By Wendy Shiner
I am a thrift-shopping addict. You can only imagine how thrilled I was to discover that Seminole County is a treasure trove of secondhand stores where anything and everything can be found − deeply discounted. From designer bags to musical instruments, thrift shops offer a wide array of bargains. However, you must remember the secret to thrift shopping: if you like what you find, you have to buy it then and there because what you see today may not be there tomorrow.
Among my favorite haunts are Habitat For Humanity ReStore, Goodwill, and The Sharing Center, three places where I get great bargains and the community benefits from the funds raised.
Habitat For Humanity ReStore
Habitat For Humanity is a well-known house-building charity where the building materials, time, and effort are all donated. Their stores serve as an additional way to collect funds needed to build those homes. There are two Habitat For Humanity ReStores in our area, one located in Sanford, the other in Casselberry. For my money, I like the ReStores for amazing furniture and building supply finds.
The ReStores offer furniture donations to fit any room in your house: living room couch sets, bed frames, wall units, dining room tables and more. The household area includes dishes, glasses, small kitchen appliances, and TVs. On occasion, their donated furniture inventory will truly astonish you. At the Sanford store, my sister purchased a magnificent turn-of-the-century desk for just under $100, which an antique dealer told her was worth considerably more than what she paid. Needless to say, she visits the store at least once a month.
Don’t forget the building material section, where you can find some fabulous buys: high-end wall tile, electrical and plumbing parts, corner bathtubs, doors, kitchen and bath cabinetry, and large appliances (washing machines and built-in oven units!). Recently while shopping at the Casselberry store I saw a beautiful 36” scrolled wood, bath vanity with a black granite countertop.
Goodwill
Goodwill is famous for helping disabled persons train for work, enabling them to achieve independent living. There are four Goodwill stores in Seminole County, all carrying a wide collection of brand-name clothing that are ticket/color-coded for 50 percent discounts. I have found great buys in both the boutique and the regular section, such as a Lord & Taylor angora sweater, Gap khakis, and Ann Taylor tops. And if your ticket matches that ½-off color displayed over the register, your purchase is reduced by 50 percent. Goodwill offers the best in clothing selection and cost.
The Sharing Center
The Sharing Center assists children and families with critical needs during financial emergencies caused by job loss and health problems. The organization offers two stores in the same location. One is the main store with its aisles of clothing, household items, books, furniture − the whole deal. Then there is The Sharing Center Boutique, which stocks the higher-end donations. I have seen Coach and Aigner bags, Aigner shoes, 14k jewelry, silver serving trays and antique Depression glass dishes. All my Fossil bags come from the Boutique. Its space is cozy and selective, which makes it easier for you to shop only the “better” items. However, don’t discount the main store. The Boutique can’t hold all the good stuff, which makes for fun hunting and good deals.
Be aware that if you buy any large items, none of the aforementioned stores will deliver. You have to arrange your own pickup. My suggestion is to become good friends with someone who has a truck and strong teenage sons!
There are many more nonprofit thrift shops in Seminole County; the stores mentioned in this column represent just a taste of what is available. And remember – while you are spending your money, buying name-brand clothing in good condition (sometimes new with tags!) at a fraction of its original cost, you are helping an organization, a family, our military, or a church/synagogue project. Everybody wins. You get a great buy, and the funds generated by your sale help someone in need.
What a perfect arrangement!
Wendy Shiner is a writer for Lake Mary Life. This article was originally published in the May/June 2011 issue.
Lake Mary Life Magazine is the premier lifestyle publication in the Lake Mary area, dedicated to publishing positive and uplifting stories about our community. Lake Mary Life is a partner of GalTime Orlando.
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