Vapor Thrift Store

It was decent. The first time we went, it was much better. They’ve changed their layout and it was a little unorganized. But I found a great multi framed picture frame and my fiancée found a PlayStation for $ 12!!! It is a little out of the way, bit that’s why we go, to find some great finds. I even found a Louis Vuitton purse that I really liked but it was too small for the price they wanted.

Somewhere between 3 – 4, depending on your vantage point.
If you’re looking for a small boutique-​type place that caters more toward clothing and you also value a clean environment, then stop by.
But if you want more of a traditional thrift that contains varied items with a large inventory and low prices, then vapor is about a 3 star place.
It’s convenience does add to the rating, and did I mention there’s a Steel City Pops stand outside? My obese soul demands a higher rating but I’m reminded this is not a Steel City review.

Pros: For some reason I assumed the prices would be outrageous, given that this place is so close to Greystone and Mountain Brook. NOPE. In some instances the pricing is actually better than Salvation Army or America’s Best. We didn’t get much but the two things we got were practically new: a nice, high-​back office chair and a plaid shirt. We walked out of there spending less than $ 30, and the chair alone would have been $ 40 anywhere else. Or rather we’d have never seen it because someone would have snatched it up immediately. Shoes are all in good condition. Everything electronic looks like it works. Some of the furniture was a little beat up but hey, we lucked out anyway.
Cons: Something doesn’t smell right, and I don’t mean because it’s a thrift store. It’s actually probably one of the cleanest thrift stores I’ve ever seen. The selection is very simplified, but everything seems to be of outstanding quality. If you aren’t familiar with Vapor thrift stores, you might find it odd that the second you walk in there is a shelf of Vapor t-​shirts for sale. Turns out the thrift store is owned by a larger non-​profit devoted to «establishing self-​sustaining centers for humanitarian aid and disciple in third-​world environments.» So they are missionaries. They also have a promotional video for their non-​profit playing on loop in the corner. I have no problem with helping the third world but I have never walked into a Salvation Army or Jimmy Hale and experienced half of the PR blast as I did here. Though not necessarily enough to put me off from the thrift store entirely, it’s enough to make me wonder how many people shop here and just sort of accept the whole «oh yes I’m helping children in Africa» at face value.
Eh: The clothing is all nice quality, but as far as «fasionably updated» it doesn’t always hit the mark. I wear women’s plus size so my options are always limited, but at least they keep things organized true to size for the most part. Like I said before, the selection is kept small on purpose probably, but everything is quality and I am not the type who always has hours to spend going through a mile-​long rack of clothes.
Overall: I will probably not venture all the way down 280 on a regular basis to go here, but I’d hit it up if I was in the area. Definitely go there at least once!