Salvation Army

Big selection of clothes and furniture at bargain prices at least at the Fort Street location. Parking can be a problem because it is so popular. It would be nice to have a lounge of sorts for the people (mainly guys like me) who shop for one or two items and then are done. It would allow furniture to be «comfort tested» too. My wife could spend all day here with $ 50 and be very happy. A coke machine would help too.

I was shocked to see such a low rating on this place. Yes they are more expensive than other Salvations, but they have much better merchandise! Even if the ticketed prices are high, they often have sales up to 75% off. I bought a DKNY wool coat for $ 11, Merrell hiking shoes for $ 12 and Asics running shoes for $ 14. All of these items were in excellent condition and would have been at least $ 100 in stores. It’s also clean, nicely decorated and doesn’t have that musty thrift store smell. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars is because I often see nice things in the window or on the walls, but sadly they won’t sell items from the display. Otherwise a great place! I almost don’t want to post this in fear that other Unilocalers will go snag up the good stuff!

As everyone else has already said, the items in this store are overpriced. I understand that designer items (that are still in good shape) are going to be more expensive. However, items from non-​designer shops like The Limited, New York and Company, Banana Republic, etc. should not be selling for $ 20 when you can find the same (or better) deal in clearance sections of the actual stores.
My advice is to only go when there is a sale. Otherwise, you’re wasting your money.

I have found many great items at this location for a great price. With that being said 80% of the items are too much money I know the store is labeled as a boutique and rightfully so as the items are high quality.
This store recently had a vintage sale on 8-​8-​2015. They labeled everything with orange tags that could not be bought until the 8^th of August for the big sale. During this sale I did get a couple really nice items for a decent price.
My problem is the pricing on these items that are vintage — where do the employees get these numbers? They had cameras for sale for 50 $ that were going for 5.99 on ebay. Why would I spend 45 $ more?
They had vintage bikes for 300 $ that no one touched. I then go into the store a couple days after the big vintage sale and guess what? All the old vintage pieces with orange tags were all 75% off and still not one person was buying them. Even at 75% off it’s still overpriced.
I feel bad for the customers who paid 1,000% over the going rate for some items and could’ve gotten it for 75% off the next day. Just cause it’s vintage doesn’t mean its valuable.
I have also seen a polo shirt and other items on the racks that have been there for 2+ months the turnover on these items should be much quicker.
All in all I’m not knocking the store as it is a boutique with high quality items but the pricing needs to be adjusted properly. I do enjoy this store and will be back!

I truly don’t know how they even get away with their outrageous pricing. It seems like it would be against the larger organization’s policy. I’ve often seen things priced for more than they originally cost and in much worse condition. (We’re not talking high end either. i.e. Target clothing.) I stop in probably 2 – 3 times a year while in the area hoping that maybe pricing or management will have changed, but no such luck! Please save yourself the trip and disappointment.

Well, $ 125 for a used stained up non designer sundress. $ 15 for a old pair of nike sweats from the 80’s. And lastly, $ 29 for an old pair of route 16 jeans from Walmart. Not an awesome «bargain»

Emma here, I try stuff, and tell you all about it! I heard that this location was having a big sale on the 4^th, so I stopped in for a preview– Wow! I am impressed. I would say i am a «thrifter» for sure, and I have now found the cream of the crop! I scored a brand new pair of Lululemon yoga pants for 16.00, (amazing!) and bought several items for my home in their houseware section. Everything is set up so pretty and such nice displays! It feels more like a fancy department store, but with low prices! i’ve read other posts that say this Salvation Army is a little high– I don’t agree, as they have many sales, and I was informed that today is student day, so guess what– I was able to get a discount on my cute home items! Brand names and lower prices keeps me out of the mall, and saves me money in the long run! I will be back for the big sale this Saturday. Parking is easy across the street, or behind the store, and there is even street parking. All parking is metered, but that’s ok with me. Worth it! The houseware items are really nice, and affordable. Who knew that people donated this nice of stuff?!!
This store stays open late, with hours from 9 am to 10 pm! They are open every day, except on Sunday.
Do yourself a favor and stop in to take a look! You may find you are looking around for hours, and you will not be sorry! Beautiful store. Sales staff was very pleasant, all smiles and I was greeted when I walked in. I was thanked for my purchase as well. A+!!
Store was clean, and well stocked with plenty of name brand clothing, and many new with tags!
This location takes donations as well, which is nice, since they are located right in the heart of downtown Royal Oak.
This is the best thrift store I’ve been to yet!

Vast improvement at this location! Store displays looked awesome, great clothing selection, and I browsed the home bric a brac for an hour. Love this store! Managers took the time to say hello, very nice. Love the new managers!

First and foremost the pricing is ridiculously high. Almost twice the ‘going rate’ for items on eBay and elsewhere.
Second, after finally finding a staff member to help, it was a giant hassle just asking about an article of clothing in the window. They don’t allow people to buy window items if they were just put out. And after I asked if I could try the item on so I could even know if it fit, they even refused. Even though the item was accessible and just draped on the mannequin. What kind of store doesn’t want to sell the items they have?!

Good quality items especially household/​furniture. I notice a lot of clothes still had their original tags on them. Staff is friendly. Some clothes are very pricey… (Ex.80 dollars for a pair of woman’s dress slacks) I was told by a friend this Salvation Army is now a boutique store… I’ve never heard those words in a sentence before. Overall the store is clean, stocked with good finds and because your in Royal Oak… You don’t have to worry about parking its directly across the street form a huge lot .(pay lot)

This used to be a wonderful thrift store before it became a «boutique.» Now, the prices are an atrocity.

The displays in the household department are just beautiful! I felt like I was shopping at high end store! Love, love. I always find something here that I have to buy! A + on the displays! Sally’s rocks!

My review is for the drop off at this location. Very rude, I will donate elsewhere… Idiots.

This store is terrible in every way. The prices are insane, the clothes are nothing special, and the people who work at the store are snotty. Five thumbs down.

Nice place and I like that it’s set up like a boutique. However, the items are way too overpriced.

For a Salvation Army, it’s a bit overpriced. However, they have some amazing vintage items in the store, and have tons of discounts! People that work in Royal Oak get 50% off during lunch hours on any weekday. You can find some gems for an affordable price if you plan it right.

As a frequenter of thrift stores nationwide, I can honestly say DON’T GO HERE.
Sure, they brand this as the Salvation Army Boutique store, but the pricing is so ridiculous that you’d be an idiot to buy from them.
Don’t get me wrong, I like the work that the Salvation Army does to help people out… but this store is over the top.
Let’s just take this one price for instance… a used suit for $ 320. USED SUIT. Someone has sweat in it, pooped in it, probably even had a sexual encounter or 2 in it… and they’re selling it for $ 320… or roughly what a new suit would cost.
Let’s also do a location comparison… it’s Royal Oak, Michigan… I frequent the Goodwill Boutique store in Boca Raton, Florida… where there’s probably 10−20x the money in the community… and their suits are only $ 50 and never over $ 100! And THEY’RE BETTER BRANDS!
Come on people… listen to your critics… you’re way off point and messing up.

The only thing I kept saying the whole time I was in there was, «Are you kidding me?!»
Usually, a trip to a Salvation Army thrift store means finding cool/​unique things at really low prices. Not at this place.
When I first walked in and looked around, it seemed pretty cool. I even told my boyfriend that this seemed like an awesome Salvation Army. It looked like it offered a lot of cool décor, and vintage, fashionable clothing. Wow, was I wrong.
First of all, it was completely overpriced. For example, I saw a heart shaped post-​it note dispenser, and it was $ 7. I don’t even think they’re that much brand new in the store! That’s just one piece of overpriced junk that stuck out in my mind, out of the thousands of things I saw in there. The clothing was beyond my price range. I get that they’re mostly designer, but this place might as well be a resale shop, not a Salvation Army.
And I’m not exaggerating when I say that the ONLY things that appealed to me in the store were «displays only.» And when asked, they didn’t even offer to sell them. Turns out that the «cool décor» that I thought this place offered wasn’t for sale. Which is probably why their prices are so high… they hoard half the things they bring in.
Last, but not least, the staff was less than welcoming. We were never greeted when we walked through the door. The nicest thing I got from them is when the girl apologized for something being display only.

This place is a joke.
They’re trying to sell USED clothes for MORE than their retail prices. I didn’t pick out one thing that cost less than $ 10 here. Needless to say, it was a short visit and I left empty handed.
If you’re a true thrifter, this store will infuriate you. If you enjoy paying over-​inflated prices for used designer goods, then it’ll be right up your alley.

Sally’s On Fourth spits in the eye of a respected institution dedicated to helping the needy and being accessible to the needy.
How exactly is a pseudo-​boutique in Royal Oak selling donated designer threads at $ 40 – 80 achieving that? Something’s rotten in the state of Salvation and it’s not the musty perfume from a suspicious boxy jacket.
An upscale boutique in the Salvation Army chain might challenge logic, but I can live with it and support it, provided the merchandise is in financial reach of its core constituency. The only lower income people likely to be shopping here are teens and college students from OCC blowing their discretionary income or FAFSA loans. Shoppers look distinctly like the sorts who can afford the other pricey boutiques in the area, like Pitaya.
The price tags and the merchandise match the hoity toity feel. This is much less thrift store and more picked over selection of donations from a selection of name brands, like Express and The Limited, Jones New York, Liz Claiborne and so forth. The clothing has cleanliness and a variety of styles going for it, but a narrow selection in typical categories (pants, skirts, dresses, jackets), and a mere fraction of what a comparable resale shop like Regeneration or HIPS carries, to say nothing of a fully fledged Sally Ann. The organization within the shop wins top marks, without the usual clutter known to beleaguer thrift stores — because this is a used designer resale shop, basically.
Items have a serious mark up, a percentage way out of line with thrift stores, and at least 20% higher than most comparable resale shops. I’m used to paying $ 10 – 15 for a nice pair of the Limited dress pants, $ 20 for Michael Kors; here, expect the Kors to go for ~$ 35, if you’re lucky. Sales tend to target bigger ticket items instead of smaller ones, at least whenever I’ve wandered past. I don’t see the appeal in the things I can afford never coming down from their inflated prices, and the out of reach items being still overpriced and barely attainable.
This place may pretend to be a non-​profit, but they’re sure trying to rake in the cash.