I consider this the best thrift store in the area; not only is the selection huge, but the prices are unbeatable. They have huge sections of clothes (women/men/children), shoes, housewares, small appliances, media (video/music/books), toys, games, and even a small section with furniture. The prices are MUCH better than what I had recently seen at a different store. They do have a parking lot, which gets fairly busy, but I've always found a space. To drop off items for donation, you can just bring you car to the front of the shop, and there are large plastic bins where you can place your items. There is usually an employee there who can advise you, and can also give you a slip to fill out for tax deductions. Tip - If you do drop off items for donation, they have been giving out coupons you can use in the store too. We were able to get an additional 20% off this way! read more

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O if I could, used to be a wonderful store with nice luxury goods fair prices. Maybe two years ago employee theft hauling suitcases full of luxury goods, the managers son. The company somewhat intervened.Since this time basically has overpriced junk. Fake items hundreds of dollars, they are not authenicators. Jewlery is a pathetic joke fake luxury $400. and up over $1000. People customers pay off employees to obtain authentic. Buyer beware please......I do not like to see the public/people exploited read more

I have been trying to get to this Thrift store for quite some time. This location is HUGE!! Rows and rows of clothing, accessories , toys, books and housewares! So many options!! I found my husband some nice shirts and myself some athletic clothing!!! I was a bit disappointed by the prices though! A little high for a thrift store. But the store is neat and in order. I noticed all the drop offs at the side entrance! So lots of donations drop off daily! read more

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It's really disappointing when a store that used to be good turns bad. This is the story with 2nd Ave in Union. It's completely overpriced now, for junk (I'm specifically speaking about home goods). Yesterday I spotted canning jars, short, 8 oz wide mouth for $2.99 each. Meanwhile a brand new DOZEN can be purchased from Walmart for $14.63, or $1.22 per jar. This has to be some kind of joke! Half-burned, dirty candles for $3.99, when you can get brand new ones for the same price? No thanks. Stuff is also thrown on the shelves willy-nilly, broken and dirty. I am all for helping to reuse and keep things out of the landfill, but not if I'm going to be taken advantage of. Too bad, this used to be a great place to find bargains and interesting things. read more

I used to like shopping here, now forget about it. The management allows resellers to get everything....These people point to the item they want...follow the employees to wherever they are to place it...not even where it belongs and get the item. Today I almost fell over seeing the employee receiving money...the reseller took money from her pocket and placed it in the employees cart...for this I will be contacting the BBB Better Business...Something needs to be done!!! read more

Second hand, first choice! Super organized and huge! Clothes for the whole family, plus accessories, housewares, decorations, vases, baskets, toys, books, and more. My 11-year-old daughter was so excited to try thrifting and she scored big with Abercrombie pants, a Y2K baseball tee (the kind that has contrasting sleeves), and a character tee she loved, all for just $6 total. I used to thrift back in high school too- it's great for the environment, easy on the wallet, good for charity, and always adds one-of-a-kind pieces that make a wardrobe or a gift special. It was fun to see it come full circle with my daughter's first thrift haul. NOTES/TIPS: **Restrooms available **Easy self-checkout, plenty of parking, and even paper shopping bags at checkout to carry your treasures. read more

I recently checked out 2nd Ave Thrift Superstore in Union this week. The store's inventory was well organized and the staff take care with visual merchandising here, which is key in giving donated items a second life by making them more appealing. I was just browsing initially, but I ended up buying a cute mug and some Japanese tea cups. There were definitely some gem finds at the store if you look. The self-checkout kiosks at 2nd Ave are easy to use also (no errors and the scanners read the QR price stickers quickly without issue). Today I drove over to donate some housewares after doing a New Year's cleaning. The process was easy. You'll see the green-drop doorway to the left of the thrift store's main entrance. You can drive up and unload your donations into the bins. A staff member helped me out. She brought over one of the rolling bins and then gave me a 20% off coupon for making my donation today. Good experience and would come back again! read more

2nd Ave - Housewares finds! - Thrift Stores Near Me - Union, New Jersey

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This could have been a good place to thrift. This place is overrun by resellers.. they will push and shove you. The employees are also in on it. They'll tell them if good bags are coming out to go meet them at certain isle.. the homeward section some will not place things on shelves until they see their friends so that they can get it.. I'm not sure if they have people come buy things for them since they can't hold on to things while working.. I use to go often now I try going once a month.. This seems to be an ongoing problem at this location and management seems to not care at all.. read more

Same group of reseller will claim the "good stuff" coming out. They will says" I saw it first" and will follow the associate closely until she puts it on the shelf for him or her to grab it. This is actually happening everyday. Not a good or friendly atmostphere. read more

This is a large thrift store with a little bit of everything inside. I visited this afternoon, on a federal holiday, which could account for how busy the store was. Upon my arrival, I noticed that it was very busy and kind of chaotic inside. There were people hanging around and sitting on the furniture, unattended children playing in the toy section, and a lot of the clothing strewn on the floor. It came across as a picked-over location because things were on the floor, which I've never seen at other thrift stores, even the big ones like Goodwill. I spent a few minutes looking through the clothes and noticed brands like North Face, Guess, H&M, and more. However, I found that the pricing on the jackets, where I spotted these brands, was outrageous. $40 for a North Face jacket with a broken zipper, that looked stuck at the neck. Other jackets were $24 or more. I was surprised by this considering the condition of the items and the store itself. Luckily, the clothing was organized by size which makes shopping easier. This store is mainly clothing, with a large shoe section as well, and some furniture, home goods, books, and children's items. I didn't spend much time looking around because of the chaotic appearance along with the off putting prices on the items I saw. I'm sure you can find gems here, many people came out of the store with piles of things, which I noticed when I parked my car in the lot outside. If you plan to stop by, I suggest going on a week day so it's quieter and less busy. read more

I've been to this store many times during the past three years. David who works in the book area is a polymath. He's also religious and a Southerner by birth. He's great. Val works in the merchandise area. She acts tough, but she's really a Sweetie. She complains at times -- but you can tell coming to the store is one of her greatest joys in life. She's surrounded by dozens of workers and shoppers who know her by name and care about her. If her car were to break down, her shopper friends would undoubtedly fan out, pick her up and carry her home in bucket brigade fashion. She'd likely complain a few times, but she would also be smiling and waving at all the cars driving by. Having said all this, if shoppers misbehave, she will "politely" call them out. Donna is a one of the few workers who has been with the store from Day 1 (along with Book David). She is trained to perform every job and she does them all with aplomb. Sam is the de facto store greeter. He knows hundreds of customers' names. A couple of the regular shoppers (the Bad Actors) have attempted to pay employees to funnel the best merchandise directly to them. I heard from regular shoppers, who have frequented this store longer than I, that this behavior has existed since the earliest days of operation. As you can imagine, some employees have fallen victim to this temptation. Fortunately, management has fired the worst offenders. But the new hires face the same temptations, so I hope management remains vigilant. Another employee is Alphonse. I've known him for decades, long before he landed in 2A. Sometimes I give him a ride home (he doesn't have a car). I believe he would like a few more hours of work each week, but, for some reason, I believe he is only offered part-time hours. Alphonse commutes into NYC for occasional acting classes. Maybe someday he will strike it big. And then there's Realia -- dear, sweet Realia. She's the grand dame of the store -- albeit a young one with a figure to match. She once offered to take Val out to dinner. Val suggested Kentucky Fried Chicken. Realia said no and told Val she would take her someplace nice. Val asked if she would spend $20 on her dinner. Realia shook her head and told her she would take her someplace really nice and spend more than $20. Realia started to describe how much she would spend on Val's meal, then she paused several seconds -- presumably she was calculating a proper amount. Realia finally announced she would treat her co-worker, friend to a $600 dinner. I was thoroughly impressed. I imagine Realia will have to take Val out of Irvington, NJ, and whisk her to a 5-star restaurant in Manhattan. I'd like to be a fly on that wall. Realia is one of the workers -- perhaps THE worker -- who follows the company rules most diligently. She does not show any favoritism. If the managers were watching Realia on the camera feeds, they would likely either fall asleep because Realia is so robotic or cheer because her manner is perfectly proper. Realia is from Georgia -- the state, not the country. When I first met her, I had assumed she was from some foreign land. Realia must arrive at work before most other employees because her car is almost always backed into an end parking space in the back of the store. Perhaps none of the other employees dare take that coveted end spot -- they likely deem it to be reserved for Realia, the presumptive Employee of the Week, Month, Year, and Decade. I was going to take a picture of Realia to show everyone, but when I told her of my plan, she laughed and flashed a beautiful smile and asked to be treated like a Normal. I have to honor that request. read more

2nd Ave - More Merch - Thrift Stores Near Me - Union, New Jersey

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While I was at the thrift store this afternoon I spotted a large glass pot lid I wanted to purchase on a cart an employee had just brought out from the back sorting area. When I picked up the lid the associate told me I wasn't "allowed" to take anything from "her" cart and I had to wait until she put the item on the shelf. She then proceed to stand there staring at me and not put anything out until I left. Isn't the main purpose of a store is to "sell" items and not discourage customers from buying? Never had this experience before and another customer who witnessed the incident was also shocked. Obviously not a customer focused employee. read more

Going to 2nd Avenue Thrift used to be something of a treat when driving back home from U.S. Route 22, with little treasures being a frequent joy to uncover amid the brightly lighted aisles. But lately, it's become increasingly unpleasant. Scavengers lurk by the warehouse door, mobbing the employees who are just trying to do their jobs and stock the shelves. On a recent visit, one of them even handed one of the employees some cash. Was it a bribe? Who knows! Other lurkers see fit to hoard merchandise, sit down, plug in their phones where shoppers are supposed to be able to test electronics. A couple of inconsiderate dudes even started tossing a football to each other around the store. No one seems to be in charge, and the entire experience is now extremely irritating. I doubt I'll be back. read more

2nd Ave - Lurkers congregate near the warehouse door, blocking shoppers, throwing footballs and starting arguments. - Thrift Stores Near Me - Union, New Jersey

Initially, I thought this was a great place. But as time goes on, prices have gotten way higher and the value just isn't there anymore. Thrift Stores in general lately have been confusing themselves with antique stores. And this one is no exception. read more

This place is big! They have a lot of great stuff. Huge book section. Lots of kitchen stuff. A wall full of board games. Lots of clothes, shoes, jewerly... and yes, more. I didn't really see anyone that worked there, though, so that was kind of weird, haha. It was also self-service for check out. The place was also surprisingly organized, which is awesome because obviously thrift stores have a lot of random stuff. It was clean and welcoming for sure. Prices were decent. I'd definitely go back. read more

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Really disappointed there was no dressing room - would have purchased more but jeans require a try on. Massive selection. Prices a bit high for thrifting. Very well organized. Would try again if I'm looking for anything that doesn't require a fitting room. read more

PROS: this is a nice, large size thrift store that has many items beyond just clothes. Media, electronics, toys, Knick knacks, etc. large size parking lot and public bathrooms CONS: many of the items are overpriced. I ran into some stuff that was priced over retail OVERALL: good place to come to shop for slightly discounted items. But if you're a reseller or someone on a VERY tight budget, this isn't the place to come read more

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Reasons to come here: a good variety of items, fairly clean, wide aisles (good for social distancing), and daily sales on certain color-coded price tags which are automatically taken off at the register. Caveat: the pricing is definitely off. See photos. While a modular 3 Tupperware was priced at $1.99, a Hillshire Farm container for lunchmeat (which most people throw away in the trash) was priced at $2.99!!! Gentle Reader, you can buy this container with lunchmeat included for $2.99 at the grocery store. For children's books, I wish there was a separate shelf for books in a foreign language. Otherwise, you have to scan the entire collection of children's books hoping to find the language that catches your eye....quite laborious. read more

2nd Ave - Tupperware Modular 3 was priced at $1.99. With a 30% off on orange price tags, the final price was $1.19 - Thrift Stores Near Me - Union, New Jersey

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I needed a sugar bowl, a casserole dish to make lasagne, and a new winter coat. Why not just grab them online and move on? Because I want it now, and also I don't want to spend a bunch of money on random off brand garbage. I'd rather spend a little bit of money on random off brand garbage. 2nd Ave thrift is perfect for this. They have clothes, housewares, tchotchkes, knick knacks, bric a brac ... You get the idea. We found all the stuff I needed, so win for us. However, I'm docking a star for the wild pricing structure. Some stuff? Very workable. Games are all like $3 to $5 max. I picked up a Qwirkle set for like $5. They have Cranium games for $4.50. Those things are expensive in stores. The kitchen stuff is hit or miss. I found a massive casserole dish for like $6. Sugar bowl was like $2. The cream jug was like $3. All workable. I've picked up mugs from here for like $2. Yes you could get the mugs from the dollar store, but these are way nicer. It's worth the $2, even though I wish it was $1.50. I got a sandwich maker thingy for $8. It's one of those ones that you can make a grilled cheese in. $8 is a bit high for that, but whatever. The newer brands are all garbage, so I'm ok paying the $8. Crock pots are all $15 and up. And up!!! A brand new one from an online retailer is $40 tops. I'm not trying to drop that much on a used crock pot. T-shirts cost like $4 or $5. I can get a brand new T-shirt from Target for $6. And it doesn't have that random stuff on it. It's a blank shirt. Would give the full 5 stars if the prices were like what I'd expect to pay at a thrift store. read more

I love thrift stores and am partial to the Unique/Value Village stores that have a few locations in Union county, one of which is down the road from this 2nd Ave store. Fortunately 2nd improves upon many of the flaws of Unique. 2nd Ave for one is a bit better run. The staff are a little less spread thin and are able to help you if you have questions, not to mention a bit friendlier. 2nd Ave is brighter and better kept up. I like the large colorful signs that show which section you're are looking for and sizes aren't all mixed in with each other which is good. Dressing rooms. This was a serious problem at both Unique locations and even some Goodwills. 2-3 dressing rooms. That is no good. 2nd Ave has at least 6 which is way better. Then the Sale days which are 3 days every week which gives you three times the chances of scoring a really good deal. Overall 2nd Ave is just an overall better kept thrift store that fixes a lot of issues with others. It isn't without it's own problems like but overall the experience here is very good and am hopeful they can maintain it. read more

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I have been shopping regularly at 2nd Ave Thrift for several years. Initially it was a great experience--great selection, fair prices, everything clean and orderly-- and because I could try things on before I bought them, there was no problem with the no-return policy. But then they eliminated the try-on rooms, and instead instituted a VERY LIMITED exchange policy: You can bring things back within 14 days for an exchange that same day (NOT merchandise credit). Because you never know whether you're going to find something you like on the day you bring an item back for the exchange, you sometimes end up losing a portion of your exchange. Considering that this is a for-profit store, I feel that's unacceptable. Then yesterday I had a very unpleasant experience: They had a big sign posted saying 50 percent off, including clothing, but apparently the intention was "only seasonal items." I went through the store, picking out clothing I liked with the understanding that everything was half price, only to discover when it was too late that I was spending twice as much as I expected to. I asked on the spot if I could void the sale and start over, but the clerk said sorry, no refunds. Spoke to the manager, and she made sympathetic noises but did not help me at all. The usual deal: I can bring it back within 14 days for an exchange. They took no responsibility for their misleading sign. I feel that I am moving closer to the day when I say I will not shop there anymore at all. Their policies are ridiculous, especially considering that they are a for-profit outfit. If they're not going to provide try-on rooms, they should give a merchandise credit for returns that is good indefinitely, or at least for six months or so, not this exchange-within-14-days b***t. I will also add that they used to have discounts EVERY DAY--certain color tags were 25% off, 33% off or 50% off. Now their only regular discount, apart from special sales, is 25% off on Tuesdays. I usually can't get there on Tuesdays, so I cannot take advantage of that discount. And their prices have gotten higher. Disappointing. read more

Really great thrift store! I love the hunt, but I also love a well organized store. Easy to find what you're looking for. Aisles are clearly marked, and items are nice and neat, and not crammed into the shelves like some thrift stores. Prices are fair, they have specials based on the color of the price sticker. Make sure to ask what the deal of the day is! I was really impressed with the way the artwork was displayed. They are on shelves so it's easy to look through without flipping through boxes of frames. I also liked how they organized small items. They were placed in small clear plastic bags with a header card with price tag. I usually thrift for home decor, but if you're looking for clothes, they have a huge selection. Definitely will be stopping by again next time I am in the area. I saw new items being stocked in every aisle while I was there. Don't forget to BYOB(ag)! They do not provide bags. read more

2nd Ave - Store front - Thrift Stores Near Me - Union, New Jersey

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I've been really into thrift stores lately and happened to pass by this one. I really enjoyed the wide collection of items they had. I started of with the books sextion and was happy to find some books that I was interested in. Working my way up i noticed that everything was organized correctly. There was a wide variety of clothing though i wasnt looking for clothes this time everything looked to be in good condition. The electrions were good too. The whole place was clean not many items were in the floor. I didn't see many staff around, only at the cash registers but they were helpful. If you are in the area and are ingo thrifting you should visit this location. read more

Super organized. Prices were very high on some items. Racks were empty in some sizes. Men's under armour golf shirt clearly worn and washed many time for 14.99? Didn't see much worth high prices here on items but it's worth a stop now and then. read more

So the selection is decent, and the store is large... however the SMELL? It smells like mold and moth balls. They also have done a poor job in cleanliness because there is hair and DOG HAIR on everything. As a person with an asthmatic response to pet dander, I literally started choking in the store. The prices have gone up since the last time I shopped here, but I'm sure it won't stop the regulars from the neighborhood from shopping there. read more

Pro's: Clean, fairly well organized and friendly staff. Con's: Prices were way too high for a thrift store, and they selection was ok, but not great. read more

There is always a wide variety of items to look through, as always with thrift shops it can be a hit or miss. I always have fun going on the hunt for treasures though, I have found some really nice items here, it just takes patience! read more

It's not the same store it once used to be. The prices went up through the roof! Sure it has a big selection, but I might as well pay a little extra and get something new, then pay such prices for used items. read more

Pricing was alright. A price I saw quite often was $9.79. I was able to get 7 items for $41 (4 tops 1 pants. 2 bracelets). Two of my items were new with tag and everything was in good condition. Im jappy with my purchases and will definitely come back. This store was alot bigger than I expected & it was packed with clothes They have a decent sized parking lot up front. They also have medium sized shopping carts, changing rooms and bathrooms They accept card and cash. They also have self checkout just remember to bring a reusable bag! read more

2nd Ave - The inside - Thrift Stores Near Me - Union, New Jersey

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it was my first time here. The store is very organized and prices are fair. I'm only giving it 2 stars because of the vultures waiting for the workers with the merchandise carts. As the workers came out to restock the shelves. they grabbed and picked the cart taking items they might be interested in like a bunch of crack heads. What a turn off! Management needs to restore order and set some boundaries. Someone is going to get hurt at this store. I don't think I'll be back anytime soon. read more

My daughter & I came here. It was our first time thrifting. I must admit, I had very low expectations & only gave it a shot because my teenage daughter kept asking if we could go. I was pleasantly surprised!! It was very neat & organized. I found myself consumed with the books section while my daughter did her thing in the clothing section. I managed to find 2 really good books & I'm pretty sure I could've found even more had that section not been so crowded. My daughter did very well & found jeans, a few really cute tops, hoodies & joggers. I didn't find the prices to be outlandish. I spent $126 on everything. Overall, I'm happy with my purchase!! Oh & please note, like grocery stores in NJ, they do not provide bags so make sure you bring your own!! read more

*Updated April 2024* this store has gone way down hill. There hasn't been fitting rooms for months, prices have gone up considerably, store is not as clean as it used to be, broken overpriced items on shelves, hardly any good quality brand name clothing on racks. It's a shame, I would frequent this thrift shop a few days a week in the past and bring home so many great finds. I doubt I'll be back to this one. read more

Great new addition! Huge, clean, well marked items, pleasant staff, tons of parking. Scored a corduroy blazer, a LLBean rain slicker, and a pair of shoes for $30! read more

$900 for used, covered in hair sneakers. Who do you think goes to a store like this? The place gets everything donated by those who wish to help others and this is how you price? This defeats the whole purpose of a thrift shop. Most items on the floor are broken, ripped and stained. ITS A DUMP. Dollar store items ( literally with tags from dollar shop) are tripled in price. Whoever runs the pricing here should be ashamed. read more

the people working there are friendly, there's good selection, and it's not too crowded! perfect for my fellow thrifters ;) one of my go to's for thrifting read more

This re-rate is long overdue on my behalf. I've been going to and supporting 2nd Ave Thrift since they opened but I've come across some things I do not like and this review will call them out on it. I can only hope the owner will do something to change things. Employees: So first of all, most of the employees are very friendly. I've noticed the young people in there appear to be upbeat and kind. There's a lady there I'm familiar with and her name is Annie - I really like her. She's always helpful and amicable when I come in. The manager however is another story. She's the darker-skinned lady with braids that wears frosted eyeshadow. She NEVER says hello. I usually stop in there at least 4-5x a week and she acts like she's never seen me or doesn't know my face. But can I tell you that even if you never have seen me before, it's only common courtesy to give a greeting. If I pass someone on the street, I give them a simple hello with eye contact but not her. She's so freaking rude. Prices: Their prices have crept up significantly. When they first opened their prices were spot on but now that they have gained popularity, their prices have gone up quite a bit. It doesn't bother me tremendously, as I do see their prices are still below the average pricing of other thrift stores in the area but it's still frustrating nonetheless. Employee Rules: This one takes the cake. I was told by one of their employees that they are not allowed to shop in the establishment on the days they are scheduled to work. I was advised that if an employee wants to shop there, it would have to be on their day off. So one time I was in the store and I spotted a beautiful...no it was gorgeous...coat behind their counter where they display other higher end items. I asked the employee about it and I told her I wanted to see it. The employee said "sure" she went to get the coat but another employee came up very quickly and whispered in her ear. The employee who was assisting me immediately apologized and said "the coat was sold." As disappointed as I was, I wondered why or who bought the coat for it to sit behind the counter. I walked away feeling confused and with no recourse. About 2 weeks later, I was standing at the same counter waiting for an employee to hand me an item that interested me, when another employee - an older lady comes running behind the counter. She had a toy in her hand and she said "Im'ma buy this for my grandson! Keep it back here for me." That's when everything clicked. The coat I had wanted just a couple of weeks prior must've been on hold for an employee. Man! That really sucks and it tells me the employees are NOT following the rules and in turn, it's allowing them to have first dibs on the merchandise- something management strictly forbids. In closing, this review does not mean I will completely stop patronizing this establishment but it does mean I wouldn't recommend it. I hope someone whose important reads my review and implements changes to get things together. read more

Prices ok, clean and organized, nice variety of merchandise, very similar to Goodwill, worth checking if you are passing through.... read more

2nd Ave - Thrift Stores Near Me - Union, New Jersey

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This is no Thrift, you'd get better prices at a Mall or Department store. They run a colored tag discount scheme promising low prices but the majority of items in the store carry the tag that's full price. Profit over premise, again this is not a Thrift store! Judge for yourself folks. read more

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Huge location with an ample parking lot. I'm pretty easy to please as I buy a little bit of everything for everyone. There are discounted codes but not easily posted for all to see. I checked the price of a few items at the self checkout. I found a beautiful wool Anne Klein walking jacket and upon further inspection found 2 discoloration spots. Looked like Clorox so back to the rack it went. I saw ragged Uggs I would throw out versus trying to sell. I struggled to find a decent item - was there for an hour and left empty handed. Will not be returning. Total waste of time. read more

Lots and lots of STUFF. I came looking for vintage dishwater and household items. I scored a beautiful glass bottle (for 3.99) that I found out later thru research was a pre prohibition decanter. Also purchased a plastic cream and sugar set that was very mid Century Mod...as well as several other items. I came here in hopes of finding milk glass that I normally pay $1-$2 dollars for in other places. Theirs was marked at $7, so I left it and moved on. With the daily discounts, I ended up spending about $40 on several pieces for my site and my home. read more

2nd Ave - Gravy boats, plastic dish wear, California Pottery, Turkey salt and pepper shakers... - Thrift Stores Near Me - Union, New Jersey