First of all, please remember that this place is run by volunteers and it's a thrift store, so you…read moreare the one looking for good finds aka treasures. You probably won't find the newest books (unless you have good timing of someone just dropping them off at that exact moment). And, yes, you have to dig through stacks and racks, but isn't that what you would expect from a thrifting place? And someone wrote that things were "picked over." It seems like the volunteers are trying their best to put everything out as things are donated and it's all about timing of when you're there. It also depends on season. For example, the gardening book section was full but I was told that during the spring, it becomes pretty bare quickly because everyone starts gardening again. Probably the same for the Christmas section in December. What they have depends on simply what they have. And if some volunteers are getting first dibs for some things, that is definitely an incentive to be a volunteer here because especially during December, they are sorting through boxes and boxes in the cold. I bet when people donate things, not everything is organized or super clean or in the best condition.
I do have to share from the beginning that ALL of the volunteers there are soooooooooooo lovely, sweet, helpful, and so happy to be there and to help you. They are the prime examples of great volunteers!
One of them, Sue, actually offered to give me a tour and gave me a lot of great information about this place and showed me all the different sections.
All books are divided by genre (all possible genre can be found here) and it's kind of fun walking through the maze of books and shelves to check out all the different books. Thank goodness for cell phones because I lost my friend a few times. All the books are donated from people, so again, don't expect the newest books but they have so many books by famous and well-known authors. While I was there, they had a cart with books that were just donated but they didn't sort it yet and I saw that they had Pachinko, which is still currently a popular book. Also, their children's section is so cute!
They also have:
-games
-puzzles
-toys
-records
-CDs (yes, CDs!!)
-DVDs (yes, DVDs!!)
-random electronics, like a stereo with a tape player and CD player. And a printer!
-a room perfect for teachers looking for textbooks or teaching material.
-test prep books, they might have them. Not sure how outdated the prep books are depending on which ones you are looking for.
You really pay so little for books (25 cents to $5 to some things that have specific prices) and for other items ($2-$10 or more depending on the item).
Also, they have a section that is a thrift store of
-clothes
-bags
-shoes
-jewelry
-random home items, like kitchen items (I wanted so many things from here but I didn't "need" them
-crafting items (someone bought a huge handful of knitting needles for $12)
-Christmas items
-fancy China and glass items
-luggage
-just so many things other than books
My friend and I spent over an hour here, just exploring. If you are a true book lover, you could probably spend hours just peruse through your favorite book genre sections. If I was by myself, I could've stayed there longer just looking at all the fiction books they had.
Also, here are some interesting things I learned from the lovely Sue.
-All the proceeds they make go to local charities. Literally those in their communities, not national ones.
-You can donate, too! I think pretty much anything as long as it's in good condition. I need to go back and donate my printer and teacher materials. FYI, you can only donate 3 boxes at a time. This way, you're not bringing a truckload of stuff and just dumping it on them.
-When you donate, the volunteers will start sorting as they come in.
Things to know before you go:
-There's a private parking lot! Yay! I love it when there is parking.
-It's a maze and tight in there, so be ready to say a lot of "excuse me" and be patient as you squeeze past people.
-If you want to pay with a card, there's a minimum of $10. No taxes.
-Please go with an open mind. Think of it as treasure hunting. And, for books, you might find a book that you would never thought of reading.
-I was told that you had to pay for books before going to the thrift store section, but I saw some people paying for books at the thrift store section. So, I guess it depends on who you ask.
-I don't know how it is in the warmer months, but it was super cold in certain sections. So dress warm if it's cold. But at the same time, try to avoid bulky clothing because, remember maze and tight spaces?, but also when you are in the thrift store, there are a lot of fragile items, so bulky clothing might not be the best thing to wear?