Cancer Connection Thrift Shop

As one who’s made a study of secondhand shops (including volunteer gigs at some), this is as good as you can get. Clean. Doesn’t have that «leftover» mold smell of some.
Well priced to MOVE, which is part of the key to a well run charity shop.

One of my favorite thrift stores to stop in and browse when I am in Northampton. Very clean and organized. They always have an interesting variety of items. Moderately priced, not a hunting ground for resellers, but a great place to find a unique vintage gift, décor or artsy/​vintage clothing and costume jewelry.

Love this place! The staff of volunteers are so helpful and the shop is bright and warm. All proceeds benefit the Cancer Connection, so it’s a win-​win.

Very very nice staff and an easy location to access. The merchandise turnover is pretty good for a small city. Great deals on music and books. The selection for men’s clothing is small, but their prices are ok. The shop has a high ceiling and clean bathroom, so you don’t feel like you’re shopping in someone’s basement.

This afternoon while swinging through the area I decided to stop in at this thrift shop to see what they had to offer. When I walked in I was amazed at how well organized the store was, and how many nice items they had.
This store has many clothing choices as well as a ton of different jewelery items and furniture. They also had a nice section towards the front of the store that was completely filled with books. As the previous review states, the store is priced a little high. That being said, the money goes towards a great cause which makes spending a few extra dollars worth it!

I give the shop four stars because it is very clean, well lit, organized and attractive and it benefits a non-​profit Cancer organization. Staff is helpful. However I feel the prices are on the high side for thrift and I left empty– handed, which is rare for me. Examples of prices were $ 24 for a man’s chili pepper print Hawaiian shirt, $ 8 for clothes from shops like the Gap and Target, $ 24 for nice vintage hats, and $ 200 for a signed oil painting of an elderly woman. One vintage hat chosen for the fashion show was out at $ 49 so it would not sell before the event. (As a point of comparison right before I went to the Cancer Connection I bought two vintage hats at the Hospice Shop on Bridge Street for $ 3 each.) The lady who does the pricing, who used to have an eBay store, explained that they are creating a boutique experience where they have done the sorting and it is easy for the customer to shop and they have taken on a lot of overhead. One of the volunteers was steaming every garment… they do have great attention to detail. The result is excellent for middle class customers and students with an allowance or a job who are willing to pay used clothing retail prices and don’t have the time or patience to dig through a lot of merchandise. However, most items are too high for vintage dealers and resellers (I buy to resell) and also too high for people who shop thrift because they can’t afford anything else. The very best items are on a separate rack. I would like if they separated all the low-​end clothes like Gap, American Eagle, Target, and cut those prices in half and also instituted a mark down calendar like the now defunct Filene’s Basement. Don’t even think of trying to buy the fantastic mid century furniture, for which I would have paid dearly– it was left to them on the condition they use it in the shop and not sell it.