Yes, yes, everyone loves Value Village. Goodwilld is a decent company. The folks at Salvation Army believe they’re doing God’s work. But if you’re ignoring the small-business thrift stores, you’re missing out on some real gems. The smaller spots tend to be better curated and staffed, and become more of a community staple for regular visitors. They can also be cheaper, especially as big-box thrift shops like Value Village shift toward selling new items, like they do on Halloween.
Evergreen Thrift Store
Evergreen doesn’t have the biggest selection of stuff, and some of their items can feel a little random (see: baskets full of shoe horns and bike locks). But it’s one of the most reliable, personable and enjoyable stores on this list. You’ll often find the owner, Nick (or his mom on some weekends), standing behind the counter promoting some new charity, usually with an environmental angle. For a month some years ago, they gave out baby trees to every customer, free of charge; these days they have a community pantry for anyone to grab canned food if they need. Nick’s also big on social media: not only does he update the shop’s Facebook page daily with new finds, but he used to spend a lot of time publicly shaming thieves online—a practice he seems to have cooled on, perhaps adopting a more understanding approach to those in need. (But the signs begging people not to steal from him persist—you’ll count upwards of a dozen of them across his store.)
Vincent’s Thrift Store
Posted by Vincent’s Thrift Store on Tuesday, 17 November 2020
Down the road from Evergreen on Lundy’s Lane is Vincent’s, a charitable thrift shop run by the St. Vincent de Paul organization. Prices here can be as little as a dollar per item during sales, and the staff are pretty eager and friendly to chat. While they used to have a decent selection of furniture, they shifted more toward used clothes and housewares during the pandemic. On the plus side, they’re able to offer a high-quality and expansive selection, with plenty of religious knickknacks for holiday seasons.
The Nearly New Store
This charming Queen Street staple is run by volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Niagara Falls. It’s had a surprisingly long run for a shop with frankly inconvenient hours (Tuesdays to Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.). It may owe its survival to two things: its staff are almost entirely volunteers (and therefore genuinely friendly), and the prices are consistently excellent. The downside is that the selection can be slim, especially for anything other than women’s clothing. Nonetheless, it’s worth popping in during any Queen Street visit.
