Thrift & Dollar

This is the best thrift store ever! Aisles of home goods like furniture, flatware, serving ware, dishes, all at incredibly low price points. Things move fast, so there’s new stuff out all the time. Have friends who drive a very long way to visit me, so we can stop here!

WOW! This place is is pretty amazing, like others have said before, Thrift & Dollar is not for the faint heart. Located in Aurora tucked in the back corner next to Carsons, Planet Fitness and Harbor Freight.
The aisles go for days, filled with solid pieces, dressers, vanities, chest, tables, chairs, China cabinets, servers, bed frames, lamps, crystal– you name it they have it. A lot of the pieces are perfect on their own, other require a creative vision and some elbow grease. Everything is priced low and such great deals since the owner buys everything from auctions and estate sales.
We’ve purchased some cool pieces here. Most recently– an antique Singer sewing machine table that we turned into a an entryway table, an old train station bench with tons of character.
They also deliver for a pretty low price, if we didn’t have a trailer to haul our finds we’d totally use the service.
My best advice go with an open mind and some creativity, you won’t be disappointed!

This is by far my favorite place to go for interesting items for my home. Their prices are very fair and they have an awesome selection of all sorts of furniture and household items. They also have sales fairly regularly. It’s better than a flea market in my opinion. Definitely worth the trip!

It’s about time I update my review, which was previously a complete mockery of the place. Maybe I just wasn’t in the right mood or looking for the right things the first time I shopped here.
Since recently purchasing a home built in 1914, I wanted to find some antique-​ish baubles and furniture without spending a lot of money.
I still stand by my statement, «this is where people’s things go when they die,» as evident by the outdated (but not yet hip) dishes and of course, lead crystal ashtrays.
The furniture here is unique, many sturdy pieces to choose from, and prices that aren’t thrifty nor overpriced. Think IKEA prices but for older, used, quality furniture. Of course there are dressers and China cabinets that are quite expensive too. Everything is packed in here, the store is still a fire hazard, but I’ve seen employees willing to help move pieces around so customers can check out. I had to walk backwards in the aisles a few times as other people lumbered through the aisles while carrying side tables and other items.
There are aisles and aisles of dishes. Complete sets are sold together, and separate items are organized in sections by purpose. Want a coffee mug? All together. Dessert plate? Again, all together. Soup terrine? You get it already.
There were a number of serving trays and vintage dinner plates that I was tempted to buy. But since I still haven’t actually moved, I resisted the urge to buy anything. I will be back though.
Oh and all of the weird stuff I previously mentioned — banjo songs on vinyl, snowbabies, and boomboxes… all still there!
This isn’t your typical Goodwill or Salvation Army so I DON’T recommend it if you’re looking for clothing, books, or toys, although they do have some. My 5 stars to Thrift & Dollar goes exclusively to the furniture (though sometimes overpriced and oversized), glassware/​servingware, and of course, the entertainment value.

This store is filled with some of the most beautiful antique furniture that I have ever seen. There are a lot of bargain items too, and so much to look through that I want to go back when I have more time.

Holy Cow! What words can I use to describe this store? Immense is the first word that comes to mind. I could spend at least a half an hour in the glassware aisle alone, but I know there are many more aisles and corners to explore. And by explore, I truly mean explore:
Antique apothecary shop cabinets and counter (massive…with old elixirs intact)
Player pianos
Haunted dolls (yes, you read that correctly)
Armoires of every style and vintage
Funky 80’s dining room sets
Brand new sleeper sofa (sorry, this gal might have bought that one…)
Vintage Avon perfume (take of whiff of this at your own risk)
Beautiful old books
Tea cups and saucers (enough for a tea party for 100)
Baskets
Manly stuff (cords, plug-​looking things, tool-types…not my section…)
Oriental rugs
Ornate bed frames
Antique spools (better catch these quickly, I snatch them up whenever I see one)
Vintage glass lamps
Side tables, Dining tables, Game tables, oh my!
Chairs for all occasions
…and on and on! Even my children like to come with me on my visits to this labyrinth of treasure hunting.
On my grandmother’s antique armoire sits a vintage glass lamp from the Thrift and Dollar. On its shelves rests a crown moulding corner block, layered with histories of chipping paint… from the Thrift and Dollar. Here and there (and rapidly growing everywhere) are my beloved antique and vintage wooden spools, which I didn’t even know I was collecting until they whirred and whispered to me from the Thrift and Dollar shelves. In my kitchen cabinets is a set of vintage juice glasses from Thrift and Dollar, beckoning to me with early morning OJ. On my counter (because it hasn’t found a home yet) is a gaudily exquisite tea cup and saucer that my daughter carefully adopted during her Thrift and Dollar hunt (little does she know how much more I enjoy my Tazo whilst sipping from her cup). On my vintage vanity sits an unobtrusive old book from the Thrift and Dollar… but take a closer look and you will see that it is really a hollowed out hiding place for a few of my oldest son’s tinier possessions.
And I cannot complete this review without mentioning that the owner graciously donated about $ 100 worth of glassware to the Immanuel Lutheran School auction! We were able to supply ice cream glasses to an ice cream themed basket, wine glasses for the «Girls Night In» basket, and other sweet little additions to our baskets making each one more special and helping to make our auction a great success. This is the kind of business I support… one that loves their community and reaches out to help when they can.
Don’t pass up historic Northgate shopping center without a trip to the Thrift and Dollar.

If you love thrifting and antiques, this place will BLOW YOUR MIND. It’s huge, huge, huge! What I found most impressive were the rows and rows of good quality (mostly vintage) furniture. They also sell kitchen items (immaculately organized), art work, books, home décor, a small selection of clothing, and more. Prices seemed reasonable. Wish I lived closer to this place — it’s a hidden gem.

First few visits are great, but then it becomes less exciting seeing the same stuff over and over. Can usually snag some hand tools for cheap but they go fast. Furniture seems nice to my unsophisticated eye but prices seem to be a stretch. Maybe there is a new sheriff in town though because things seem to be marked down more and inventory is neater and faced well.

One of my fave resale/​antique stores.
They have a ton of furniture, which I think is limited to ~actual antique~ stuff. The furniture can be pricey but it seems pretty nice. It’s legit, it’s not typical non-​vintage resale furniture for 5 bucks. No folding chairs here. Well, maybe some, only because this store has everything.
Lots of dishes, glassware, cookware, some in sets. Original paintings and prints line most walls of the store.
One of the people that works here a lot is kinda weird. He flits through the aisles making silly noises, but he’s harmless. Sometimes he talks to you and seems normal. We suspect the wacky tobaccy.
Last time this place was playing Shaggy’s «It Wasn’t Me» simultaneously with opera music, all the while playing Casablanca on one of the tvs. Other selections have included showtunes, 1940s jazz, or your standard bland-​retail-​pop-​music. Another time I was here, the power was almost all out and the lights that did work were flickering. Talk about a post-​apocalyptic shopping experience.
I have purchased all kinds of things from this place over the years and have to keep reminding myself that if I’m looking for something, they probably have at least 2 of them. For example, ceramic kilns, concrete store mannequins, aquariums, saws, timers, seasonal decorations, unused florescent fixtures/​lights, and an antique drugstore display that looks like it was literally ripped out of a general store from the 1870’s. There is literally unopened bottled arsenic in this store.
In conclusion, not for the faint of heart, but always an adventure. You never know what you’re going to find, and you never knew you were missing it until you see it.

I’ve been here several times and after reading the reviews I agree with Eli H’s review 100%. My wife and I have bought several items from there and we love going just to browse. A great store.

I’m reluctant to even post a review of this place as it’s such a hidden gem, but I’d be keeping what might be the best kept secret of the western ‘burbs from the world. Thrift & Dollar is without a doubt the best thrift store I’ve ever been to. It’s curated incredibly well, to the point that their glassware is even organized. Want milk glass? Yeah, it has its own section on the shelf, repeat times a million with anything you could ever think of.
What makes this place so good though is unlike a lot of thrift stores that just sell whatever junk is donated to them, these guys actively scour the leftovers of estate sales. This results in tons of crazy treasures that’d never wind up at thrift stores (I picked up a ultra bizarre 80 year old Royal Order of Jesters induction certificate that was even framed for $ 5 last night!) but also higher quality items than you’d ever expect.
Thrift & Dollar straddles the line between thrift store and antique store admirably, as they’ve got random kitchen stuff like Pyrex bowls and spring form pans for under a dollar… But they’ve also got 100 year old antique dressers that sell for $ 500. The «problem» here is that they know what they have at Thrift & Dollar is good, so you’re going to pay for it. It’s not like random thrift stores where you could score some insane find because the people working there don’t know it’s valuable. This is both a good or bad thing depending on how you look at it.
I’m at the point where I don’t buy anything new unless I check Thrift & Dollar first, as the quality of the stuff they pull out of these estate sales is often better than what you could go out and buy new as they certainly don’t make things like they used to. I’m slowly filling my kitchen up with bulletproof gadgets and utensils from the 50’s, antique furniture, and other awesome stuff– All sourced totally from Thrift & Dollar.
Don’t buy in to some of the negative reviews on this place here, particularly the ultra-​ignorant one from a Unilocal «Elite» that shows up first for whatever reason. The reason stuff costs more than Ikea here is because it isn’t disposable particleboard crap, it’s stuff that will last a lifetime instead of being thrown away next time you move. Additionally, «Don’t go into this thrift store alone» because of the «creepy dudes?» Those are the guys who work there, and if you take a minute to talk to them instead of being super judgmental because this is Aurora and not Naperville you’d see they’re incredibly nice and are ultra knowledgable over EVERYTHING in the store– They’ll even point you in the direction of their best stuff if you ask.
Anyway, yeah, Thrift & Dollar is amazing. Go there often, as their inventory rotates a TON.

Man O’ Man!
Never been here. I never knew my life was lacking! You need to plan to spend a couple hours here… at least!
Take a cart. Even if you do not buy anything. You will need it to support yourself after awhile.
It got to where I would turn the corner and want to shake my fists in the air.
No more! No more! More knick knacks. More books. More glasses. I have never seen so many glasses in a thrift? store. If they sold all the glasses they could retire! I could not leave without taking time to look at everything.
Such unique things. Very unusual platters. Many pictures, lamps, furniture coming out of my ears!
They had pedicure chairs, parking signs, an antique pharmacy collection. Fascinating! An old school desk and chair. Gardening tools. They even had 5 Haywood Wakefield??? chairs.
Whew! I am exhausted.
The 2 guys there are quite friendly and helpful but know when to leave you alone. The thing is I do not know what to call this. Not an antique store (although they have them), not a thrift store (they have minimal clothing).
It is well worth a trip from the
northside of Chicago. I love this place!
I do not

I have been going to the thrift and dollar for almost 10 years. People who are horrified that the stuff might be old, or from an estate sale should go to Fox Valley Mall where they belong. The whole POINT is a bargain, because these items are used or just not new. Also, if you don’t like the price, see the manager and wheel and deal. Try that at Carson Pirie Scott. My most recent purchase was a mid century modern file cabinet. Solid wood, no key, but fine quality. I bargained the manager down to $ 70 from $ 96. It will last me a lifetime, just like it did someone else. They don’t have that at ikea. Sometimes I’ve gotten very valuable pieces here for cheap, and sold them at a high mark up. Other times the prices were fair, or negotiable. If you know how much it’s selling for on eBay you can make a good case.

As good as it gets… the urn from Soeul Korea 1974 is still there.
the dishes I purchased in the brazil jungle from a little old indian woman– I found MORE here!
impressive!

This store is perfect for household items and furniture! I appreciate the fact that only a few aisles carry clothing but a quick run through nicely displayed mink coats (faux?), shoes paired and cleaner than normal at a thrift store, and antique pill hats.
Like others have mentioned, the back room carries antiques in fantastic condition. Think museum quality. Also available was a vintage soda counter from the 50’s and this enormous pharmacy cabinet filled with antique packaged items — a true gem for the connoisseur or a time piece for a theater/​motion picture backdrop!
Dishes, glassware, and household items lined the first 2 rows. Everything beautifully organized and displayed! Another wall filled with knick-​knacks books and very cool retro/​vintage home décor!
The majority of the store was furniture. Not that ikea, ready to assemble crap either. Name brand retro furniture for the most part. The downside is I didn’t notice anything that I was looking for (china cabinets/​armoire/​entertainment centers, dining furniture set, couches or mirrors) that were priced below $ 100. The cheapest chair I found was $ 18 — a plain, old, broken wood dining chair.
I did however get a great retro liquor cart for $ 12, a few retro metal trays for $ 3 each, and some nice porcelin plates for $ 2 each.
Despite it all, I do find myself going back whenever I’m in the area. Pricey but a great way to get ideas. Plan on spending at least an hour here if you like to thrift! It is ENORMOUS!

I really like this place for furniture finds. I like the variety of goods they offer… from cheap to more quality stuff, it makes it affordable for any budget.

I would highly recommend NOT going here. This used to be a somewhat decent place but the past few years have done nothing for it. There is literally 30 year old trash being put out as items to be sold. I seriously found old pill bottles and a tube of caulk from the late 70s in here. The prices are WAY too high for a thrift shop, thousands of dollars for second hand furniture and hundreds of dollars for ‘antiques’. I saw into the back room and there are boxes upon boxes of junk. I don’t know who is managing this place now but it is just awful. Hoarders do not make good business owners.

This is more than just a thrift store, and I’m sorry I didn’t go in sooner since that’s what I assumed it was. They have a HUGE, GINORMOUS, OUTRAGEOUS selection of dishes, glassware, crystal, kitchen stuff, newer all the way to antique. Too many pieces of furniture to count from antique Vistorian headboards to 1980s dining sets. There’s a back room full of interesting antiques and rugs and aisles with antique and vintage china and crystal. Need doll parts, an old sewing machine, or old luggage? A pump organ, 1950s hipster lamp or Greek Orthodox vestments? They’ve got it all. This store can be overwhelming. Wandering all the aisles can take a couple hours. Or pick a section and make it a quicker visit. They are willing to take offers, and offer delivery for furniture and larger items at a reasonable cost. I have found deals from a 1910 piece of china I’ve been looking for (priced at $ 2.50 I may add) to a mahogany table and chairs from the 1940s for $ 300.
I’ll add that the staff is super friendly and helpful. One of the managers is always in the aisles making sure everyone is «having fun.» Ask for a deal, ask for what you’re not finding (need a bumper car? There’s one in the back I’d bet.)

This is one of the best thrift stores in the tri county area !!!
Always a lot of furniture, mostly good, some not so good but this is definitely the place to buy kids clothing. There is usually a good prices on it and there is a lot to pick from.

When I admired a friend’s new china hutch, she told me it was from Thrift & Dollar… hummm. I’d never heard of that! Now, I think I’ve visited enough times in the last few months that the same guy working seemed to recognize me. Like Cheers, minus the drinks.
Sometimes, I just get a desire to thrift shop… and most recently, that desire hit me on New Year’s Eve. Their website (wordy but helpful) didn’t make mention of special hours so I took a chance and drove over there.
They have a huge selection of heaps of things and as mentioned it ranges from crap to high end. If you have a discerning eye, you can get a bargin. I haven’t negotiated but I also haven’t been buying bigger furniture pieces or clothes. They run certain sticker sales. (Yesterday, everything with a yellow, blue or red sticker was 50% off.) So on glassware/​smaller kitchen type things, you can’t do much better! For me, this is like a huge garage sale when you can’t go garage sale-​ing in Illinois.
The merchandise changes just enough between visits that even when I didn’t expect to find something, I did. I have never left empty handed.
I’ll be back, I’m sure! And next time I’m going to remember to bring my coupon!