and ebaying it or whatever. By the time they pay some lackey to do this (who probably does not have the experience or know how to do it properly, or they'd be doing it themselves), they aren't going to make that much more money if any than if they just threw it out on the rack at a reasonable price. Thrifts are volume businesses... a couple stores here tried to switch to a "higher price for nicer items" format and both the managers got sacked in under 6 months, and back to normal things went, because it was a complete disaster. True story.

I've actually had pretty good luck at Goodwill as long as I want a sportcoat - they break up nested suits. Their shoes and ties have also yielded the occaisional gem. I've also found good stuff at SA's except for the main store. My complaint with them is that they are pretty much the most expensive thrift on my list, with the exception of the crazy for-profit one by my house with the $149, piss-stained Hilfigers. I've probably found my best shoes at SA's but I've left a few behind because $39.99 is still a lot of money down here in a thrift store.

The last time I was at the main SA the place was picked clean and - no exaggeration - it was as busy as the mall at Xmas. It seems like all of my thrifts have gotten progressively busier and the newcomers mostly look like middle-class to me but the SA was a freakin madhouse.

I'm with Nataku: I still favor the smaller independents, especially the ones DEEP in the 'hood. They're apparently in too exotic of a locale for the average slack-jawed mouth-breather. I've never had a problem and usually end up finishing up my shopping trip with some kick-a$$ tacos.

I just wonder, where do they get their stuff from?

Originally Posted by CasmirRadon

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I'm highly curious, when you worked for SA, did you keep any nice stock for yourself before it got put out? Not judging, just wondering.

I never really saw any of the clothing before it was put out. The clothes came priced from the central distribution center in big bins and taking them out of the bins and hanging them on racks was usually left as a task for community service workers. I did often find stuff I liked while hanging the clothes, though (taking them off the rolling racks and hanging them in the correct departments). My main advantage was that I was there almost everyday so I never really missed anything. I know workers at the central distribution center and main store downtown do this, though. Some of those rehab workers dress very well with the clothes they pick out from donations.