I should explain my rubric when it comes to thrift stores. The criteria include:
Ease of Shopping or, if you're in a "glass is half empty" type of mood, "Level of Annoyance"
If you've ever been to a store and had to dodge customers pouring through stacks of china or bins of accessories, only to finally find what you want and see it has no price sticker, you know what I'm talking about. Thrift stores shouldn't be the next Running of the Brides at Filene's Basement . I don't want to feel like I have to join the frenzy in order to find anything of value.
Cleanliness
After shopping, I don't want to leave feeling like I'm going to fail every TB test I take from now on. Smells? Stinks? Oozy floors? These will bring down the Cleanliness rating.
Desirability of Items
I realize this is highly subjective, but so is shopping. When I thrift, I'm looking for unique items that might be vintage, items that don't lose their usefulness just because they've had more than one owner, and things I'd only buy if I could find cheap, like Halloween costume pieces. If I'm going to dig through someone's trash, the goods had better be worth it.
Price
I'll add another clause to that last statement: If I'm going to dig through someone's trash, the goods had better be worth it, and cheaper than I could buy it new, or from a prettier shopping environment.
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The Avon Goodwill is small and easy to miss. It is extremely difficult, almost impossible, to make a left out of the parking lot. In fact, the only way I was able to make a right from the lot was because someone was nice enough to leave the drive un-blocked, as traffic was stopped before and after the entrance. This is my biggest complaint about the store. Otherwise, it is a nice store with a large selection. The donation center is in an adjacent suite.
Ease of Shopping 1 star
I'm not going to take any stars away for this, but on the day I was here, some sort of aunt, grandmother, and child combo were combing through items. I don't believe I've ever been around children before where I was so sure there was something wrong with them...disturbed, or neglected, or abused...I don't know, something thought. They had the loudest voices EVER, which reminded me of nails on a chalkboard, and they were constantly asking the same questions over, and over again. The parental types with them had mastered the art of ignoring the children and only speaking to one another, which I'm sure is only indicative of what goes on in the home, making the incessant, god-awful chatter of the children increase. I just needed to share this bizarre experience with someone!
Cleanliness .5 star
Like other Goodwills, this store is physically clean, but I got the sniffles from dust in here. I've resigned myself that no thrift store like a Goodwill will ever get a full store for cleanliness --it would be too hard for them to cut out all the dust.
Desirability of Items 1 star
Decent selection of housewares (tea cups, dishes, serving dishes, mugs, etc.), dresses, skirts, and pants. The creepy family was digging through a big pile of board games. I guess they couldn't wait to get home to play yahtzee and ignore their kids some more.
Price 1 star
This Goodwill does not have special half off colors like other area stores; therefore, the prices are reasonable all week long. I rarely saw something that I thought was overpriced. read more