Rate Glenside’s Thrift Shops With Me
As any broke college student can tell you, saving money is super important, and one of the best ways to do this is by thrifting. Not only is it a great way to save a few bucks on something you can wear for years, but it’s also environmentally friendly and makes for a fun pastime!
Coming from someone whose wardrobe is compiled mostly of second-hand clothing, finding good thrift stores when I moved on campus was a must. Back in my hometown, I work at a thrift and consignment store, and one of my main jobs is to sort the clothing consignors bring us. It’s essential that I can recognize the age, condition, and quality of the clothing and items. After searching out thrift stores local to campus, I’ve found my best picks to share with Arcadia.
Throw Back Thrift: 3 Stars ☆☆☆
Throw Back Thrift had a decent selection of clothing and a wide range of decor and items. Going into a store with “throwback” in the title, I had high expectations to see some older pieces, and though nothing in particular stuck out to me, I did notice many tags from the early 2000s and a few from the ’90s as well. If you’re into more of a vintage style, this store is definitely worth checking into, and it also helps that it’s pretty cheap, too.
New Life Thrift: 4.5 stars ☆☆☆☆＊
New Life was the thrift store I had heard the most about, so I was eager to see if it was worth the hype. This store has a big range of clothing for all sizes, including menswear and kids, and it also sells decor, electronics, and everything in between. They offer a 10% Arcadia discount, which is an amazing bonus. The only downside that I found is that it can get very crowded. Other than that, the prices are good and you can find both vintage and modern pieces.
Second Chances Thrift Shoppe: 3 stars ☆☆☆
This store was perfectly fine, but nothing stood out that much. It was a little small, but it had a decent variety of sizes, and even had some special sections for vintage clothes and formalwear, which I don’t usually see. The people who work there are very friendly, and I was able to find a Calvin Klein puffer jacket. The shop also supports a good cause—proceeds from the sales go toward helping victims of domestic violence.
Thrift Collectibles: 1 star ☆
Thrift Collectibles is the closest store to Arcadia, but when I went in, I didn’t see much there. It was cramped and, though I’m sure there are some good finds every now and then, it wasn’t the store for me.
Breslin’s Consignment Corner: 3.5 stars ☆☆☆＊
Breslin’s Consignment Corner is the priciest out of the bunch, but with some of the gems you can find, it may be well worth your money. The selections are a little small, but they run more on the high end. I saw a Patagonia fleece in great condition, and my favorite find was a pair of mint condition Doc Martens. They were one of my luckiest buys, and if the prices here were lower, I would shop at Breslin’s all the time. The women working there were also very sweet and wished me and my friends good luck on our finals, so that made the experience even better.
