List O'Rama Part One: Thrift Stores in the TC

Tip Of The Day: Lists! For you! My momentous first list is “Thrift Stores in the TC” – a mostly comprehensive list of many of the fabulous thrift stores (no, not all of them, I’m not that thorough or patient, so shoot me) in and around our fair Cities.

Tip For Tomorrow: More lists! For you! Consignment stores in the TC.

Further Elucidation Of My Cheap Deal: When I was chatting online during my Fox 9 News appearance (yes, I worked it in AGAIN – my self-promotion abilities are truly astounding), a viewer asked if I knew where to find a list of the thrift stores in Minneapolis.

To find such a list you could Google it, you could Yahoo it, or you could City Search it. Or you could come here! To Cheap But Not Easy! The source of ALL FRUGAL KNOWLEDGE. Okay, possibly I am exaggerating. But I did make a list.

And this list is of thrift stores only; consignment stores are right out. RIGHT OUT, you hear me? That’s tomorrow’s list, anyway.

In case you were confused as to the difference, consignment stores are where you go to sell your gently used goods. Thrift stores are stocked through donations – in short, you don’t earn any money when your stuff sells ‘cuz you gave it away. But you are recycling - you’re welcome, Al Gore - and supporting a whole manner of good causes. Yay, you!

I also did not include mixed-use stores like Steeple People or Tatters or Ragstock, which have some thrift, some new and some consignment. Once again, that will be another list for another day.

So, today’s list! Thrift Stores! I’ve included the major players and their locations, plus a few single stores that looked cool and actually answered their phone when I called (so I could confirm they still existed). I’m sure I missed a few (or a lot, whatever), so please feel free to include any missing stores in the comments section. Thank you, now go forth, oh ye shoppers, and be cheap. And multiply, or something.

The List:
1. Arcs Value Village Thrift Stores, http://www.arcsvaluevillage.org/
- New Hope, Brooklyn Center, Richfield (my favorite location)
2. Unique Thrift Stores, no web site available
- New Hope, Burnsville (Lou’s fave), Minneapolis, Columbia Heights, St. Paul
3. Saver’s, http://www.savers.com/aboutus/storelocator.php
- Bloomington (my favorite location), Columbia Heights, Maplewood, Minneapolis, St. Paul
4. Goodwill, http://www.goodwilleasterseals.org/site/PageServer
- Apple Valley, Coon Rapids, Eagan, Hopkins, Maplewood, Maple Grove, Roseville (where I do all my donations), Shakopee, St. Paul, St. Paul Outlet, West St. Paul
5. Goodwill’s Second Debut (aka high end thrift), St. Louis Park
6. Salvation Army, http://www.thesalarmy.com/loc/thriftstores.htm
- Blaine, Burnsville, Columbia Heights, Minneapolis (2 locations), St. Paul
7. Silver Angel Thrift Store, Minneapolis
8. Stone Soup Thrift, St. Paul Park
9. Maranatha Storehouse, Crystal
10. Nearly New Thrift Store, Richfield

That may not be all the stores, but hey! Ten different stores and a whole lotta locations, all for your shopping pleasure! Plus web sites! And there are more cheap lists to come, so stay tuned to your local station. Which would be me. Cheap But Not Easy. In case you forgot where you were.