Goodwill Hunting: Ranking Auburn's Best Thrift Stores

As Macklemore’s song “Thrift Shop” says, “I’m gonna pop some tags, only got twenty dollars in my pocket.”

He really said it best, and as a college student, I am always looking for ways to save. Especially when moving into my first apartment, thrifting helped me save money, find unique items, and be a bit more environmentally friendly. Plus, if I break something I bought, I have a little more peace of mind knowing I did not pay too much for it.

You never know what you will find thrifting which is why I love taking a few friends just to walk around and see what people donated. My top three favorite thrift stores in Auburn are Mission Thrift, Harvest Thrift, and Goodwill. They always have great selections with even better prices.

 Mission Thrift

Mission Thrift is the quintessential thrift store. Every time I walk in there, I find something I love and have never seen before. Mission thrift is at the top of the list because it always has a variety of clothes, books, and furniture. It has high-quality clothes for good prices.

When you first walk in, I would look at the racks in front of the checkout counter. I have found Free People, Anthropologie, and other expensive brands for great prices. The rest of the store is an eclectic collection, from vintage jewelry to polaroid cameras! I have found fun pieces there for cheap. This will always be my first stop when going thrifting.

 Harvest Thrift

Harvest Thrift is the place to be for cheap, but good-quality items. I usually stick to the kitchenware and books area, but they usually have a great selection of Auburn shirts and clothes. They offer many discount opportunities and announce them regularly on their Facebook. Every Thursday all students and educators can receive twenty percent off all regularly priced items.

When I go, I make sure to bring my tiger card to show at the end, but they have also accepted the one on my phone wallet. When I was moving into my apartment, I needed to buy all new plates, glassware, and basic kitchenware. I decided to check out Harvest Thrift, and I found a matching dinnerware set for a great price. They have a huge selection of glassware and mugs for about one dollar each. It saved me so much money and everything I purchased was barely even used and in great condition.

Goodwill 

Goodwill is a classic thrift store and has great inventory. While it is a great place to thrift, it is at the end of my list because I think the other places have more to offer. Goodwill is good for necessities. Like Harvest Thrift, I have found great staple apartment items while moving in. I had no kitchen utensils and couldn’t find a pack under twenty dollars anywhere.

So, I went to Goodwill and they have an assortment of prepackaged kitchen utensils. I got whisks, measuring cups, spatulas, and more for under 10 dollars. They also have great Auburn merch from shirts to Tervis cups. I have also noticed that going at the end of semesters is the best time. People just donate their entire rooms it seems. I have found lamps that still have Target tags on them for a fraction of the price. I highly suggest going after move-out to score on dorm and apartment essentials.

Thrifting is great for anyone looking to reduce their carbon footprint and save a little money. Even if you are bored, it's so fun to just walk around and see all the unique items they have in store. I hope this inspires you to explore what these stores have to offer!

Be well, Auburn.