The 8 Best Thrift Stores in Austin for Unique and Quirky Finds (2024)

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The 8 Best Thrift Stores in Austin for Unique and Quirky Finds? ›

How do you know if something is valuable at a thrift store? Look for brand names, quality materials, and vintage items. Research online to determine the value of unusual or antique finds.

How do you know if something is valuable at a thrift store? Look for brand names, quality materials, and vintage items. Research online to determine the value of unusual or antique finds.

According to Goodwill, the perfect time slot to shop at thrift stores is in the morning on both Monday and Tuesday. This is because, at least as far as Goodwill is concerned, people tend to donate garage sale remnants on Sunday, so the pickings are new and fresh come early weekdays.

Thrift store flipping, a process of buying items from a thrift store at a low cost and re-selling them for a profit, can be a viable option for generating additional income.

Ralph Lauren is more than just a brand – it's a statement of class and timeless style. Whether it's a well-cut blazer or a crisp polo shirt, finding Ralph Lauren in a thrift store, like other designer brands, is like striking gold.

Finding precious metal in a secondhand store is a major win. While you're shopping, check the piles of mismatched silverware, kitchen platters or serving pieces, and even bags or boxes with costume jewelry. Look for tarnish, stamped markings, and even dents (sterling silver dents more easily than plated pieces).

Most secondhand stores don't wash the clothes before selling them. Donations are typically washed before they're donated, but we still recommend giving them a good cleaning when you get home. Even if the clothes are washed before they hit the thrift store floor, people will have since touched them.

Others do accept credit/debit cards. If you're planning to visit only one store, $30 ought to be enough if you're only going to buy a few things, and those few things cost less than $10 on average. However if you're going on what I call a 'thrift run,' i.e. visiting a number of stores, I'd bring at least $100.

Warm weather, spring cleaning, and garage sales all have a positive effect on thrift store hauls, according to Bowker. 'Tis the season for people to declutter and purge items they no longer need, resulting in larger donation piles.

What is the down side to thrifting? ›

Many items are just too ugly, not complete, too stained or just too out of date. You have to look at all of those items to find your little treasure. It also means that you can find nothing but trash and you leave the thrift store empty handed. But remember; Sometimes just a small treasure that makes it all worth it.

Vintage Clothes Are Among the Best-Selling Items

Reselling shoes and sneakers, vintage jewelry and accessories, but also, kitchenware and entertainment products can also be very profitable.

Clothing. Clothing is an item that sells best in thrift stores. Accounting for 31.8 percent of industry revenue, clothing is the largest revenue generator in the Thrift Stores industry, according to IBISWorld. Instead of paying higher retail prices, many people are switching to thrift stores for their clothing needs.

Savers is the largest for-profit thrift store chain in North America and is a global organization.

Look for signatures on pieces, which can mean a work of art is either original or part of a limited series. A signature can also give you a sense of a piece's potential worth or provide you a breadcrumb for finding out more information about the artist.

It's best to work with a professional certified by the Appraisers Association of America, the International Society of Appraisers, or the American Society of Appraisers. After completing the appraisal, the appraiser will give you a written report explaining the item, the valuation procedure, and its current value.