The Salvation Army Family Store

Another thrift store out of many. This one have clothes improperly categorized, making it difficult to find ones that fit me.

I was on the hunt for an outfit for an 80s-​themed party. Unilocal hinted this may be the place to go and it definitely was!
As soon as I walked in, I found two outrageous dresses straight from the decade. I browsed for about 30 minutes or so looking through all the clothes (there are a LOT) and noticed a ton of stuff that had a more dated/​vintagey vibe. If you’re looking for up-​to-​date styles, this probably isn’t your place.
Prices were pretty good (my silk dress was $ 8 — the shoulder pads in that baby alone were worth that I’m sure). Yes, there is that smell. You know the one I’m talking about. The cashier was super friendly, they take credit cards, the lot is huge and hours are convenient (open til 8 I think). They were blasting Christian radio, which was kind of whatever but got annoying after awhile. The fitting rooms aren’t very well lit — but they have actual fitting rooms with mirrors, so that’s a win.
If you’re looking for older-​style or basic clothes (jeans/​plain blouses/​shirts), this is a great place to stop by. If you want the other things — jewelry, knick knacks, Furniture, etc… not for you.

On my grand pre-​Yelp event tour of Columbus’ thrift stores, I discovered that this was the closest one to my present location in German Village. This is a large Salvation Army, with quite an array of women’s clothing, though I haven’t really found much that appeals to me and in my size. I do like that they hang the pants from the side since I am always peering at the tags to find sizes that might fit me. There are only a couple of fitting rooms, which could mean a bit of a wait at peak times.
They do play Christian music in the store, so if that is a dealbreaker to you, you probably shouldn’t be shopping at the Salvation Army anyway.
Favourite finds so far:
— Brand new Croft & Barrel flats, $ 8
— Corpse Bride movie poster, $ 4

Pretty good selection on everything. Not too many books though, which is a bummer. I enjoy browsing the books whenever I’m in a thrift store. I did find a vintage Coach «Willis» bag for $ 16 and snatched that up. Holler.

Thrift stores can be a tricky place rate since everyone’s experience can be heavily skewed by a single trip w/​o luck or one amazing find. so, just wanted to stop in multiple times (weekdays, weekends, different seasons, etc) before voicing my thoughts. Hope you find this useful!
–Clothing is definitely its major focus — selldown is quickly restocked and empty racks are not often found here. There is some decent furniture, but there are relatively little household items, art, appliances, etc.
–Clothing here is mostly older w/​lots of vintage trenches, wool sweaters, etc. You won’t be finding much within the past 5 – 7 years if not longer.
–Nice vintage patterns on wovens and sweaters
–3 fitting rooms!
–Clean bathrooms! (if you need TP, just ask the cashier: D)
–There is a decent amount of women’s shoes by the cashier, but less so for mens (usually about 1 – 2 racks worth). Accessories isn’t one of its strong points (if you’re looking for mens shoes/​belts/​hats, the volunteers of america down the street is a better bet).
–If you’re a dude, men’s sizes here run a bit bigger so it might be more difficult to find small sizes.
Overall, I like shopping here because it’s never crowded, clean and well-​stocked, and it’s a nice place to take your time and really dig for those finds!

This is everything you could ever want in a thrift.
They have tags that go on sale by day. And they are fairly organized by the amount of floor space they have. I noted a LOT of vintage styles, mainly 1970’s-1980’s so this place has not been completely picked over by resellers.
Little furniture in here, great place for clothing.
On my last trip down here, I had the joy of finding a cool 1940’s coat just in time for the cold weather.

Awesome thrift shop. Takes credit card, generally well organized. My one star off is for the over-​focus on clothes and not enough on nick nacks.
My wife made the comment that she likes the way they hang their pants (from the side instead of the top) so it’s easier to view the tags when browsing.

The quantity of clothes on the racks here overwhelmed me quicker than usual on the day i stopped, so i retreated to the back of the store to scope out the miscellany. I found a simple and fun Yamaha drum machine for $ 2 that works perfectly. A friend of mine coveted it, so i gave it to him for his birthday. I bought a good looking wooden chair for $ 10, but it split in two at the very location where one’s anal cleft normally rests. Oh well – so it goes sometimes with thrift store furniture.
I did find the courage to go back to the racks after looking at bric-​à-​brac for a while, Jack (sorry). I found some decent jeans in my size for an acceptable price. It seems like the jean selection is always very picked over when i go a-​thrifting. The one pair i bought is a little high-​waisted and stiff and i fancy that i look a bit like a 1980s German fashion model in them.
All kidding aside, this store could be a fundamental piece of the puzzle that is clothing and otherwise outfitting yourself, your family, and your living quarters.

This Salvation Army shop is a little out of the way down on South High Street, but it’s one of the better thrift stores around. They have a great selection of clothing. The racks and racks of t-​shirts, jackets and button-​ups are always what get me, but other apparel is well represented too.
As for the rest of the stock, things are a bit disappointing. The furniture is bad shape, even for a thrift store. Should my standards be this high at a Salvation Army? Maybe I need to reassess things.
Oh, and they hang their pants super oddly: They are folded in the hanger so that the top faces the shopper directly (at an angle) but the legs still hang normally. Weird.

This Salvy is great for clothes (good spot for t-​shirts) and occasionally furniture. The furniture changes pretty often, so you can check back every couple days and see something new. They do a lot of 50% off sales too. Personally, when I walk into a thrift store I go straight for the bric a brac. The quantity is pretty unimpressive, but I’ve found some quality stuff a time or two. And it has uncommonly modern and clean bathrooms, if that’s what you look for in a thrift store.