Salvation Army

I’m sad to report that on June 5, 2013, this store was destroyed, when the building next door which was being demolished, collapsed onto it. Unfortunately, 6 people died, including 2 employees, and 13 people were injured. In addition to the loss of life, the neighborhood has lost a valuable resource. We are all very sorry, and our thoughts go out to the victims and their families.

I’m not sure why people think this place is so expensive, especially since everything is ½ off on Wednesdays, and some color tag is 50% off every day. Last time I was here I walked away with two pairs of black pants (one from Banana Republic, so not crappy pants either) and a very legit winter coat for $ 14. Like most thrift stores, you have to dig through a lot of awful stuff (especially in their winter inventory) but there are totally gems to be found. Also, unlike a lot of thrift stores, if something doesn’t have a tag they will price it for you then and there (as opposed to making you come back the next day). That said, the furniture selection is small and crappy, the appliances very hit or miss, and the art is pretty much limited to what you see in the window.

Expensive and crowded. When I say expensive I’m talking $ 35 for a framed print, $ 25 for used shoes, dresses are $ 10!!! This Salvation Army is trying to take advantage of the rich people in the neighborhood. There are lots of consignment and thrift shops in the area with very very nice stuff that is less expensive that this store. Buffalo Exchange and Second Time Around are right down the street and are generally less expensive.
Even there housewares are pricey.

While this might not be the nicest store ever, I am giving it 3 stars because it is so easy to drop stuff off here and continue on your saturday full of errands. Every time I come, there is only 1 or 2 people in front of me and the staff/​volunteers are helpful in taking the donations. I have some hoarding tendencies so the fact that I can donate things and it is quick and only slightly painful (similar to ripping a band-​aid off) is really helpful to my home life. I have only actually been into the store once so I can’t really rate the selection or prices.

#88 Made a quick trip over to the Salvation Army today to drop off a ton of stuff that I’d accumulated in a pile over time. The guy at the back of the store was super friendly, taking everything that we’d brought in and doing his best to add it to THEIR piles of stuff. He also had a ton of receipt forms on clipboards ready for us to fill out, so that process took a mere minute. However, just a quick tip, watch out for the grubby people waiting just outside, ready to take your stuff for free, instead of going inside the store and actually purchasing it.

I just found out that this place actually has a 50% off sale everyday. There’s a sign right by the front door (it’s usually hiding) that tells you which color ticket is on sale. Apparently, there are a few days where a bunch of stuff is half off — so that’s the deal with this place! I can’t believe I was totally out of the loop until now. I found some great stuff here the other day — can’t wait to get more cool crap ½ off ;)

I would love to donate to this location as it is darn convenient but SA has a Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy for its employees. My business has a strong non-​discrimination policy and I just cannot bear to do business with one that doesn’t. We do organizing for our clients and instead haul our donations all the way to the Goodwill off of Swanson near Oregon and Front.

2 years ago this was my favorite Salvation Army and especially on Wednesday when they have Family & Friends day.
But now I guess new management has came in and all the clothes are overpriced.
Like a pair of Old Navy jeans in Salvation Army for $ 12… I think nOT!
They took all the name brand and hiked the prices UP!
Definetely went downhill!

I used to hit up this Salvation Army all the time, and I liked it. It didn’t always yield the best finds, but frequently I would stumble across the perfect Christmas gift or pair of super cheap shoes I want for a night out. I just returned after an absence of a year, and wow! It’s not doing so well. There were serious problems with price, and quality.
Let’s start with the merchandise. I know that different stores get different selections, but there is no excuse for putting seriously faded and worn-​out clothes on a rack, or clothes that are so permanently stained as to be unwearable, and expect people to pay for them. I don’t want to come down too hard, because I know there are people putting out the clothes, and they are going to miss some flaws some of the time, but it seemed like there was very little on the rack that was actually worth buying, for any price.
Not to mention that the prices were not good. If you’re going to start plain black shirts at $ 5, they had better be damn nice plain black shirts, not shirts that have already been worn and washed to the point that they are gray. There were clothes on the rack for $ 5 and up that weren’t worth 50 cents. Charging $ 20 and up for awful suits and coats with torn linings doesn’t help, either. I also found one pair of super-​cute shoes, used-​looking, with some damage to the leather on the heels, but stylish, and they were $ 15 bucks! At Salvation Army! Surrounded by crap!
I don’t mind if a thrift store gets some crazy designer item, or vintage something special, and jacks up the price, I mean, it is for charity, but to charge high thrift prices for damaged or worn-​out goods is just not acceptable. I want to give it another shot but realistically, I won’t make the trip back.

i love/​hate this SA.
Don’t get me wrong: I love a dirty thrift store. I love the treasure hunt for hidden gems. I have found great vintage and contemporary stuff there and shhh… but I have a theory that all the rejects from Buffalo Exchange end up here. That’s why I always return…
But this place is truly a dump: it’s always a mess and they use staples on the clothes. Plus they’ve recently raised the pricing. Call me cheap but $ 6.99 for belts? $ 9.99 for any item of stapled thrift clothing [other than a coat] is a ridiculous rip-​off.

I’m torn between giving here a good or a bad review, and in the end I’m leaning towards 2.5 but am curving lower. When you’re a dedicated Thrifter like me you just have to stop by a Salvation Army Thrift Store and see what Treasures you can find. But out of all the stores with the Salvation Army name on them, this one might just be at the bottom of the list.
you can still pull out some hidden treasures every now and again. But on most occasions you’ll only come come across absolute garbage. And a $ 3 awesome pair of jeans is rarely ever worth sifting through dusty and overcrowded aisles of trash. Especially when you have no changing rooms to try them on in (Bullocks!)! You also won’t get much help from the people who work there but that can kind of be expected. It gives to the same great causes that all Salvation Army stores do. But overall only the most dedicated of Thrifters should enter.

Their donation policies seem more restrictive and inconvenient (when and what they will accept donations) than other SA or Goodwill stores. I come here mostly to donate items — not to purchase. Glad they are here, though.
Update: The building was destroyed in a tragic Collapse in June 2013 — killing 6 people and injurying many more. So sad.

So I have to admit that I am a bit torn in writing a review here, because I am one of those regulars that come away with the goodies. As a student on a budget, this is actually one of my favorite places to shop because it’s one of the most cost-​efficient stores with clothing that you won’t see everyone else wearing.
Pros:
Super affordable– Most clothing and accessories tend to range from $ 1-​$ 8. Each article of clothing has a color tag and every week, a certain color is 50% off; on Wednesdays, the idea is flipped and every color tag but one is 50%.
Clothes organized by type, followed by color– It makes it a hell of a lot easier and faster to shop when you know what colors look great on you and which entire sections to avoid.
Decisive shopping– I usually stop in once a week to peruse the clothes. Because of said organization of color in the store as well as the vast assortment of unflattering garments, I am a shopping speed demon. The previous reviews attest that this place can definitely be less than a hit and more of a miss. I will agree that on some days, I zip in and zip out with nothing to show (I then skip to Trader Joe’s across the street and buy something sweet to compensate the bitterness of lost time and energy). Then again, some days I’m like a kid in a candy store. Just yesterday, I bought 3 summer dresses, 4 blouses, and 2 handbags for about $ 30. For about 40 minutes, I felt like an unstoppable cost-​effective shopping machine!
Cons:
No changing areas– Luckily, no one cares that I am an exhibitionist. Well, not technically. My advice is to always come prepared with a tank top under your shirt and in trying on bottoms, find a long loose skirt with an elastic band at the store to wear as a changing station in itself. Sure, it looks absolutely bizarre, but if you are like me and need to try everything on, it’s the best method.
Customer Service– If exceptional customer service is a priority for you, keep your distance. Don’t be surprised if the employees seem apathetic or outright irritated if you ask their opinions. While I’ve never had a negative experience personally, I can definitely see why someone may have a negative reaction.
Layout/​Environment– I admit that the narrow aisles are terrible. I do my best Flat Stanley impression every time a person passes me. Also, as someone with allergies to dust as well as other indoor particles, I make a point to to leave within 15 minutes of my first sneeze.

Well since this is the only SA that I’ve been to I can’t really say that it is the worst. But I found this amazingly cute, brand new peach dress for only $ 6 so I can’t complain. Though it IS true that they have a plethora of leotards and shirts from the 80’s.

This store is the antichrist of shopping. I have come here many, many times, so take it from me. Ever since I was born, SA has been doing the same thing on Market Street: Selling 99.9% crap in a matchbox-​sized store with poor lighting. The only difference is that back in the day, tag sales included 50 cents days when you could buy their wares for their actual retail value. 50 cents days are no longer. Damn you, SA.
Women’s wear & housewares are upstairs. Men’s wear, children’s wear, furniture, items that once were electronics, and random nonsense are downstairs. Yes, that would be the Basement, and each of these departments specializes in crap.
I understand that thrift store normally = mostly crap, but this SA location takes it to a whole different level. They would save themselves a lot of wasted effort by weeding out leotards from the 70s, office blouses from the 80s, and acid wash jeans.
It is *true* that you can find the occassional gem in this store. That is true, true, true. However, the odds are 1:1000. I might play those odds if the store weren’t darker inside than the street outside, or if the racks weren’t engineered to make it impossible to get around other shoppers. There are 4 racks that run the length of the store. Most of the time, these unfortunate racks are choked with clothes, and if you’re in a side aisle and someone over a size 2 is in your way, you can forget about trying to squeeze by.
If you visit & see the vast amount of stuff SA fits in here, you’ll realize that despite its unfortunate narrowness, this property is huge. It has a lot of potential, but SA is just crapping it up and I don’t think they’ll stop anytime soon.
Bottom line: These are inhumane shopping conditions, SA, and you should be ashamed.
Note: If you need the down and dirty thrifting that only a national social services religious army can provide, take the #13 trolley to the end of the line & hit up the SA in Darby.

Agreed. This is one of the most hideous Salvation Armies in the industrialized world. It begins with the smell of urine you’ll get from approaching on Market Street or the dead rat jello on the sidewalk, approaching from 22^nd.
Inside, there is nothing worthwhile here to buy. There’s never a good suit, a good t-​shirt, a good stack of records. I think that regulars beat you to it, which is cool… but the leftovers never bring me in.
If you need something (realize how hard this is for me to say)… go to the one across the bridge. This place has nothing you could possibly want, unless you’re looking for gag gifts or Halloween costumes. Sorry. I continue to give to Goodwill and Salvation Army, but at this locale, there’s nothing I’ll take.