Thrift store adventures!

On one of my more productive days, my friend and I decided to check out the biggest thrift/resale stores in the Houston area. It was 6 hours of treasure-hunting, frantic Houston traffic, and bipolar weather of rain and shine. Here's what we've gather!

1. Goodwill Houston Donation Center and Select Store (Westheimer)

Description: This store is relatively new, and I know this because google maps and street view still show a 99c only store.

Parking: there's about 20-25 parking spots open, pretty big

Inside: This place is big and there's a lot of clothes to rummage through. There's shoes, a very limited selection of furniture, home decor. Clothes are organized by type and color. However, the clothes seem rather dirty and aged. It was hard to find anything petite-friendly.

Prices: Shirts range from $5-8 dollars. Pants are $7-10. Furniture are overpriced for the nicks and dinginess they come with. Home decor is plenty, but dishware also appear to be overpriced ($10/plate).

2. The Guild Shop

Description: A small warehouse store also run by Christina ministries.

Parking: an open lot for about 20-30 cars.

Inside: The quality of the items are much higher than goodwill's. I can tell they take effort to inspect each item as they all come with tags with prices and bar code attached. In general, it's a great place for vintage/antique items. They have a huge selection of quality furniture with a vintage and homey field.

Prices: Shirts are avg $5. They showcase designer items. I spied a Chanel medium flap bag for $1800. Furniture can get a bit pricey ($150 for a table) but if you're looking for that perfect antique desk, this is the place!

3. Buffalo Exchange on Westheimer

Description: Your classy clothing resale shop that holds designer clothes and styles that range from romantic to urban.

Parking: 10 cars in the front, another 10 in the back. It gets competitive!

Inside: Clothes organized by style and size. Lots of cute dresses! I particularly like their jacket/blazer section. I found an Ann Taylor 0P blazer that fitted perfectly, but decided on an $13 express vest instead. I always find something that fits here.

Prices: Pricey! Dresses are usually about $30, and shirts range from $10-20 but you may be able to find a diamond in the rough with their 50% off markdowns.

4. Blue Bird Circle Shop

Description: A large store with a great selection of furniture.

Parking: about 20

Inside: the place is bustling with people. It is clean and well-lit, and the main attraction is the furniture side (clothing is meh). The pieces are very, very nice. Gently used to like new furniture. Lots of desks, tables, armoirs, and entertainment centers. I think this will be my go-to place for secondhand furniture.

Prices: Reasonable, and depends on what it is. End tables $35-$100, table prices depend on quality (I've seen less than $100 and over $500). Overall, I think it's on par with Craigslist with a greater selection.

5. Cotton Thrift Shop

Description: a quaint clothing/home decor thrift shop, smaller than goodwill

Parking: large lot in front

Inside: I have to describe this place as peaceful. It's not very busy and people there are very friendly. The clothing consists of standard shirts and tees, but they have very cute (and small) dresses! In particular there is this gorgeous sapphire Cache dress that fits like a size 0. For $20. They also have dishware and home deco. If you need a pair of crutches, they have 2 in stock.

Prices: CHEAP! Tees are $0.25-$50. Blouses are $3. Pants are $3-4. Selection remains a bit limited though.

6. Salvation Army Family Store

Description: huuuuge store with banner signs hanging from above. Wednesday: 50% all clothing!

Parking: 2 big lots, at least 50

Inside: Spacious, large windows, clean floors, and professional banner signs make it reminiscent of Sears. The clothing is cheaper than goodwill and the quality is better too. Though the selection is huge, finding small sizes is difficult. They have tons of books and the furniture is amazing. Like new pieces at a bargain price. I was especially captivated by their dining sets and couches. And they have delivery contractors.

Prices: Shirts and pants are on avg $5, making Wednesdays a great bargain. Furniture varies, but I am eyeing this dinette for $180. They also have this special where depending on how long the furniture piece has been there, you get a 10-30% discount. Judging by the dates of arrival, furniture goes by fast!

Phew! a long day warranted a long post.

Verdict: For clothing, Buffalo Exchange appears to be the one with the most selection for me since normal thrift stores have humongous sizing. For furniture and home decor, Bluebird wins!