Among one of the most prominent trends right now is thrifting– shopping at your local thrift shop in hopes of finding cool, vintage t-shirts or an authentic pair of distressed jeans. Recently, the general populous has started hopping onto this idea, realizing that you don’t have to spend lots of money to buy a nice outfit. Unlike most retail stores, many thrift stores benefit charitable causes, often giving 100% your money directly to to those in need. Supporting your local thrift stores is important; here are some to check out.

ReTails Thrift Shop

2821 Spring Forest Road, Raleigh, NC 27616

“100% of net profits from ReTails Thrift Shop support AnimalKind’s mission to end the unnecessary euthanasia of adoptable cats and dogs in North Carolina shelters.”

–https://animalkind.org/retails/

Bella: I’ve been to this store quite a few times and the selection almost always varies. Sometimes they are heavily stocked in the clothes section, sometimes in the book/music/electronic section, sometimes in housewares. It all depends– which is what makes ReTails interesting. This most recent time I went, they were heavily stocked with books, movies, VHS tapes, audio books, cards, etc. which is perfect for the upcoming holiday season. The staff is more than helpful and the prices are very affordable. Most importantly, by shopping at this store you are directly contributing to help animals! 7/10

Paige: This thrift shop was particularly interesting because all proceeds went towards animal organizations.  Along the whole outside windows of the store were cute pictures of animals. Who doesn’t like that? Inside the store it was fairly organized, but left some things desired.  The clothing selection was subpar and there was a very limited selection of shoes.  Although we found the clothing/shoe department sparse, we did find a large selection of old DVDs and music.  This was for sure a highlight of the store. Overall the store went to a very worthy cause, and did a terrific job with its entertainment section. 6/10

Father & Son Antiques

107 W Hargett St, Raleigh, NC 27601

Antique Store

Paige: Getting to this place was a bit of a hassle! Located in downtown Raleigh, this thrift shop sells vintage goods and, for your average second hand shop, is a bit more expensive. The store was very well put together and offered a very wide selection of clothes with many different sizes. The clothing itself was worth the more expensive price tag and was overall higher quality.  There is truly something for everyone in this store. 9/10

Bella: Father & Son is a truly unique shop, especially for Raleigh. It isn’t quite a thrift store, I would call it something closer to an antique/vintage store. It also has an ever-changing selection; when I went during the summer they had a multitude of classic vintage shift, tea-length (and everything in between) dresses, and when I went during the fall they had a wide range of trench, pea, parka, etc. coats (just to name a few seasonal specialties). Father & Son has a truly impressive collection of vintage clothes, furniture, and art. Something uber special about this store is how huge it actually is. There are three floors total, one being for clothes and furniture, one for more expensive and specially selected clothes, and one for art. Going to this store is an experience in itself, even if you aren’t a fan of vintage goods or don’t plan on buying anything. I would recommend anyone to pay Father & Son a visit. 10/10

Goodwill

11031 Wakefield Commons Dr, Raleigh, NC 27614

“Your donations to GCF allow us to provide: Education- Provide free learning opportunities needed for success in the world of work and everyday life. Jobs- Through the donation of gently used clothing and household items, we are able to put people to work. Life Enrichment- Programs and services shaped to enhance the lives of people served by GCF. Disability Services- Support to families of children with special needs. Youth Services- Outreach to children living in marginalized communities regionally, nationally and internationally.”

–https://www.gcfglobal.org/

Paige: This was a bit of a change for me, shopping at Goodwill. I was very pleasantly surprised and found they had a good array of affordable clothing.  It did require a bit of sorting through clothes to find the things that I liked, but it is worth taking your time because you’ll be surprised by what you can find.  It’s particularly good for casual things such as t-shirts and sweaters. Finding pants and shoes is a bit more difficult.  It is a lot to take in when you first get in, but don’t be discouraged!  If you spend sometime there you can find really great pieces. 7/10

Bella: Everyone knows about Goodwill, but do they know what donating and spending their money in stores helps contribute to? Read the above. Goodwill is a huge thrift store that sells everything you can imagine. It’s hard to not find something when shopping there. It provides affordable clothes and furniture to its surrounding community, which is something extremely beneficial. There is not much else to say; Goodwill is classic and donating your clothes or spending your money there always contributes to a good cause. 8/10

HandmeUPs Thrift

8320 Litchford Rd #102, Raleigh, NC 27615

“Mission Statement: Creating jobs and advocating for adults with Autism and/or other Intellectual Developmental Disabilities (IDD) in the Triangle.

All proceeds are used to create jobs and opportunities for adults with autism and/or other intellectual/developmental disabilities living in our community.”

–https://www.handmeupsthrift.org/

Bella: This is probably one of my favorite thrift stores. Most importantly, I’ve met such wonderful people that work at HandmeUPs who are all extremely welcoming and sweet. They have a wonderful selection of clothes for children, teens, and adults, alongside a number of shoes, good quality furniture, art (really nice pieces, actually), jewelry, electronics, etc. I’ve found a number of items here that I wear regularly, and have even bought art to hang in my room. It is really awesome to know that all of the proceeds go to an important cause, and I wholeheartedly believe that shopping at HandmeUPs is an all-around pleasant and beneficial experience. 8/10

Paige: I give this thrift store thumbs up. It had a lot of clothing and an abundance of different oddities to choose from but lacked in overall quality.  Throughout the store, it was very well organized and I felt it was easy to find the things I was interested in shopping for. One huge plus of this place is that it supports those with autism and had pieces of art that different artists with autism created and where available for customers to buy. I thought this was a very nice touch and made me feel like my money was going to a worthy cause. 6/10