This store has been in Laurel a LONG time. I used to shop there much more frequently, whether alone or with my kids.
The GOOD: It's a big store, and usually very well-organized. They recently became even better organized. I was just there yesterday (7/20/24) with my youngest (my 20-year-old son, who is COOL ENOUGH that he doesn't mind hanging out with his mom !). They have installed white vinyl coated metal organizer racks in several locations to organize and arrange flat-ish items, so they don't end up in piles spilling off the shelves, getting scratched, etc. The aisle where they have cookie sheets, sheet molds, shallow pans, etc. is a sight to behold!! It also looks like the employees are keeping sets of matching glassware (drinking glasses) neatly organized with slightly larger gaps between sets, so that it's easy to tell what goes together.
They have a HUGE selection, but it's not surprising, since they're the biggest and most centrally-located thrift store in Laurel, MD. There's a Salvation Army north of Laurel, just above where Route 32 crosses Route 1, but THAT is a good store for FURNITURE and WALL DECOR.
2nd Avenue doesn't seem to carry large furniture--just usually random mismatched chairs and very small tables. Sometimes there will be a cabinet or two, but they're displayed at the front where the registers are, probably for the instant visibility and ease of removal when purchased.
There's ALWAYS a HUGE selection of almost anything one may need or want.
The BAD--there are TWO factors that stand out for me:
(1) The PRICES in this store have GONE UP, to almost ridiculous heights! It's as if the store has hired people with better knowledge of brands. I used to collect Lenox decorative pieces (vases, bowls, swans...) when I could find them cheap (those in cream color porcelain with gold borders), but I saw a nice size oval bowl at 2nd Avenue yesterday priced at around $15, which seemed high. I worked at Garfinckel's --a now defunct chain of slightly better merchandise than Woodward and Lothrop, also now defunct, or any current higher-priced chain--back in the early 80s, while I was in college. The prices 2nd Avenue asks for "collectibles" these days is CLOSE to what they cost NEW, in my opinion.
2nd Avenue HAS to REMEMBER that their merchandise IS DONATED !!!! They get it FREE, so it's not like they're buying anything wholesale!!!
(2) 2nd Avenue STILL assigns COLORS on the price tags as they price incoming merchandise, BUT THEY NO LONGER OFFER SPECIAL SALES ON CERTAIN COLORS, which USED to be MUCH of the reason I shopped there!
Now, it seems they'll pick ONE weekday and offer 25% off. For example, their "sale day" is currently Tuesdays, and it seems EVERYTHING is 25% off. They USED to typically pick 2-3 colors, and might offer 50% off one color, 33% off another, and 25% off another. That way, the discounts might be really great depending on the color of tags on what one found. Sometimes they might also focus sale colors on only Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.
I guess Tuesdays are typically SLOW DAYS, and the weekend's BEST donations have already been picked over by the end of the day Monday, so they figured TUESDAYS would be a good day for moving out the LEFTOVERS.
The MERCHANDISE is as GREAT as ever, BUT the PRICES and DISCOUNTS are just NOT GOOD anymore.... read more