I love a clean, organized, well-stocked thrift store - and Island Thrift delivers! Located a few blocks from the center of Oak Harbor, it's worth the slight detour to check out their wealth of treasures, all of which are well-marked, well-presented, and well-priced. They have everything from vintage knick knacks to toys to books to small furniture. And clothes, TONS of clothes, all organized by size, style, season...you name it. They also have a large selection of household items, like dishes, bedding, towels, and small appliances. One thing I really appreciate is that they have dressing rooms so you can try things on! Some larger thrift stores have done completely away with this option, and while I understand why, I appreciate the ones who still have them. The line can get a little long at the counter, so keep that in mind if you're there on a busy day. But if you want a great thrifting experience, and to support a lovely small town business, definitely give Island Thrift a try! read more

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Came to this thrift store for the first time today and while I was looking through one of the racks one of the workers, an Asian woman with big eyeglasses came out of nowhere, practically running up on me and told me she was working on that rack. She looked very visibly angry when saying this. I apologized and told her that I genuinely thought this was one of the racks on display in the store and backed off it. I hadn't been here before so I didn't know the layout of the store. She didn't say anything to me after that and hurried off away? I tried to go through the rest of the store but, after that the vibe was just off and I had to leave. Not sure if I will come back. At least not for awhile. Overall the store is very organized and clean. The clothing selection isn't the most stylish but, they can't help want gets donated to them. Would have liked it more if my visit had been better. read more

Christmas shopping with low to no budget was a stressful thing for me for Christmas 2019. I had just (end of October same year) quit my jobs and was looking at how to go about getting my family Christmas gifts and my grandma suggested she, my mom, and I go visit a couple of thrift stores when my mom and I were visiting her in Oak Harbor in early December 2019. Island Thrift was the second thrift store I bought items at, this time gifts for family members for Christmas. Aisles and shelves were jam-packed with items, so I started looking for items in the vein of what my family members like. There were boxes full of rubber stamps with different designs, sayings, and recipes on them. I got a few of those for different family members. Books and music also had a variety of options as did board games and puzzles. A few people in the family enjoy doing puzzles so I got a couple puzzles in a similar theme. Nice to have enough offerings to have options as to what puzzles to buy and some overlap so the puzzles I got maintained a theme across family members. Finally, I also got a vinyl record of a throw-back artist for one of my family members. They had vinyl records for a number of older artists, which I found helpful as it overlapped more with the taste in music of the family member I was shopping for. Prices were a bargain and I was elated with all of my purchases. By the time my grandma, mom, and I reached Island Thrift in the afternoon (a little before 3 p.m.) on a Monday in December the place was bustling with activity. The workers did a good job handling the numerous shoppers and long lines. Even though the line for paying for our items was long it moved quickly. All around a fun shopping experience. read more

Island Thrift - I refrained and went for stamps, puzzles, and a vinyl record instead. - Thrift Stores Near Me - Oak Harbor, Washington

Store was chaos and anxiety inducing. Prices were extremely high for a thrift store and there was broken glass in a lot of their picture/art bins. Overall, not impressed and discouraged for a thrift store to have high prices on questionable items. read more

What an amazing fine great selection really well laid out and a bunch of great stuff. I really like how large and how well organizes places everybody was super friendly that I met so far and I was able to find a couple good deals on some electronica items and I also got a couple really nice pairs of jeans at a very fair price. If you need any household goods or just some clothes in general or kitchen utilities or anything for your household this is a great value to get the most out of your money. read more

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Pretty decent sized thrift store, as they go. Clothes were of decent style and quality. One thing that kind of perturbed me was that there was a pair of jeans in the window I thought were cute. So, I removed them from the display to check the size. Because they were a size too small, I began putting them back as I had found them. One of the clerks stopped and said to me: "You shouldn't have taken those down." --I assured her I'd put it back as it had been. But if you don't want people to buy what's in the front window, why advertise it there? ... read more

Used to love it here. I'm there about 4 days out of the week. I came by today 12/19/18, leaving around 12:45-1PM I noticed a young girl that works there (who always is very polite to me) eating outside. It was very windy and raining. I asked why isn't she eating inside and she said "It's because I have fish. It smells" I asked her why can't she eat in her car, "I do not own a car". Just thought it was a very inhumane action. I can't imagine shopping at a ~community~ business that makes their employees eat outside in the rain and cold. I won't be returning. Ill explain to the people around me why it's not a good idea to shop there either. read more

Went in today and got charged 81 dollars for like 6 items over charged and I went in n they said I was reading it wrong don't go here you'll get jacked read more

Found knitting needles in all different sizes. All 99 cents. Typical thrift store, there's always some hidden gem. It's pretty organized, which was really nice, and it doesn't smell weird like some thrift stores do read more

Island Thrift - Thrift Stores Near Me - Oak Harbor, Washington

I love thrift shopping and searching for treasures! Whidbey Island has some great thrift stores and Island Thrift is one of my favorites! I always seem to find something I love for myself or someone in my family, at a great price. They have great sales all the time. Very organized and has a huge selection for clothing especially, but also a lot of housewares, books, etc... Plus I really like supporting Island Thrift because of all they do for the community. Definitely love this place! read more

Island Thrift as a retail store is a clean and organized thrift shopping experience. The layout is relatively easy to navigate, (if at times a tad cramped if you use a cart). The staff is helpful and it seems like they are always around to help. I was greeted at the front door in a timely manner. But that is where the the above average (for Whidbey Island) experience stops. My chief complaint with Island Thrift is in their pricing. The prices are a tad optimistic in most cases, and many items that would otherwise be a great deal (and some not so much) are priced much higher than a mainland thrift store. But the problem is more complex than that. It would seem that whenever I run across something that is really worth buying, there is a terse bit of scribbling proclaiming "No Discount!" on a purple tag.( This is exactly the same method employed by Goodwill in the form of a "Fashion Focus" black price tag.) These items are generally priced much higher than their rack-mates. I mean, I understand the reasoning behind this policy; the people responsible for pricing these items are looking them up on eBay to see how much they sell for (without searching "completed items", I imagine), then marking them at the same price to reflect the current market value. This excludes these items from periodic sales that help move older stock. This is fair enough if the items are in great, usable condition. But on many occasions this is not the case. For example, I ran across a crimson fleece REI jacket priced at $19.95, (no discount of course). There were no less than 6 cigarette burn holes in the front, and the zipper did not function properly. Back on the rack it goes. An isolated incident; ignore it, on to the next item. A pair of Doc Martens in black: 29.95. Also not bad, except for the fact they were made in China, not the UK, and they had seen MUCH better days with very worn soles and cracked leather. It was a shame, as they would have been a good deal at $10.00 if that. Finally, i arrive at a pair of Keen Gypsum approach shoes, barely worn, just in my size. $30, which isn't too bad...until I get to the register and ask for the other shoe. I guess they keep them hidden in the back to prevent theft, as it took an associate (manager?) about 5 minutes to to the back and retrieve it. Not a big deal, but I am fond of stores that trust their customers; in the long run, that sort of relationship will yield more in profit than they would sustain in losses to theft. Moreover, there are brands marked "no discount" that are clearly of little to no value, yet marked up well above the average among their competition. For example; a Wrangler pearl-snap western shirt was marked "vintage - no discount", when it is clear to anybody that knows even a cursory amount about vintage clothing that this particular strain of Wrangler clothing is sold at WalMart for about a buck less new than they were asking used. All these issues of pricing fall squarely on the shoulders of those in charge of sorting and pricing these donations, as it would seem that without having proper knowledge of the clothing market, they just glance at the tag and assume it's worth its weight in gold. This is true of roughly 60% of the items in the store. In short, if you find something that's worth buying, you're going to pay for it, and there is no use waiting for a sale. Furthermore, INSPECT everything you buy thoroughly, as their return policy is just about nil on clothing. Island Thrift as a donation center is downright mediocre. They only accept items that they can clearly make a profit from, which I understand is due to a lack of floor space to keep it. But with the amount of times I have tried to drop off worthwhile items that have value, often I am met with overly-critical inspections and somewhat annoyed looks. For example, I had a solid oak bookshelf; very heavy and fairly old. There were a few small knicks on the bottom, but other than that it was great; easily $50, if not more. The woman that met me at the back looked over it as if she were buying a new car, then said they had no use for it. This was also cool, but then she told me nobody else in town takes them either; (WAIF accepted it eagerly). I wonder why she said that? All in all, Island Thrift is a little below average compared to the better thrift stores I have visited. Clean, organized, friendly; but pricey, inconsistent valuation and a draconian donation acceptance standard make me think twice before shopping here. read more

Island Thrift - This is the tag of a Columbia cotton collared shirt for men. It's faded, has a couple holes in it, and will NEVER go on sale. - Thrift Stores Near Me - Oak Harbor, Washington

I have this theory when it comes to any kind of bargain store, thrift stores included and it goes as follows: You can mark prices as low as you want all day every day to the point where it's practically a steal, but if you don't have some sort of order you are not likely to sell much. Point in case, if you are looking for a pen, you don't want to have to dig through markers, crayons, pencils, and anything else that's long and narrow. Similarly, if you are looking for some dishes, you don't want to have to go through 20 grandma's worth of knick knacks to find some plates that kind of match. Island Thirft has a very good set up. Every thing is placed in a logical orderly manner. Woman's clothes is with women's clothes and dishes are with dishes. They even go as far as separating bags into logical groups like, small and larger reusable shopping bags, travel totes and makeup/coin purses. If you are looking for something specific, chances are it's in a logical place and you don't have to hunt the whole store. I LOVE this. I hate going to thrift stores because the willy nilly-ness of it all gives me anxiety attacks, but I love a good bargain. This store is the BEST I've come across. The prices are also super super reasonable. I went to a couple of other thrift stores in the area after hitting this place up because I was all excited about my awesome finds, but was sorely disappointed in what I saw. I saw some of the same exact things for 2 and 3 times as much. How do they do it? Behind pseudo closed doors they have a receiving area where they separate, sort, clean and price things as they come in. Then once it's all done they bring it out to it's logical location for the masses to rummage through. Another plus is that because it's so easy to find things, they sell things much more quickly than most places, and because they sell in such a high volume, they are able to price things so low. read more

This is the best thrift store on the island. The selection is above average, the layout is logical, the sorting is good. It is too small and is constantly crowded. The prices are reasonable, but it doesn't compare to some of the amazing thrift shops in Olympia, Bellingham, or Spokane. But in a much smaller city on an island that makes sense. read more

Very inviting as I walked in the lady at the front greeted me. It's Nice to have good customer service at a store. The store is a little bit cluttered but its a thrift store they have the store organized with shelves and item isles. Staff was very helpful as far as loading things in my car and helping me find items that were in stock. read more

My family loves this thrift store. The employees are friendly. They do a great job keeping up with organization throughout the store. We always seem to find something there when we go. Nice having a decent thrift store in Oak Harbor. read more

Really like this place too. Never had an issue and have been informed politely what they can and cannot take. Sizable collection of everything. Drop off M-Sa (0900-1600). Just drive around to the back and an attendant will meet you. read more

Wonderful thrift store. They've been around for a while and have a nice assortment of items.

Manager is extremely rude, and I asked before I bought something if it didn't work if I could return it, she said no even though I had just seen her say YES to another lady. When I told her this she said if it's over 10$. The other lady's was NOT 10!!!! That was the end of the trip. I should have known it would have been crappy when someone left their clothes they didn't want piled in the dressing room. I didn't think anything of it and went in to try on my stuff. An employee walked by and demanded I get out of the dressing room (my shirt was off) so it took me a second she kept telling how it was unacceptable. I told her it wasn't my stuff and she made me come out of that room and go into another. This is probably the worst customer service and store I've ever been in. WONT BE SHOPPING THERE AGAIN! read more

This is a great store. It is set up well and the merchandise moves through the system. They have employees putting out fresh merchandise at a brisk pace. Prices are fair and parking is pretty good....you can park across the street. Most of the merchandise is donated from the area, but it's a military town and lots of weird stuff comes through the place. read more

I donate and buy from this thrift store more than others because they support so many other nonprofits in our community. Our community is better because of Island Thrift. read more

Love this place. Excellent prices. Good quality merchandise. What more could you ask for?

I love this thrift store. Every time I come here I always find awesome deals. My issue is that I have so many pairs of pants and skirts. I wanted a variety of blouses without paying ridiculous prices for them. This store has so many blouses to choose from. They not only sale clothes, but they sale dishes, curtains, pillow cases, toys, shoes, scarves, purses, totes, books, movies, dvd players, etc. I bought a pair of wide leg trousers. I know I have enough pants, but I couldn't resist the sale at $2.99. I also bought a purple crochet scarf for $3, a blouse at $3.69 and a bag of beaded necklaces for $1.99. You guys have to check this place out!!! read more

Today at Island Thrift I witnessed an employee doing her job in asking a customer for identification. When the customers became angry about showing her identification, the employee informed her that it was store policy, which caused the customer to rant and rave for a manager. When the manager came she too informed the customer of the policy which caused the customer to become more irritated. The customer said she had some type of paper which proved her identity however your policy is a photo ID. Long story short the manager lets the woman make the purchase, at this time the customer began to curse out the woman behind the counter as the manager watched. The cashier was doing her job, however she had no backing from the manager. I was next in line and gave the cashier my apology for how she was treated then left. Not sure what happened after I left but it needs to be taken care of. Someone should apologize to the cashier and if you have a policy the management should back the employees when they do their jobs. I have been in similar situations and policy needs to be followed from the floor to the main office. I was appalled at how the cashier was treated as so should whoever the manager was. read more

Very reasonable pricing and big selection. Like any other thrift store, it's a hit and miss.

I LOVE Island Thrift store! It is literally a treasure trove of goodies with items easily found within their own catagories...clothing with clothing, shoes with shoes etc. Be sure to look in the glass case to your left when you walk in. Many interesting things inside, maybe more fragile or collectible than things in the store. I never fail to find something when I go in and am always more than satisfied with what I have found. The clerks are always gracious and nice, but the lines can get to be long sometime. My only two gripes would be that when the line gets long, if a checker is alone...to call someone up front to help checkout. Also...there is an older stock clerk employee (woman) with gray hair who tends to mow people over when she puts things on the shelf. I don't know how many times she wizzed past, almost crashing into me and never said excuse me, pardon me etc. I make sure to always go the other way when I see her coming. Other than that, it is a GREAT store!!! read more

When you call and ask donation times, they will lie to you and tell you until close. When you get there 10 min before 4pm as well you will see they have a sign that it stops at 4pm. Biggest waste of time and fuel. read more

Great prices wide selection of merchandise. slwsys something to find. Nice thst its sll one floor. Staff friendly and helpful. One of a few dtops on a day of being thrifty. read more