Being a college student is hard sometimes, especially where cash flow is concerned. Part-time jobs can help with a bit of income, but a little creativity with our penny-pinching goes a long way.
Enter the art of thrift store shopping.
One of the best ways to save money is thrifting your clothes, and the city of Gainesville is filled with an eclectic bunch of thrift stores. While most people are familiar with Goodwill or Salvation Army, we chose to leave those off of this list and focus on places that you can only find right here in Gainesville. (Side note: The places on this list are strictly thrift stores, so places like Sandy’s and Cecile’s, which are technically consignment shops, aren’t listed.)
If you’re searching for a deal, but don’t know where to start, let this guide be your map to the best thrift stores around. I’ve broken down where to go, when you should go to get the best deal and what you’ll find at each store.
Scour Yelp no longer, here is your official guide to 352 thrift stores.
Outreach Thrift Store – 2430 NW 6th St
Outreach is quite possibly one of the most hidden thrift shops on the list. It is snuggled on NW 6th St just off of 23rd Ave. Outreach has mostly clothing, but they also have a few odds and ends like home goods and movies. If you are looking for the best deal on clothing, Outreach is a good place to start. For example, while most places price their dresses right around $6, Outreach’s prices vary. Some dresses go for as low as $2. Outreach’s biggest staple is the 25 cent rack. All clothing that has been in the store for 4 weeks flows to this rack where you can grab overlooked items for just a quarter. Outreach also organizes their clothing by colored tags. As certain clothes cycle out, a sale will make every item with a certain colored tag half off. Outreach prides itself, though, on the lowest everyday prices. Even though their sales are stellar, you don’t really have to know what day it is to get a deal there.
Urban Thread – 1202 NW 23rd Ave.
Urban Thread isn’t a consignment shop, as many people think. Urban Thread gets their shipments from catalogue returns and online returns. When someone returns a piece of clothing to the retailer, but the retailer no longer sells that item, they hand it over to Urban Thread. That means that you can find clothes from brands like Free People for almost half the price. The clothes you find at Urban Thread are relatively new in comparison to most Gainesville thrift stores, so if you are still looking for the latest trends, but you’re on a budget, Urban Thread is the place for you.
Haven Hospice Attic Resale – 300 NW 8th Ave.
Much like Goodwill, Haven Hospice sells just about everything. Their clothing selection mirrors that of Goodwill in that it has a little something for everyone. Have Hospice is a non-profit organization that helps local hospice patients and their families. All of the proceeds that the store makes are returned to Haven Hospice’s patients and their families. Not only are you finding a vintage sweater for the half the price, but you are also helping families in need. It’s a two for one, really. For the bibliophiles, the book selection at Haven Hospice is quite large for a resale store. The store posts daily deals on an A-frame sign at the front of the store. When you walk in, you will immediately be aware of the deals so you can get the most bang for your buck. When you walk into Haven Hospice, you may have to sift through the clothing a bit more than usual, the variety of clothing will make it worth it. Trying to steal your grandpa’s style? Haven Hospice is the place for you.
Flashbacks Recycled Fashions – 818 W University Ave.
Ah, Flashbacks. Flashbacks is the first thrift store that most UF students attend in Gainesville because its location is superb and it is practically a household name at this point. Flashbacks has been styling the people of Gainesville for 30 years. If you’re looking for some serious vintage finds, then Flashbacks is for you. Flashbacks houses movies (ahem, yes, that means VHS tapes), furniture, clothing, records and accessories. Their prices are fair and they are constantly restocking their inventory. Flashbacks often buys out other thrift stores that are closing down and takes all of those gems and brings them to Gainesville. While other thrift stores often focus on discounted clothing specifically, Flashbacks is the place to go if you’re looking to rock that authentic ’90s jean jacket or Dr. Martens for half the price. You’ll still save a buck, but you’ll look better than ever while doing it. Don’t feel like leaving your bed? You can shop Flashbacks online now at their Etsy store.
Junior League of Gainesville Thrift Store – 430 N Main St.
Looking for a thrift shop that is as organized as a local boutique, but without the high price tag? Junior League is your place. Junior League has all of their clothing organized on racks and color coated. They sell mostly clothing, but also a few household goods. Junior League also has an entire section of Gators apparel, most of it being name brands like Nike. The store is clean, organized and the employees are über friendly. They update their Facebook page frequently and post about their current sales. Some of their sales include bag sales and days where everything is almost half priced. The first time I went in, I selected a coin from a bag that had a 60 on it, only to find out that I was receiving 60 percent off of my entire purchase. Needless to say, Junior League knows how to do their sales.
Alachua County Humane Society Thrift Store – 4205 NW 6th St.
You heard it right, folks. The humane society has its very own thrift store for both you and your precious four-legged friend. The Alachua County Humane Society Thrift Store sells pet bowls, leashes, collars, harnesses, beds and even flea and tick medicine for your pets. The store also houses clothing, antiques, dishes, electronics, linens and more. For everyone who may be on a tight budget, but also wants to spoil their furry friend, the Humane Society Thrift store has all your wants and needs. Like most thrift stores, you are saving a buck. You can find pretty much anything you need at the Humane Society Thrift Store, but an added bonus is that all of the proceeds fund the humane society. Hooray for pups and thrifting finds.
Family Treasures Thrift Store – 710 N Main St.
Family Treasures is located just off of Main Street and houses just about everything you could want in a thrift store. Don’t be discouraged by the name, the shop sells more than just family items. Most of Family Treasures’ sales come from clothing. They run sales on their Facebook page, including their famous bag sales. During their bag sales, customers get a shopping bag and can fill as much as possible in the bag for just $5. Every item of clothing is also washed before being put out for sale, which not all places do. If you’re looking for inexpensive furniture for your new apartment or shabby Midtown house, Family Treasures is the place for you. They sell everything from bed frames to china cabinets. Need something to spice up your game night? Family Treasures has a wall of board games for sale as well. All proceeds benefit Children’s Home Society of Florida, which helps local foster children so you can lend your dollars to a cause that helps Gainesville residents.
Smash your piggy bank, lift up the couch cushions and head on over to your thrift store of choice. No matter if you’re looking for an old board game, furniture or even just clothes with a vintage flare, Gainesville has what you’re looking for.
Have you checked out everything Gainesville has to offer? Download our free GainesvilleGuide here.
Trending Now
