To borrow from Annie get your gun, I can buy anything cheaper than you.
I’m not an extreme couponer (although I might like to be, I don’t have any place to store armies of ketchup bottles), but I am good at getting most things I want for way below retail, and sometimes, even free. I love to share information on how to save, where to go, and how to buy things for less.
Spending big bucks on furniture made out of particle board that looks crappy and lacks character makes me nuts – and the sticker shock is something I can’t get over. I feel the same way about clothes – I can’t justify to myself why a shirt should cost $48. I can get an Ann Taylor blazer, hardly worn, for $10. Why would I buy the new one for $75+? In the thrift stores I frequent (and I mean frequent, I try to check in at least once a month in each of my favorite haunts), I regularly see tags from Banana Republic, J. Crew, Gap, Old Navy, New York & Company, and on 2 occasions, Diane Von Furstenberg.
I’m not an extreme couponer (although I might like to be, I don’t have any place to store armies of ketchup bottles), but I am good at getting most things I want for way below retail, and sometimes, even free. I love to share information on how to save, where to go, and how to buy things for less.
Spending big bucks on furniture made out of particle board that looks crappy and lacks character makes me nuts – and the sticker shock is something I can’t get over. I feel the same way about clothes – I can’t justify to myself why a shirt should cost $48. I can get an Ann Taylor blazer, hardly worn, for $10. Why would I buy the new one for $75+? In the thrift stores I frequent (and I mean frequent, I try to check in at least once a month in each of my favorite haunts), I regularly see tags from Banana Republic, J. Crew, Gap, Old Navy, New York & Company, and on 2 occasions, Diane Von Furstenberg.
Thrifting on Long Island
I have been to several thrift stores on LI, and there are still some I need to visit. I’m always looking for new and exciting thrift nearby (gas is $4!) where I can satisfy my shopping wiles without going more broke than I already am!
Here are some of my experiences at the thrift stores on LI. I’d love to hear your experiences, too. And of course, I have to say, these are merely my experience, and not the general law by which all people should govern their lives, and not a platform for the commencing of arguments! I don’t argue. It’s tiring.
Savers – West Hempstead, NY
188 Hempstead Turnpike West Hempstead, NY 11552
Atmosphere: Savers is one of the first shops I started thrifting in. The store is large, pretty clean, and well organized. They don’t have enough staff, and you’ll notice this when you go to check-out.
Prices: Pricing here is hit or miss– I have heard they started checking ebay to do their pricing. Something with a tag is automatically marked up – no matter where it’s from. Savers does not always recognize the names of more obscure designers, so it is not unusual to find a real diamond on the racks every now and then.
A Banana Republic Wrap Dress - $7
Pros:
Savers is large, and organized pretty well in by size. Steady rotation of stock.
Cons: Savers has a lot of problems with shop lifting and with people trying to negotiate prices whilst at the register, and for that reason, they will not sell you an item if the Savers tag is missing, and you can also spend an eternity on line there. On more than one occasion, I have forsaken purchasing something because I couldn’t deal with the line. It’s good for evaluating how much you really want something, I guess. The lines are usually interminably long, even if there is only one person ahead of you. It’s a modern mystery, and something you rarely experience at their counterpart/competition Unique.
They have stopped giving store credit for donations, which (I think) sucks.
The furniture is tucked around the perimeter of the store, and in the back, right by the men’s section. I don’t like going searching back there by myself right by the men’s section. I’m no Gisele, but I hate being ogled, nonetheless.
Unique -- 2 locations (Westbury, NY and Levittown, NY)
525 Old Country Road
Westbury
(516) 338-1760
3041 Hempstead Tpke
Levittown (516) 520-7340
Unique -- 2 locations (Westbury, NY and Levittown, NY)
525 Old Country Road
Westbury
Levittown
Atmosphere: Large and very clean. Lots of staff.
Prices: Pricing here is very random. If there are tags on an item, it can go all the way up to $25, even though the same item sans tags would probably come in somewhere around $7. I have seen J.Crew, Laundry, Singrid Olsen, Banana Republic, Gap, all the usual suspects at this thrift store. My best find was a BCBG dress for $10 – super cute. Most dresses are in the $5-9 range, with of course, the exception of an overpriced Gap or Ann Taylor item.
Housewares: I have noticed nicer house wares in Unique than Savers. Very cheap prices on house wares, too. I got three large botanical prints, framed, for $3.10 each. Always lots of old record albums for $.69, tons of glassware (this is typical for thrift stores, though.) All in all, I think Unique has the best prices on house wares and furniture, along with Goodwill.
Prices: Pricing here is very random. If there are tags on an item, it can go all the way up to $25, even though the same item sans tags would probably come in somewhere around $7. I have seen J.Crew, Laundry, Singrid Olsen, Banana Republic, Gap, all the usual suspects at this thrift store. My best find was a BCBG dress for $10 – super cute. Most dresses are in the $5-9 range, with of course, the exception of an overpriced Gap or Ann Taylor item.
Housewares: I have noticed nicer house wares in Unique than Savers. Very cheap prices on house wares, too. I got three large botanical prints, framed, for $3.10 each. Always lots of old record albums for $.69, tons of glassware (this is typical for thrift stores, though.) All in all, I think Unique has the best prices on house wares and furniture, along with Goodwill.
Pros: The check-out line is fast. I have been there on several occasions when an employee who sees me waiting will hop out of nowhere and ring me up. They have several registers. There is a language barrier with some of their employees, but to me, quickness translates perfectly!The location in the Tri-County Flea Market (downstairs) is really impressive. The store is huge, with a ton of clothes, and a good selection of house wares, too. (House wares are upstairs). I did not see a huge selection of furniture in either location, but the stuff I did see was very well priced. Maybe that’s why they don’t have a huge stock of furniture – with prices like that, people probably quickly scoop up the items.
Cons: The jewelry selection is not great. With that being said, the jewelry selection at most of these shops is “eh” at best. I find the best vintage jewelry at garage sales and flea markets, especially at Elephant Trunk up in New Milford, CT...and of course, EBAY.
Some of my ebay/flea market/estate sale booty.
2736 Merrick Road Bellmore, NY 11710
(516) 409-5951
Atmosphere: Big store, but needs to be even bigger, because it seems like they don’t have space for everything they have. Hit or miss with wait times for check out, but still better than Savers (they all are). Mirrors and large pieces of furniture are scattered all over the perimeter of the store, so you really gotta look to make sure you don’t miss anything.
Pros: This shop is great for random cool furniture pieces – although they do not have a huge stock of furniture, it is priced well, and the stock rotates pretty frequently.
The donation center is right next to the store, so they are always receiving new merchandise
Pros: This shop is great for random cool furniture pieces – although they do not have a huge stock of furniture, it is priced well, and the stock rotates pretty frequently.
The donation center is right next to the store, so they are always receiving new merchandise
Cons: Shoes can be way overpriced. I think I saw a pair of Jcrew slides for $25! If you are buying thrift, I’m sorry, but that is too much.
2160 Jericho Turnpike Garden City Park, NY 11040
(516) 746-8250
Atmosphere: From the outside, this looks like a regular retail shop. The upper floor is full of furniture – and I mean FULL. Standing room only in the back area with many different armoires, hutches, dressers, etc. They also have several dining sets. The prices are better than retail, but higher than your traditional thrift store. I did see quite a few three-figure prices. However, considering that a lot of this stuff is probably antique and solid wood, you are a lot better off buying something here than buying crap particle board nonsense.
Kinda dank in the basement “general store” where all the clothes are. Clothes are fairly cheap, and well organized, but the atmosphere is not the best. Tons of crystal and glassware, as expected, with pretty decent prices – but some random overpriced items.
Kinda dank in the basement “general store” where all the clothes are. Clothes are fairly cheap, and well organized, but the atmosphere is not the best. Tons of crystal and glassware, as expected, with pretty decent prices – but some random overpriced items.
Pros: Lots of furniture. Tons of stuff to repaint, refurbish. Cheap clothing.
Cons:If you are like me, you like to repaint and refurbish stuff that was super-cheap to begin with. Most of my projects are stuff I have found for free, or for very cheap. If I don’t pay a lot for it, I don’t care if I mess it up (and I mess stuff up.) If I paid $200 for something and THEN screwed it up, I’d be upset.
The clothes are way cheaper, but they don't have as much as the other stores mentioned, and barely any dresses. Or maybe that’s just on the day that I went!
There are still a plethora of stores on this big island I have yet to explore - but I've got goals. Oh yes!
