I can find more affordable stuff at the Gap Outlet then here...overpriced "used" crap from Target and Old Navy... I am apalled they claim to be a thrift store because the prices are outrageous calling themselves a THRIFT store is honestly misleading. Thrift shopping is supposed to offer affordability, especially for those who need it most. Instead, this felt like a resale boutique with thrift store branding. Charging premium prices for donated, secondhand goods is not just bad business--it's out of touch and disappointing. Save your time (and money) and dont expect to find reasonable prices read more

It smells clean when you walk in. Things are very well organized and easy to find.I go back on a regular basis.

Terrible immature management. Not fit for any job in the real world. Pay their employees little when they get everything for free, and don't do nearly enough for them. That alone prompts me to deter me and everyone I know away from this place. Everyone in the community goes here but we're gonna have to be aware of their practices moving forward. read more

For being a thrift store it is so incredibly overpriced. They don't have fitting rooms and the employees just stare at you if you try things on over your clothes. Wouldn't recommend. read more

Very nice items but the prices although decent for what the original item is worth originally is very high if shopping on a budget. Best to go when things are discounted. read more

I used to come here almost biweekly prior to the pandemic but they've really gone down hill the past few years. The prices as this particular location seem out of hand compared to other thrift stores and since they've gotten rid of the fitting rooms I'm far more likely to leave empty handed than take a chance on something. I'm not sure if management has gotten bad or what, but the last couple times I've been the workers have been either completely checked out or rude. Today I asked someone stocking if they knew the tag color for the day and they said they didn't. No biggie! I walked up to one of the other employees bringing out stock from the back. We were the only two people crossing paths and I stopped about a foot from them before asking the same question. I'm 100% certain this person heard and saw me. They gave me zero acknowledgment and kept on walking. I get it. I also make a barely livable wage with no benefits and have to deal with the public. But god, the increasingly anti social behavior I see in public is so gross and demoralizing. I don't expect 5 star service but a simple "idk" would have been fine. read more

My daughter is into thriftily. Me, not so much but I will humor her and take her to some. For me, i have never gotten something that fitted right. Oh well, my fault. Unique has a huge quantity of clothing, housewares and the usual thrift store fare. It's well organized and the clothes are in good condition and it definitely scratched that thrift store itch. I would say it is a step above Good Will but the prices might be slightly more. There are lots of workers and the cashiers are plentiful. Next time I come to visit, I'm pretty sure my daughter will ask to go back there again. Apparently there is a half off discount on Mondays. read more

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Yes, I can be a thrifty shopper.... depending on what I'm in the need for at the time. Unique is not really all that Unique. When I was younger thrift stores just didn't catch my thrift. Now, that I'm a little older and quite wiser. I enjoy having to save a few dollars on nice thrifty and inexpensive things to buy. It's just a basic thrift store with a bunch of clothes thrown up on racks. It's really not a bad thing cause you can find some really nice and quality things inside this store. It's just the customers who comes in there and toss things on the racks and on the floor. It gets kind of busy on a Monday for their store wide sale day. Yep you heard me correct. Unique has sale days where you can get an additional off your items throughout the store Sign up for their reward club and get additional off as well. Each items are labeled with different color tags and priced. A fitting room for you to try on your items and over in the corner when you enter the store is a cute little jewelry counter. The sales associates are usually just standing around talking not really much helping the customers. It's just a fair game to come in and shop at your own risk. Also, make sure to bring your own bags. They charge for shopping bags as well. read more

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OK, I guess but everything is wildly overpriced which kind of defeats the purpose. I'll stick to Village Discount

Best thrift store in the area! * clean and organized * good quality and prices * parking lot * easy drive-up donation area * tax voucher and 20% off coupon for donating read more

As a former Manager for this location, I just want to clarify a few things. PARKING: Know that ABSOLUTELY NO EMPLOYEE OR MEMBER OF MANAGEMENT calls to have anyone towed. Every Monday is the HALF OFF sale. If you park ILLEGALLY, you will be towed. The tow truck company drives thru the parking lot multiple times thru business hours knowing they will make good money that day. It wouldn't make sense for Management to call and have you towed because that would be bad for business. You need to make sure you're parked inbetween TWO YELLOW LINES. DO NOT make your own paying spaces. DO NOT pull in a space just because someone else pulled out. The tow truck might not have gone thru while they were there. Check if it's an actual space before parking in it. DO NOT park in front of Bubblelands wall...THEY will have you towed, NOT UNIQUE!!! DO NOT take up more than one space. DON'T BE A SPACE HOG!!! DO NOT PARK CROOKED!!! If you park legally, your car will be there when you finish shopping. Ignorance is not an excuse. IF YOU HAVE AN ISSUE, TAKE IT UP WITH THE TOW TRUCK COMPANY. Call a news channel and have the tow truck company investigated. PUBLIC RESTROOMS: Know that the Team members and also management are constantly checking and cleaning the restrooms. If they are a mess, it's due to fellow shoppers that are nasty. Please tell a team member so it can get addressed. For some unknown reason, there are customers who smear poop on the walls and purposely pee on the floor. The nastiness is something that's been ongoing and unfortunately it doesn't seem likely to stop. But it's definitely not from lack of trying to keep it clean and sanitzed. MESSY STORE: There are team members strictly hired to ONLY CLEAN AND ORGANIZE the sales floor. If you drop something, pick it up. If you change your mind on something hand it to a team member, if you don't want to put it back, so it can be put back in it's proper place. PRICES: People need to stop saying that UNIQUE gets stuff for free they should be able to charge less money. The items are not given for free to the company. Unique is a for-profit organization collecting donations on behalf of the nonprofit partner Vietnam veterans of America. After the donation, the items are sorted and processed and priced and then put out onto the sales floor. So no, the items are not given to the company for free. With all that being said, I highly recommend UNIQUE as your go to Thrift Store. read more

Ho-hum standard pickings here, nothing snazzy did find an interesting dark blue hat with a veil hence the five stars!

Idk but every thing seems over priced considering it's all donated. Throw on 5 bucks and you can buy brand new . Used Levi's 23 bucks used wranglers 18 bucks ? Are you kidding. Gtfoh read more

I found this location while driving through the neighborhood after work, which prompted me to stop in on a later date. I stopped in looking for a nice sized pot to make spaghetti, and found just that. The pot was listed at $8.99, but I saved $4.49 paying only $4.50 in the end. I saved due to purchasing on their Monday sales day and signing up for the super savers club, which did not cost any extra to register, but any other day that pot purchased may have varied in its price. As for this location I cannot knock it for the quality of items sold because the items sold are based off of what the neighborhood residents drop off. However, I can knock it for cleanliness and prices listed. While walking through this place, I could not help but think to myself how cluttered this location was, and how pricey some of the prices are. I honestly think that they should revise some of their prices because certain items are ridiculously overpriced, and for that I rate this place 3 stars. If I could give them 3 1/2, I would, however its not an option. I love thrift stores and I'm quite positive that I will stop in again, but it will be occasionally if not on a Monday because of what I have noticed thus far. Thomas G read more

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Ive now been to Unique many times and compared all the other local thirft stores which has made me update my rating from a 3ish to a 5. One of the major impacts is free parking! Another one is that i always find something amazing at this location. Their merchandise consistently updates. I love the discount colors on a daily basis and discount days (emailed to you if youre a member) theyre just that extra perk you get excited about. I compare this location to the salvation army and find the prices at this location much more affordable. read more

Unique is part of the Savers owned thrift stores, and this Irving Park location is mega sized! I've found so many great things here: Bestselling business books/novels, Norman Rockwell glasses, dinner plate sets, Starbucks mug, fun t-shirts, handmade Mexican bag, etc. Throughout the years, prices have gone up a bit, which helps me to be more deliberate about the pieces I need, but it's the hunt and hidden gems that still makes secondhand shopping fun. My main frustrations are the half off Monday madness, and the t-shirt section has been overstocked with promo shirts that people honestly don't want to buy - not sure if they're pulled off the rack at some point, but it's tedious to shift through those. read more

Unique - Handmade Mexican bag - Thrift Stores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I stopped by to see if I can get some cheap toys for my little guy as he outgrows them quite fast. While they have a good selection, their prices are absurdly high. I think I can get a better deal at the dollar tree! Apparently a dollar store toy for 99 cents will cost you $4 bucks here. Take a look at the pic below! read more

Unique - 99 cents at the dollar store but why not pay an extra 4 bucks for this cheap toy? What a bargain! ‍ - Thrift Stores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

First of all, when you donate, you'll get a 20% off coupon! Also, Mondays are HALF off which is crazy good. So in my opinion this is one of the best thrift stores in Chicago. Everything is organized by size, and it's very clean and bright even on busy days. I've always found amazing, fun, ~unique~ items here and it's one of those rare places where the total comes out to LESS than I expect. (Of course its a little more than say a value village or goodwill but i mean, in comparison to new clothes...) I've also just found there's like a positive vibe here, where people compliment each other and chit chat about what they just found etc. I love coming here it's great. SAVE THE EARTH!!!!!!!!!! read more

Great Halloween resource. Mondays = storewide half-off sale, apparently - no wonder people were packing in there. All lanes were open to keep lines moving decently fast. Lots of clothing and knickknacks to browse through, all fairly well-sorted, though the crowds do quite a number on the racks. A selection of Halloween costumes and theater makeup is available during the Halloween season if you're so inclined. read more

One Christmas Eve my son and I donated a half truck load of items to Unique on Elston. We arrived only a few minutes before closing yet managed to unload several pieces of furniture, bins of kitchenware and several bags of clothes. Dawn, the donation manager, greeted us and was extremely helpful, kind and professional. Despite it being right before closing on Christmas Eve, Dawn remained cheerful, calm and never complained about the time. She helped us physically unload the truck, got employees from other departments to help us, and managed to orchestrate where to put everything off the truck and then again once inside the back! We unloaded fairly quickly yet Dawn never made us feel rushed. Once finished, she stuck around 15 plus minutes and made sure we got off okay. Happy Holidays and a huge thank you to Dawn and all the terrific and hard working employees at the Elston Unique! read more

I usually find some great items from this place. Thrifted but still very good quality clothing and even furniture!! Especially if you DIY with household items. Good name brands as well if you're big into that. Def love coming here on Monday's for the half off of everything. Employees are pretty friendly as well which is always nice. read more

I enjoy thrifting at Unique because they have a good selection but I advise shoppers to be vigilant when shopping here and other Unique locations; I have seen items priced higher used here than new in stores or online on more than a few occasions. Come with a skeptical eye. read more

I loved thrifting here but over the last few years prices got insane!! they always have really cute finds but it's not for the same demographic. good luck finding anything below $10 read more

Had not been back in a long, long time. Big improvements! That said, they tore out a neighboring spot and expanded- the floors are still that budget, strange sticky linoleum but the space is much brighter, cleaner and pretty well organized. Lots of baskets and carts for you to shop with- the wheeled wagon carts are convenient and easily fit in the most crowded aisles. Security is welcome- no shady types harassing or following you as you browse racks. Remember to bring your own bag, otherwise they charge you for a flimsy paper bag that shreds at the weight of a glance. There are totes for sale but you likely already own one perfect for whatever you might find. Items to shop for: Cooking utensils (Bought a pair of Madeline pans ($3.99 each), kitchen aid mixer paddle and dough hook for $5, a whisk for $3 and a mixing bowl for $6). I did not buy a sweet heart shaped cake pan ($2), a cute house shaped cake pan ($3), a gleaming copper Charlotte pan (omg, stop, my kitchen space is limited- if I buy any more without a very specific purpose the cabinets will explode, might turn into Hoarders and crush greedy moi). Found myself chatting with a couple about infuser pitchers and how they are going to use a sealed, new case of mason jars- that was fun. Vintage Winnie the Pooh cake pan went with them. There are a massive, organized selection of books of which there are a broad range for reading: Art, gardening, cookbooks, poetry, history and fiction. I sincerely appreciate this as so many thrift store have only romance paperbacks and dated "dummy" instruction manuals from like, the early 90s. Many good books $1- 2 cheap! Sadly, the clothing is only worth browsing on a half off day or where the color tags are half or more marked down. Specific example: Right now, there are a lot of Express tank bra tops- which would be awesome if they weren't priced at $7.99 each. You can buy them new, unworn, in Express store or website, no pilling, no stains or pulls for about $10. So go retail there, not this thrift because the thrift option isn't saving you much. Saw some cute summer sundresses but only bought one because it had a crocus print and was $9. I laugh at any thrift store that price a Forever 21 or Old Navy dress around $20. In other words, again, as much as retail, new, as much if not more than on sale new in the store. Wait for a half off day ok? Come back then. There's a white Calvin Klein that has potential. Salespeople are very friendly. Lots of mirrors and designated fitting rooms with doors (yay!) so you can actually try things on. I appreciate that kids clothing is separate from adult clothing. Toys with that- so you aren't tripping on a toy truck while looking at pans. Lots of staff- all working, I saw one employee reaching a tall shelf for an elderly shopper- wonderful kindness to see. The person who rang up my transactions was funny, cheery and fast. Extra star for that- I appreciate this, you will too. read more

Unique - I bought the pans here, then made these Madeleines for a charity fundraiser- Delicious! - Thrift Stores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I love to go thrifting with my teen daughter. So I've been to may thrifts in the Lakeview area, and now I've found my favorite. This store is CLEAN, amazingly, the books are actually organized!! I found a book by my favorite aviation writer which I never would have found in another thrift, as all of them throw them on the shelves randomly. Yes the prices are higher than in some other thrift stores, but the quality of the merchandise is notably higher. And they have a parking lot too. GO. read more

I found some counseling type books for 3.99 each -- mindfulness, ACT and DBT book. They have a nice selection of clothing too, a bit too expensive for a thrift store (most things were 9.99 - not a lux name brand). I'll defn come back and peruse the book section though. read more

Wow, this Unique location recently had an expansion. The store now equips fitting rooms, restrooms for patrons, and much more! The racks of merchandise are actually organized and sized accurately for the most part. Prior to the expansion, I used to hit the Bricktown (Fullerton/Narragansett) and S. Kedzie (Gage Park) locations first even though this Unique is the closest to where I live. Now I'm certain that this store will be on top of my list when they have sales on their half Mondays and when they run the $10 off $25-purchase coupon deal. read more

Unique - The store has been expanded! - Thrift Stores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I've never had a bad experience there! The workers are so kind and I've found so many amazing things. They have an amazing selection of glass wear. Also Monday's are half off if you are a member there :) read more

Usually only go on mondays for half price .. find decent stuff usually .. GOT MY CAR TOWED BEWARE!!!... literally 3 days before Christmas

I have been to quite a few thrift stores recently and I had some pretty good luck here. My boyfriend and I have had to be super thrifty this year, so we didn't exchange Christmas gifts. Instead he agreed to go here with me a few days before the holiday, which was the best gift of all since I love to shop! We ended up buying each other a few great thrift store finds! He got a few pairs of jeans for work and a really nice industrial work coat (he works in construction). He recognized the brand and told me it is normally twice as much! I got a few cute jackets to wear to work and a cheap purse or two! Merry Xmas, Unique Style! I really like this chain overall. You have to really look through the racks but you are bound to find something that is your style! It's so much fun to find cool stuff AND save tons of money! I think I'm officially addicted now! read more

Unique - What a steal! Deep purple Liz Claiborne bad for $7.99! - Thrift Stores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Several employees definitely shouldn't be working there ! Employers can ruin your shopping experience and make you not want to come back. I would rather see check out computers instead-and not deal with unprofessional. On top of that they price some stuff way too high - I feel bad for those people buying old stuff and paying as it was new - most of those people have no clue cos they don't shop at good stores much - stuff it's that expensive bitches ! ;) read more

I live a block away as the pigeon flies from this Unique and it's great. Everyone working there is very nice and they have taken over the dumpy Family Dollar that was next door, so the store now is huge. It's so big and new and clean that you'll feel like you are in Schaumburg, but thank god, you won't have to be in Schaumburg! There is new stuff a,most every day and Mondays are half off almost everything. Oh, oh, oh there are bathrooms and a drinking fountain!! Your kids no longer have to pee in the alley. read more

The most well put and organized thrift store I've ever gone, better than the goodwill in the west loop. I purchased some cute dress clothes for my new job postion read more

I'm a thrift store and resale store enthusiast. I like this unique location because they are as they should be in a respectful business. I walked in and a family with a ton of kids were running around and causing a ruckus. Usually nobody does anything but the manager actually asked the man to keep his children under control (better worded) and when they didn't listen and broke items eventually asked them to leave. I felt this was really good practice, when I shop no matter where, I expect others with families or whomever to be courteous and this location has the same standards. Additionally, their products were fair price, pretty easy to navigate, and both cashiers made my experience even more enjoyable. Lastly, the staff. It's important to me since I work in client services that the staff act like professionals. I can generally tell how a company is by how happy their employers were. It was late at night on a Friday and both my cashiers male 1 and male 2 (forgot to get names) were extremely kind and patient while we worked together to figure out if the heavy printer I brought up works. Firstly, the main cashier stopped me from making the purchase by saying "we have a no return policy so if it doesn't work you will be stuck with it" and called over cashier man 2 and asked if he'd plug it in for me even when I was embarrassed for taking so much time to be indecisive. The second male cashier took me over to a jewelry station to plug it in. He even checked the ink levels and was honest with me through the entire process (checking out printers at thrift stores is a difficult process, as they turn on but can instantly malfunction) when I expressed the ink was expensive and I didn't want to pay for it he actually agreed and said "yeah it's a brother!" I was fascinated someone in their twenties besides me had actual knowledge about printers. Or anything in general. It's honestly my policy to avoid customer service at thrift stores after a few bad experiences at family thrift so to have two genuinely upbeat and knowledgeable cashiers helping me just ensured that even though I didn't by the 6.99 printers (retail rate $349.00 used by the way) they can guarantee that I will be back. Good job unique and thanks to the guys who checked me out! read more

This place is great!! Everything is sorted, labeled and priced. It makes finding that perfect piece fun! read more

This review is an updated YAY review. Not sure if there is new management or new workers, but the employees are much more kind now.

While this is a thrift store, the prices are soooo high! This store charges upwards of $12-$15 for used Loft and Banana Republic. With coupons and sales for those brands, you can buy them new for less in their own stores. I like many items here but the pricing they assign to items they get for free doesn't work for me. Maybe they price up since they do 50% off every Monday. But Monday's are a zoo of regulars that push and jam carts into you. They would be better off pricing low without gHat Monday craziness! read more

Clean, clothes pricy. Nice that they have Halloween stuff. Young kids taking things off racks and throwing things around. Employees not saying anything. Asked for my member card at checkout. Gave it. Did not go thru. That's okay. Then asked phone #. Gave it. Did not go thru. Gave phone number. Did not go thru. Then she had an attitude when I did not give my name. Also older guy giving announcements for Halloween was funny. read more

So, you love thrift shopping, but could do without the mothball/mildew/people sweat smell that these stores inevitably emit? Bingo, check this place out. I don't know if they have invested in a top notch ventilation system or what, but it's less rank than other "gently used" clothing stores...and I think the employees are nicer because of it. Beyond that, it's pretty standard as far as thrift shops go...and LARGE. Easy parking, brightly lit. Doesn't get insane crowded like Village Discount for some reason, either... Parking lot: 1 star Dollar Store next door: 1 star Color coded: 1 star I scored a new summer sweater with tags on it for $5, and I don't even have to sterilize it before I wear it. Bravo! read more

This is one of the smaller Unique Thrift Stores this was my first time at this location and they had some pretty good items! I have to agree that most Unique Thrift Stores are over priced but I make sure I go on sale days Monday the sale is half price all day! I believe it is on Thursday that they have their other sales and that usually ends at 1pm They are organized a little as far as colors schemes and as well as size. No, you don't have a rack with all 12 or 14 on them but they are mixed in together. The thing about Thrift stores you have to be willing to search and look for the diamonds in the rough! The last time I was at this store I found a pair of brand new boots retail price 60.00 dollars and I got them for 9 dollars on a half priced Monday! You also are stuck with what you buy so I always wear a pair of leggings under my pants and a tank or a T-Shirt so that I can try on what I want to buy! This Unique doesn't have a fitting room so I make myself one in the aisle...it doesn't matter if I find a pair of great jeans for 2.00 dollars if I can't fit them when I get home! Trust I get all kinds of looks but I don't care, this is my money and at the end of the day that is what matters! You can't expect department store quality when you go to a Thrift Store but if you are willing to search you will find quality clothes for a good price if you know the days to go! read more