What exactly is thrifting, and why should you get into it? Well to start off, thrifting is a type of shopping that allows the buying of second hand clothing and donations. The reason most people get into it is because it’s a lot cheaper and usually more fun than regular shopping. While you may find cute clothes in retail stores, it’s more rewarding to find something nice in the midst of random things. Not to mention, while you would pay $20 for a shirt in a store like GAP, you’ll only pay $3 for the same shirt in good condition at a thrift store. However, the main reason people don’t thrift is because they don’t know where to start. The whole point of this article is to list out the top 3 thrift stores (in our opinion) to help you get a sense of places to check out if interested in starting.

Firstly, the best nearby thrift store in our opinion is called My Unique Thrift. It is a chain store that can be more commonly found in Jamaica and the Bronx, but also has many other locations farther out in NJ. What makes My Unique Thrift one of our favorites is their daily discounts. Every day they choose three different color price tags which represent discounts of 25%, 50% and 75% off. Not only does this allow you to save money, but it also makes the overall thrifting experience much more fun and rewarding. My Unique Thrift is also known for their large stores, which means they have an abundance of cheap and cool finds, but also other vintage items outside of clothing. They have various sections filled with vintage accessories, paintings, and more. They even have whole racks dedicated to current holiday items for all the festive shoppers. My unique thrift has a very diverse collection of items, ranging from stylish clothes for all ages, to vintage items for home decor, which is why we consider it one of the finest thrift stores nearby. 

Next, there’s Urban Jungle, which is located in Brooklyn. It’s a chain store, so there are other locations in Manhattan that exist, however the one in Brooklyn seems to always have a better selection of clothes and less people depending on the time you go. This is second on the list because while it does have a lot of clothing to look through and it’s located in a fun neighborhood, the prices aren’t as cheap as my unique thrift. However, going back to the pros, whether you want to find pants, shirts, hoodies, jackets, or even shoes, this is the place to be. To talk about the location more, it’s around a neighborhood that has many other smaller thrifts as well, so if you happen to not find anything there, you can also check out other stores like Le Point Value which is down the block. Also realistically if you’re used to retail shopping, the prices won’t seem as high because they are still cheaper than any typical mall stores. 

Lastly, there’s the Goodwill bins located in Long Island City. This also happens to be a chain store, however the only bins location nearby is in LIC, the rest are Goodwill racks which can be found in Manhattan, Brooklyn, etc. The bins are definitely a long shot for good finds compared to the first two options listed, because since it’s the only location nearby, more people tend to visit. It’s essentially a giant warehouse filled with large bins of clothing, shoes, blankets, and other really random items. The reason it’s so hard to find good stuff is because there’s a lot to filter through, and because it’s crowded, you may have to push a bit to actually get your hands on clothing. Despite the fight you may have to put up to push through the crowds, and not to mention the dust from the old clothes, when you do eventually find something it’s usually really good. This is because the clothes in the bins are the items that can’t even make it into the regular rack thrifts, so they can be more vintage or unique than others. Not to mention the amazing prices, as it’s only $2 per pound of clothing. So if you’re looking for something that brings more of an experience and adrenaline than other places, stop by the bins. 

Now that we have listed our top 3 favorite thrift stores, we hope that our informative opinions can guide all the new thrifters to the right place. So whether you’re looking for affordable new clothes or cool vintage items, you are guaranteed some type of success.