I always go to thrift stores at home in Powell River. I keep a list of items I need or want, and sooner or later they show up. Our home base in the States is Bellingham. We picked Bellingham because it has an airport for our plane, excellent health care, and city-folk things like shopping. When we are in town, I love to go exploring. I've found lots of thrift stores, but Value Village is my favourite.
Value Village is department store size and part of a chain of about 200 thrift stores across the US, Canada and Australia. They have mostly recycled items, but you will find some inexpensive new items mixed in, especially for holidays such as Halloween and Christmas. Their largest section is for clothing. They have some furniture, and a good mix of household items. Their prices are reasonable, and the profits are shared with local charities.
Recycling is an easy way to help our environment. By donating your unwanted items to a thrift store, they don't end up in a landfill. By purchasing a recycled item, you give back in two ways: to the charities the stores serve, and by giving a recycled item a new lease on life.So, go out and have some guilt free shopping. It's good for you and the environment.
You will find the Bellingham Value Village off Meridian near Winco (my favourite grocery store).
Bellingham Value Village
150 East Bellis Fair Parkway Bellingham, WA 98226
(360) 733-233
Do you shop at thrift stores? What are some of your favourite ones? What is the best bargain you've ever found? -- Margy
This is a huge store! We don't have anything on this scale!
ReplyDeleteAnd there are several other stores this large in the Bellingham area. Where I live most of the time is a small town up the coast in BC. We have even more thrift and consignment stores here. Three large ones, and about five smaller ones. That's great form me. I love to visit them about one a week or so to find what I call treasures. - Margy
DeleteSounds like a place I could get lost in for hours!
ReplyDeleteI have my favourite sections that I hit first: book, framed pictures, household items, and furniture. - Margy
DeleteI like the smaller thrift shops run by local nonprofits such as a hospital volunteer group. Best find ever was an almost new high quality woman's raincoat for $5.
ReplyDeleteGreat find. My most recent great find was an almost new manual food mill for $2.50 rather than $25-50. Our Hospital Economy Shop makes several hundred thousand dollars a year and has purchased much needed equipment for our local hospital and extended care facilities (plus free TV for patients in the hospital). - Margy
DeleteWe love that Value Village - the one in Mt. Vernon has gotten so spendy that we just don't go anymore. We also shop at Goodwill in the Sunset shopping center and if you are looking for unusual stuff the Assistance League shop on Meridian - right across from Haggen - has fun stuff. One time I got an almost complete set of gorgeous real silver silverware there for 7.00 and it had the case too - just needed to find 3 dinner forks - which I found on ebay fairly cheaply. Then their prices shot up - sometimes much more than if you were buying new - and after about a year of that they realized that their pricer was not realistic and the prices have come down - we got a set of blue glass dishes - bowls, plates, salad plates, berry bowls, cups and saucers - 27 pieces for under 25.00 - and I priced them on ebay - the same thing was going for over 150.00 - so I'd say that was a great deal. We like Habitat for Humanity shop on Cornwall too - lots of furniture - we got a super great love seat for 35.00 and they deliver - they have lots of furniture - but also some fun small items, like dishes. I do love the thrift shops around here - there are several more that we haunt also. I think there are hardly any dishes or furniture in our house that is actually new. One chair that we bought over 20 years ago is about all that we bought new - and it is going to be reupholstered soon - so it will look new again.
ReplyDeleteYou really have to look around to find the bargains, but they have just about everything you could want. Our thrift stores in Powell River are much more reasonable, but they are smaller. - Margy
Deletei like saving money
ReplyDeleteRIG, ABCW
In my small town it is also the place to see people you know and catch up on what's happening. - Margy
DeleteI don't really shop much at thrift stores, mainly because I can never find clothing to fit. Sometimes I do find books or other odds and ends but I don't go so often. I've noticed 2 things over the years. The prices can be ridiculously high for things they get for free. Also they sell clothing in large bales, as do most thrift stores and ship them to Africa. There the goods are bought by small business people for sale. They are selling stuff that Canadians and Americans don't buy. I used to think this stuff was given for free now I know better. Lately the Kenyan government has indicated they no longer want our used goods being shipped there because it has all but decimated their own textile industry. So we shall see what happens.
ReplyDeleteI know Value Village is a profit making thrift store and you are right, their prices are higher than small thrift stores in Powell River. The best is the Hospital Auxiliary Economy Shop. Their prices are the lowest because it is supported by volunteers. All of their profit goes to local hospital for needed equipment, to provide patients with free television and other health related activities in our community. I feel good about donating and buying there. - Margy
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