The assistance league is a non-profit organization who aims at helping underprivileged children, primarily those who cannot afford to buy their uniform clothes for school.
On the corner of San Bernardino Road and Propspero street is their Thrift Shop. I worked there this summer, so i hope my review isn't biased or gives you the wrong perception of the store!
Types of Items sold:
Clothing: The store sells clothing for all ages and for both men and women. This includes shoes, accessories (such as hats, belts, suspenders), jewelry (watches too), 2-3 pc. men's suits, and childrens' clothing for all occasions, including infants and toddlers. They don't really have a lot of "vintage" clothes, but they do have a lot of current brands. The even have a section of Designer clothes that has brands like Guess, Juicy Couture, Calvin Klein, Christian Dior, the list goes on.
Kitchenware: Many "like-new" appliances, cups, mugs, silverware, pots, pans, kitchen utensils, etc. When i moved into my apartment I think I spent about $30 for 4 pots/pans, 5 kitchen utensils, and a few cups/mugs. This was a great place to stock up, and not have to pay a fortune like i would have, at Target or something, especially when I'm on a college student's budget.
Linens/Home-decor/Bedding: They have a relatively small section of these items here, but there is still a lot to look at. It all depends on the day you come in. They carry items in most bed sizes. Lots of times they have full bed sets or they'll have pieces of sets that you can put together. They always have a lot of decorative pillows, towels, and decorative items for the bathroom and house.
Books/Magazines: HUGE Selection. They get lots of books donated, and they have an entire room that houses their books, magazines, and electronics. They have books for all ages. Wide variety of movies both on VHS and DVD. They have a small craft area that has some different projects to do.
Accessories: Lots of Purses and jewelry. not too much to be said about them.
Some things that I think that set this thrift shop apart from other ones are:
The caliber of the donations that are sold at the store: Many of the items in the store once belonged to the current members of Assistance League. Many of the members are somewhat "well-off" financially, so their donations often reflect their lifestyle. I've found REAL Coach, Dooney & Burke, and other name brand items in the donations. At many other thrift shops, the employees will snag those items and keep them for themselves, but this thrift shop has a policy that if an employee is interested in an item, they must allow it to be put out in the store for a whole day to allow the customer to have the first dibs on it. Trust me, I've seen a lot of stuff that I really wanted as an employee, purchased by a customer, which is great, since it shows that the shop really wants the customers to have the best selection.
Pricing: The store has very reasonably priced items. Each item is assessed based on its condition and how much it normally retails for. Most clothing items are between $1-10 depending on what it is. THERE IS ALWAYS A SALE. It's usually buy one get one free on clothing items, since they are always getting tons of donations. Pricing is also usually negotiable, and many times if you are buying a lot of items, they will cut you a small deal. Since ALL THE PROCEEDS GO TO THE CHILDREN, its really not a big deal if they don't budge on prices. Your money is going to a good cause.
Workers: Something that I usually don't like at Thrift Shops are the type of people who work there. Many of the other shops I've been to have employees who don't speak very good English, or who are just plain weird. At this shop, the members of Assistance League volunteer in the shop. This means that they speak perfect English (There is always a worker there who can speak Spanish) and they are kind and attentive.
All the proceeds go towards the organization: Enough said.
The only reason that I'm giving this place 4/5 is because sometimes it has its off-days when i can't find anything i like. However, They are constantly putting new items out so the inventory changes daily! read more