SHORT version: items very well sorted; clothes are sized & priced per type; wide price variations on household goods & hardware items. Books are sorted by category! Mostly tidy; HUGE dust bunnies & unpredictable toilet standards.
CC accepted. Largest collection of & most consistent thrift store for packages of adult diapers. *For the squeamish, note SA sells used briefs & panties, a very few of which are in an icky condition.* Very good selection of furniture & plenty of staff, some of whom are special needs. Excellent access for wheelchairs but not scooters. One of the safer stores to bring children as long as they are supervised in tools/hardware, kitchen utensils and picture frames (lots of broken glass).
LONG:
If you are looking for quality furniture or artwork, SA is a must to see their range of art (some originals, mostly prints) ranging from desktop size to 5 ft+, as well as the regular thrift shop overstock of picture frames.
Most of the upholstered pieces are decent to almost-new condition; SA stocks quality solid wood furniture as well. I would feel comfortable sitting on 99% of the furniture for sale. I recently purchased a large mirror with a solid wooden frame for $20.
Frequent turnover of merchandise and employees stock throughout the day. Items are sorted and priced at a warehouse in Orlando.
Dependable selection of kitchen ware such as coffee makers; crock-pots; tea brewers; and rice cookers. Above average in the following categories: tools/hardware/garden; school supplies; linens; medical supplies; CD/DVD/VHS and cassettes.
Better selection of larger-sized clothing than most shops. Men's shorts/pants up to size 48 are often in stock. Women's sizes usually up to 22/24. Don't skip the clearance rack of clothing, over by purses/shoes.
Small selection of toys & washers/dryers; consistent supply of sterling silver and rugs. I have seen many vintage items, but never a true antique.
Ludicrous price ranges on decorative/household items priced per piece. There are some vastly overvalued candles that have been there for 18 months (no exaggeration). I've seen the same exact type of weekly pill cases priced anywhere from 50c to $2 - adjacent to each other.
SA always stocks several bins of travel sized toiletries, full size bath & body products (some new, some used), etc. I've occasionally found discontinued scents that I loved and lost.
Peculiar one-off items that have wandered in: a lucite toilet cover/seat set embedded with fishing lures; military issue bags; snowshoes; a brand-new garden bed kit retailing at $150 (SA price $40) & a hand sewn US flag.
SA has friendly employees available for questions, or ready to load heavy items. Shopping carts provided; two dressing rooms with flimsy locks, tumbleweeds of dust and a floor that screams, "Keep your shoes on!"
Ladies' room has changing table and toilets. The condition runs from acceptable (usually) or "Holy Sh*t! Some poor soul should have been in a hospital for this sort of explosion!"
For hygiene purposes, please note clothing is not washed by SA prior to selling, unlike the Promise Thrift shop nearby. Take a moment to imagine what that means for some underwear for sale.
Electronic items should be thoroughly tested in store.
Cases for prescription glasses usually start at $2 for the crappy plastic ones with a belt clip! But glasses themselves are less than $1.50.
After 'investing' $10, my optometrist informed me that replacing lenses is a problem.
Apparently plastic frames usually break during re-lensing and the metal ones I chose had small but tragic problems.However, it's a great source of spectacles for costume purposes or disguising oneself to trail a suspect.
Have low expectations and experience a pleasant surprise. Have high expectations and experience a huge let down.
Despite the negatives, I stop by here each time I'm nearby and usually explore for at least an hour, with fabulous results.
The Salvation Army is a Christian organization whose strict policies negatively affect certain demographics. I only donate things no one else will take - underwear & used toiletries. I shop here with a slightly guilty conscience. If organizational politics are important to your shopping choices, do some research before visiting. read more