#thrift-stores

#thrift-stores

The new, bigger, better Goodwill store is just the latest sign of a booming thrift store business that amounts to a perfect storm for charities from the Salvation Army to Housing Works, collecting and selling clothing and other items. While companies are also fueling and feeding on a thrift boom, the nonprofits also offer tax benefits to donors and use sales to help support their missions.

The best thrift stores feel like treasure troves, with equal parts bargain-bin finds, pre-loved designer investments, and vintage must-haves: trusty Levi's jeans folded next to Manolo Blahnik kitten heels, or a perfectly worn-in leather jacket hiding behind a rack of office basics. Time your run to your favorite secondhand location's restock hours (and skip the weekends to avoid New York's crowds), and you'll catch new arrivals as they hit the shelves: designer denim, cashmere cardigans,

Otagiri Mercantile Company was responsible for importing and distributing hand-painted ceramics, crafted by professional artists in Japan from about 1954 until 1994.

In addition to shopping at thrift stores, I used to frequently pick up furniture and similar items that people discarded next to dumpsters when I was poor.