Thrift Store Round Up: Save Money and Give Back to the Community

Fashion trends change all the time and shopping to keep up with the latest style can be expensive. What with the constant, and erratic seasonal changes on the Central Coast, it can be time-consuming and pricey to keep a functional yearlong wardrobe.

Thrift stores are a great way to cut the shopping expenditures and give back to the community. All of the thrift stores in Watsonville benefit local centers and nonprofits.

There aren’t very many choices. Since the closure of Salvation Army last summer, the options for thrift stores in Watsonville are down to three. However, stores such as Teen Challenge Monterey Bay and YWCA are great places to shop for second-hand items and give back to the community. Goodwill is no exception, they have a big store on Main Street and the clothing in the store’s floor is diverse and plentiful. There are many consignment stores in Watsonville where one can pick up vintage items, but thrift store prices are hard to beat.

Teen Challenge Monterey Bay, 1715 A Freedom Blvd., Watsonville

Teen Challenge is located on Freedom Boulevard, right across from Kmart. The shop is small, but offers plenty of cheap, good quality products and clothing. Target donates to this thrift shop so they carry brands that Target exclusively carries, like Mossimo jeans. Jeans that normally run for $22 at Target can be purchased at Teen Challenge for mere $6.50.  

They also carry brand name makeup products—something that isn’t normally available at thrift stores: Loreal, CoverGirl, E.L.F. and other makeup brands are sold under $5. A Loreal foundation that usually retails for $12 is ticketed for a bargain price at $4. The store also carries a variety of nursing scrubs, which are listed for $5. Other novelty items include gift wrapping paper, Beanie Babies, and ceramic knickknacks.

I was most surprised to find that they also have an aisle dedicated to basic medical items such as Band-Aids, isopropyl alcohol, and cold medicine. They even have hygienic products such as shampoo, soap and sanitary pads. While Teen Challenge is a unique thrift store for having brand name products, the clothing choices are limited. However, the proceeds will benefit Women’s Freedom Center, a non-profit program for women with life-controlling problems, including substance abuse. It’s definitely worth checking out.

, 340 E. Beach St., Watsonville

YWCA is a small thrift store located on Beach Street. If you’re looking for clothing, then YWCA is great place to check out. The store is packed with racks upon racks of clothing. Most of their clothing choices are for women and children, with only a row of clothing rack dedicated for men. The clothing price for men and women are in the $10 and under range, while the prices for children are in the $5 range.

They have books, dining ware, and ceramic knickknacks. Looking for window treatments? YWCA has a wall just for curtains. They also have a small portion of a wall for bags and purses in the $3 range. The staff at YWCA is made up of volunteers. The store benefits the YWCA of Watsonville, which promotes solutions to improve the lives of women across the country.

, 470 Main St., Watsonville

Goodwill is a large thrift store located on Main Street. Since Goodwill is a more popular donation site, they have a bigger selection compared to community-based thrift stores. They have a huge selection for men, women, and children’s clothing and their outerwear rack is amazing! It stretched along the sidewall of the entire store. Their shoe selection is bigger in comparison as well: five rows of shoes are located on the right side of the showroom floor.

Aside from clothing, Goodwill also has dinnerware, electronics, toys, and books to offer. It’s a great location, clean, organized and the staff is friendly. The prices at Goodwill are always competitive. I found a Tommy Hilfiger sweater for $20. That’s a bargain!