Value Village

Now I have been thrift shopping for as long as I even remember due to my Mum taking me with her when I was very young, so I like to think I have seen my fare share of thrift stores in my lifetime. Being from Australia and now living in Canada, I am not new to the whole Value Village (Savers in Australia) franchise, and have been shopping with them for many many years. BUT I feel that lately, they have been getting a bit too pricey for my liking. I used to spend hours in each location, scrounging the racks and shelves and leaving with bags and bags full. Recently, I feel like I see things I like and the prices will put me off and I end up only getting one or two things if anything at all. The clothes are especially too expensive lately, I don’t mind paying $ 5 or $ 7 for a top but lately I have seen prices averaging $ 8 to $ 12, which is a bit too much in my opinion. I find that I have been buying more books than anything as they are usually around $ 5 each, which isn’t too bad if they are in good condition. I just find the clothes are a bit to expensive lately, which is unfortunate because I miss the days of leaving with huge bags full of stuff like I used to. I will still visit regularly because I love the thrill of the hunt and browsing seems to relax me in Value Village but I just wish I could get more bang for my buck!

Trips here pretty much mandate a rousing chorus of ‘Thrift Shop’ on the drive back home.
I don’t love it as much as the North one, but I always enjoy going here with my best friend to look for household items — it does a really stand up job when it comes to kitchenware.
Clothing is a bit hit and miss (and quiet disorganized) and the changing rooms are always pretty filthy, but you can find some real gems occasionally.
The records section is great — we’ve found some amazing buys in there.
It’s a bit on the high side for thrift store prices (especially the clothes), but you can usually get some stellar deals with the $ 20 in your pocket.
I’m still looking for a big-​ass coat though ;)

Parking lot is a mess! You can only get one car through at a time so dont bother going at busy times. Plus its a shared lot with the other businesses in the area, which also can make it hard to find a spot.
I also found this store to be quiet messy and disorganized compared to the north location.
Im not a big fan of these kinda stores, although they do have their moments.

I always have an absolute blast in here…
I was in here looking for items to throw together a gypsy costume for a fundraising event that I was working, and what ended up happening was that I was mostly browsing for myself.
It is unbelievable to me how much this store has ‘cleaned up”. I remember 10 years ago walking into thrift stores, they were not a place you wanted to be.
Now, walking into value village, it is organized, well laid out, and there are all types of people in there. This is no longer a place to shop for only people with fixed incomes — this is a place for any shopper that likes to find a bargain.
My gypsy costuome ended up coming together without value village’s help, but I did buy a wicked pair of boots for work for only $ 10. Serioiusly, you can’t beat that!

Value Village: home of the left over second hand clothes. Charities sell clothes to the Village by WEIGHT, and then the village tosses anything obviously stained or torn and shelves the rest. The result is a store full of stuff, much of it old, unfashionable, ugly.
The seasoned vintage shopper will find a small heaven here. Everything is very cheap, although recently I noticed they priced up some of the nicer brands. Even then, it is very cheap. I have a friend who can walk in here and walk out half an hour later with an armful of great clothes. She personifies adorable indie style, and she is tiny and can alter clothes.
I, on the other hand, am none of those things. I hate going to value village because I’m impatient and it smells a little and is just not my kind of place. I need to work SO hard to find anything decent. I’m not a big fan of this place for anything I will use on a regular basis. It is first stop for costumey and disposable items.
My friend worked here, and he found tons of stuff that he loved. Couches, furniture, weird cochkeys. He totally loved the village. I think it is a case of to each their own.

I was super surprised at the selection of Halloween costumes and supplies they have. I went in expecting not to find much, but was shocked at the wide variety they have. I left the store with everything I needed!
One worker lady was the cutest! She was dressed as a clown, make-​up and everything! Don’t judge me, but I’m afraid of clowns… I still found this lady so adorable!
Perhaps Value Village is better for other things, besides clothes. I left the other day extremely satisfied. Thanks, Value Village, you helped complete my Halloween costume!

Value Village is the superstore of second hand clothing. If you’re looking for trendy vintage clothing fast then Value Village probably isn’t the place to look. But, if you’re willing to invest some time into the hunt then it can definitely pay off. Don’t expect to pop in and out with an armload of quality purchases; take your time, try departments you wouldn’t expect and try things on.
The one time of year I strongly suggest heading down to Value Village is Halloween. At Halloween they carry both new and used costumes along with many of the necessary spooky accessories at bargain prices.