7 Reasons I’ll Pay High Prices at Thrift Stores
If there’s one thing we love, it’s cheap prices at thrift stores.
I’m lucky that I’ve got the best thrift stores here in Maryland.
But this week I stumbled upon an upscale thrift store that made me stop in my tracks.
(See the other amazing stuff I found at the thrift store this week, too).
I’d never heard of this store, Life4Animals Thrift, in Gaithersburg, Maryland. This was a new neighborhood about 30 minutes away (I live in Silver Spring). I was about to get into my van when I saw it. I had to stop!!
The first thing when I walked in was this massive dresser! The first thing I said to a passerby when she commented on how beautiful it was, was “Yeah, but how in the world am I going to get up there?”
Then I gasped when I read the pricetag:
$3,200!!!
Apparently dressers like this go for $13,000 (so said the employee), but still, there was no way I was paying that amount for a dresser. From a thrift store, at that.
I kept walking and saw this vintage buffet. It was pristine.
I noticed the price was $250.
Which made me wonder, “Would I pay $250 for a buffet?” I’m so used to finding buffets (like this vintage buffet I made over) for $50 or less, it was hard to imagine paying that amount.
I turned to my Thrift Diving Facebook page and posed the question: “Would you buy this buffet for $250?” and got a mix bag of responses, from “That is NOT a thrift store” to “It looks antique & if it is and in good condition I would pay $250.”
And I wondered what YOU would say…
Would YOU pay $250 for this buffet??
Yesterday I thought I wouldn’t.
But the more I thought about it, and how clean this thrift store was (excuse me, upscale thrift store, as they call themselves online), I think I would.
And here’s why:
7 Reasons Why I Would Pay Higher Prices at a Thrift Store
1. Organized = They Care
Talk about organized! This was so unlike my usual Value Village thrift store (located on New Hampshire and Powder Mill in the Hillandale shopping center, for all you locals). It was the difference between going to Walmart versus going to Walgreens, if that makes sense. Things here weren’t all scattered and misplaced. It looked like someone took thought to carefully place and arrange items, as if they were valuable and loved.
Even the kid’s section was cutely organized. My 3 sons could hang out in this spot while Mommy shops, and it felt more like a play area at a cool bookshop. I really liked that!
2. It didn’t smell!
You know that familiar thrifted odor, right? The kind that hits you in the face as soon as the door opens and makes you hold your breath? But then you realize you’d rather shop than faint, so you just adjust. HA!
When I leave my favorite thrift store, I want to douse my hands in disinfectant (don’t say you don’t want to do the same).
But this place….smelled normal. It was welcoming. It was cleaner. Less icky. And because of that, I think I’d be willing to spend more money if the “ICK” factor isn’t there.
3. They weren’t ripping people off.
They had this amazing mid-century modern buffet for $150. Again, although more expensive than what I usually buy, it was still a solid piece.
They had these end tables for $40 for the pair, which I thought was reasonable, too. I’ve paid $30 for one end table at Value Village, where I get all my deals. So $20 for one here was reasonable, I thought.
And the fact that I walked out of there with the cutest OWL BRACELET for only $3.00 (love it!!), and a wooden necklace for $3.00, it was a happy shopping experience! I liked that I could find treasures at cheaper price points without feeling like everything was jacked up. There was something there for everyone.
I also picked up this desk lamp for $10. It was solid!!!
And this Coach belt I got for $3.00, too!
And I got this mirror for $12! I’m going to spray paint it pink (maybe) and put it in my master bedroom, which I made over recently.
And I also picked up with metal little table with glass inserts, for $8!
Even though I didn’t get this headboard, the fact that it was $8.00 impressed me. I felt like it should have cost so much more. It would have been a fabulous bench!
I also didn’t get any of these pieces of furniture. They were about $100 each.
4. It came highly recommended.
I love talking to other thrift divers. You get the whole story about a thrift store. One of the customers had found this ah-mazing coat rack for $40. She said she’d been shopping at this store for years, and that they had the best stuff. She was also a DIY-lover of painting furniture and making things over. You have to listen to the regulars. If they say it’s a great spot, then you’ve found a goldmine. We’ve got to support the good shops!
5. I’ve paid $250 for Ikea….so why not vintage??
I’ve probably paid more for my Ikea bedroom furniture that we’re still rockin’ after 12 years (it’s nailed together, though…just sayin’…). So why wouldn’t I pay $250 for a buffet that would probably last long enough to pass down to my children’s children’s children? It’s okay to pay for quality. (Now…I have to say, if you’re buying $250 furniture to resell, you won’t make much profit. But for yourself?? Go for it!
6. It supports a good cause.
Let’s not forget the whole point of thrift stores: to do good for communities and causes.
So imagine if we spend $250 on a buffet. So what?? We’re helping a nonprofit (in this case, the Washington Animal Rescue League). Although, did you see the big stink going on about Savers and how they have been sued $1.8 million because they weren’t honest about the amount of their revenue goes to the non-profits they’re supposed to be supporting? Yep, read that article here. But for the most post, I think thrift stores are genuine, and our money goes to good causes.
7. We waste money on other things.
I could easily buy a blogging conference ticket for $250, which is a one or two day event, and then it’s over. Hopefully I would gain something from it that lasts a lifetime, but you know what I mean. If you can pay $250 for this or that, why not for quality furniture that will last a lifetime? Especially if it’s an in-demand piece like this buffet.
It’s all a matter of what we value. And while you don’t have to spend tons to get good furniture, when you do come across good furniture at a thrift store, don’t be afraid to pay a little more for it. In the end, you get your money’s worth!
So what about you?
Would you have bought any of these pieces of furniture for these prices? Have you ever turned down thrifted furniture because you thought it was too expensive? Leave a comment below and add to the conversation!
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I agree with what everyone else has said…I will pay more if it’s for me, but most of my purchases are made with resale in mind, so I wouldn’t buy it. You made some terrific finds in there though…love the owl bracelet and the coat rack was just precious.
When it comes to resale, you’ve got to get it dirt cheap in order to make money off of it. Expensive thrift stores like this are strickly for the everyday homeowner! LOL
There is certainly something to be said for finding an amazing vintage piece in beautiful condition that is worth spending money on. However, I will say, one of the reasons I love thrifting is the “thrill of the chase”. The searching and digging through items to find that glimmer of gold shining under the “junk.” I go to thrift stores for inspiration for new designs, new home decor, new upcycling ideas. So, I personally wouldn’t be very likely to spend this much money on items (partially because I’m cheap, partially because my husband would kill me, and partially because I love taking something that’s $3 and making it look like $300!) 😀 Love what you do with this site!! You do great work!
I see your point, Emily! That’s part of the fun for me, too. I think it depends on what I’m looking for, too. The fun is turning the cheap into amazing. But sometimes a special jewel needs to be snapped up! I have a love of card catalogs. If I found one for $250 and loved it, I’d get it in a heartbeat, especially if something is unique and rare! 🙂
Thanks for commenting!!
serena, am in touch with millionaire’s daughter and am finding out about shipping. great store!
Awesome, Peppi! 🙂
Shout out to G-burg! I went to high school in Germantown, Maryland. 🙂 I love MCM, that piece I would pay $$ for in a heartbeat!
LOL, Vicki! You’re crazy 🙂 Where do you live now? I’m in Silver Spring!
Hi Serena,
I definately would pay higher prices for well-made furniture. As you know, most store carry veneered furniture these days because it is affordable. Since solid wood pieces (at good prices) are hard to come by, I’m happy to pay more even if it needs a repair or a bit of refinishing.
I love Ethan Allen futniture that was made 10 -20 years ago. Since most of those pieces are no longer in production, I’ve purchased them from Craigslist sellers. Also, I’ve had refinish a couple pieces….they turned out beautifully.
Yeah, Ethan Allen was EXPENSIVE and good stuff! I found a sofa at an estate sale for $100 that was Ethan Allen. Totally rock solid and definitely a bargain!
I do pay quite a lot at some Thrift Stores and even antique shops. Of course I’d prefer to find things for $10.00 or less – but I’m a risk taker with certain things. 1. I only buy for myself, I won’t ever be buying to re-sell. (Too slow and old to quickly turn out projects) + I can’t sell anything to anyone-no ability in that direction at all!. 2. There is a VERY large curve out there of furniture and accessory quality.There is so much stuff that is cheaply made and if the construction is poor quality (not just loose legs or joints) the piece to me is worth nothing. But- if it’s cheap enough I’ll buy it, re do it and enjoy it until I get tired of the piece and re-thrift it for someone new to enjoy. 3. Sometimes I’ve found gems quietly waiting for me in a Thrift Shop. These items are NEVER inexpensive, however I can recognize great stuff when I see it. Once at a Hospice charity shop I saw a magnificent huge buffet, the piece was Italian, built between 1860 and 1875 and once stood in a fancy hotel in Italy. I can’t even describe it for you except that it was 10 feet long and had a marble top and an enormous mirror above. Yet- no one ever described it as flashy or gaudy it was simply elegantly restrained. I had a spot in my house that would fit it exactly I just knew it would fit into an indentation in a wall in my dining area. Begged them to hold it, rushed home and measured my space and the fit was EXACT. Rushed back bought it and had it delivered the next day. The buffet only needed cleaning and polishing so no DIY involved. It did cost a few thousand dollars. It matched NOTHING in my house I’m a wicker furniture “comfy cushion” gal, but it worked and looked as if it was made for my house. 4. The desk I’m just making over now cost about $110.00. I’ve used it as a desk for 2 years and now I’m ready to make it cute and happy – and I’ll probably use it forever!
You need to follow your heart a bit with thrift shop finds but you should have some knowledge of furniture and other items before you spend alot.
OOooh, okay, you MUST email me a picture of that amazing buffet you’re describing! Wow, and did you say a few thousand?? 😉 I gotta see this!!! It sounds really pretty, too!
Dear Serena,
That is a story in itself. Bought that when I was happily working and my Sweetie was happily working. That piece made my house look fantastic, somehow it expanded the space so the room looked bigger and better than it ever had. About 3 years later my Sweetie died. Then my family moved out of town. Finally the supply of my type of work changed and I no longer had any new cases coming in to keep me busy and financially secure. Decided to downsize and follow family out of town. Sold house – no place in small but cute new place for any of my special things – turned my back and walked away. I had my critters -dogs and big birds, we were safe and happy – and in the end everything though beautiful was just stuff. That house full of stuff sold FAST, antiques, paintings wonderful china – just left for the new owner! Made a nice gal and her granddaughter really happy! I may have a picture somewhere and if I can find it you’ll get to see it.
Hi. I’m thinking if I had a spot and that piece fit beautifully I would pay that. It is not an heirloom so I would love to do it over. Yes. I’m not a purist. But it would be a piece I’d love for a long time. I tend to keep my furniture forever so say I kept it even ten years….twenty five dollars a year for that piece to sit in a perfect spot?!! So worth it. That’s less than furniture was forty years ago!!
Wow, that’s an awesome way to think about it, Gwen!! You know, that’s a great way to think of anything, really: how many years will I keep it, and how much will it cost me per year? When you break it down to $25 a year, that’s pennies! I should do that with the electronics I buy, too. The results, I’m sure, would be startling!
I have to admit there are times I’ve been shocked by the ridiculous high prices on pieces of pressed-board furniture…. I just pass it up, then again, I’ve gotten a few shelf units for my craft room at very reasonable prices, $4.99, $6.99 and $8.99. I paid 19.99 for my buffet, solid wood, I use it as a dresser. So in my opinion, if I had the $250, that piece would definitely be coming home with me. I still kick myself for not buying an 1890’s dresser for $65.00….. UGH!! It was so beautiful…. Why didn’t I buy it!?!….lol If I have the money and believe it’s a good deal and going for a worthy cause, I’ll pay! Love ya’
Gwen, another reader, commented above that she keeps furniture forever, and at $250, if she even kept it for 10 years, that’s only $25 each year, to own a great piece. I love looking at it that way! I think it’s a great way to gauge how much to spend on something: depends on how long you’ll keep it, how much you’ll use it, and what it will cost you per year. When you break it down that way, it’s not so bad.
Serena, the buffet is nice, I would buy it if I was going to keep it for myself, girl I now know that you defiantly need thrift shop rehab. I desperately need it myself. I think that there’s a 13step program out there somewhere.
So funny you say that–tomorrow is 50% off at the thrift store (this SAME ONE that I posted about!) and wouldn’t you know, I want to go back?? Makes no sense, since I am slowly running out of space and it’s hard to move that quickly on refinishing it. SIGH……Hello, my name is Serena, and I’m a thriftoholic.
wow… that is an amazing thrift store!!
Not only you got such a great deal but you also help supported a great cause for the animals in need!
🙂 Proud of you, kiddo!! <3
Thanks, Jan! I was realllly impressed with it. I think it’s the nicest one I have ever visited. And the fact that it didn’t smell…..sheesh, all the more reason to go back! 😉