Find Treasures at the Thrift Shop

With a lagging economy, more and more people are letting go of their inhibitions and giving thrift stores a try.

They may have a preconceived notion of thrift stores being dirty, with items that are old or broken or stained. But Joan Winterbottom, who works at Treasures Thrift Store in North Grafton thinks they couldn’t be more wrong.

“Actually, our thrift shop is more like a mix between a thrift store and an antique or vintage shop,” said Winterbottom. “We have a Pennsylvania House bedroom set right now, it’s absolutely beautiful.”

Treasures started opening six days a week about a year ago to accommodate bargain hunters better. Plus, proceeds benefit Whitinsville Christian School.

The Grafton Thrift Shop, run by the Evangelical Congregational Church in the former South Grafton Library on Main Street, has limited hours on Thursdays and Saturdays but offers residents another outlet to get their shop on. And Worcester has Savers, Salvation Army and a Goodwill store to check out.

What are some ways you can scout out the best deals? Tsh Oxenreider of Simplemom.net advises you shop without kids, first and foremost.

Sifting through crammed racks and crowded aisles isn’t conducive to child-watching, the site notes. “If you have to bring your kids, plan on just shopping one of the store’s sections, and then come back another day to shop the rest,” says Oxenreider.

Also, she suggests trying things on: A great blouse at a great price won’t be as much of a steal if it doesn’t fit and you will never wear it.  Some shops don’t have fitting rooms; you may want to wear a snug tank top and try shirts over it.

The barganist.com website offers this tip: Bring cash. Many thrift stores only accept it, so you need to be ready to pounce on a great deal.

Happy thrifting!