In my previous post, "Save Your Money, Save the World!", I said I would visit and review all the thrift stores in the MetroWest Boston area.
If I miss any, please let me know and I will add them and, as soon as possible, secret-shop them for a review!
A Suitable Image, 100 Concord St #2D, Framingham, MA
Hours: pending
Phone: (508) 620-3993
Benefits: pending
Review pending
Corner Closet, 2 Walnut St, Maynard, MA
Hours: pending
Phone: (978) 879-1745
Benefits: pending
Review pending
Good as New Shop, 11 Washington St., Sherborn, MA 01770
Hours: every Wednesday, 10am - 4pm (closed the day before Thanksgiving and Christmas week, and snow days.)
Phone: pending
Review pending
Goodwill Store, 25 Park Avenue, Worcester, MA 01605.
Hours: pending
Phone: (508) 752-4042
Benefits: Employment and training programs
Review pending
KiD to KiD, 42 Worcester St, Natick, MA
Hours: Mon -Sat 9:30 am - 7 pm Sun 12-5 pm
Phone: (508) 650-4001 / natick@kidtokid.com, support@kidtokid.com
Benefits: pending
Review pending
Salvation Army Thrift Store, 215 Worcester Road, Framingham, MA 01701.(Rt.9 Westbound, just past WalMart and Papa Razzi)
Hours: pending
Phone: pending
Benefits: Salvation Army's Adult Rehabiliation Centers
Drawbacks: Very wasteful of funds: in addition to other "administrative" costs, a portion of every donation goes to funding lobbyists to push for anti-gay legislation (Browning).
Drawbacks: Very wasteful of funds: in addition to other "administrative" costs, a portion of every donation goes to funding lobbyists to push for anti-gay legislation (Browning).
Review: This new location (2011) is large, the layout makes items easy to find, and the drop off spot is convenient but out of the flow of shopping traffic. However, due to their political maneuverings, I strongly recommend choosing Savers instead.
Savers, 500 Cochituate Rd Framingham, MA 01701.
Hours: Mon-Sat 9-9, Sun 10-6
Phone: (508) 875-0225
Benefits: The Epilepsy Foundation
Review: Savers currently is my favorite thrift store. It's large and has a good variety of items, without the religious affiliation that can be a turn off for many who avoid other charity thrift stores. They grow to meet customer needs, and actually listen to feedback. When you're doing your spring cleaning, if you drop off a bag of clothes or whatever it is you're cleaning out, they give you a coupon for $3 off your next $10 or higher purchase! A friend of mine prefers St. Vincent de Paul (see below) because their prices usually are lower, but Savers still is much lower than retail, while being more organized, making it easier to find items.
I also find the quality of Savers items often to be higher than Salvy's or St. Vincent's. I stopped in to replace my purse one day, looking for a small but comfortable backpack style purse, ended up with a Prada for $7. No idea if it's a real or a knock-off, but it's the highest quality backpack purse I've ever had.
St. Vincent de Paul, 444 Franklin St, Framingham, MA 02072
Hours: pending
Phone: 508-879-7873
Benefits: St. Vincent de Paul poverty services
Review: St. Vincent is pretty big for a non "brand name" thrift store. I've found some great deals there, but it also is a lot less disorganized. For example, you could end up digging through a shoe bin trying to find the matching boot in a pair, and a lot of clothes are out of place. However, there can be a lot more fun in stumbling over a gem in an unexpected place. I found a cool costume dress in the middle of normal dresses. Even though the material is shoddy (like all mass produced costume clothing), it cost less than $10 and the design was pretty enough that, if I had enough money, I would gladly pay a tailor to imitate the cut and pattern with quality material. The awesome stiletto boots I'm wearing in the above photo also were from St. Vincent's, and they also cost less than $10.
Last updated: 21 Feb. 2012
Reference
- Browning, Bil. Why You Shouldn't Donate to the Salvation Army Bell Ringers. The Bilerico Project. Web. 21 Nov. 2011.
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