Thrifting can be incredibly rewarding and lucrative. There’s no feeling like when you find an incredible deal on a cashmere sweater, or snatch up a pair of unique cowboy boots, or stock your store on the hottest trends for the summer!
Other times though, thrifting can be exhausting and discouraging. For folks in smaller towns with fewer, understocked stores, it can feel like trudging off to fight a losing battle day after day. Still, we know there are thrift store utopias out there in the United States, and we wanted to answer the question -- what US cities have the BEST thrift stores?
Fortunately the folks at Joybird answered that question for us! Their team compared the availability and quality of thrift stores, flea markets, and more to determine the best cities for thrifting in the country. You’ll notice some of the largest cities like New York and Los Angeles aren’t on the list -- that’s because their high prices hurt their scores overall.
Here are the top five! Maybe you live nearby and could swing through to scope them out; otherwise, add them to your list of “to visit someday” and dream wistfully of their beautifully stocked clothing racks...
1) Riverside, CA
Riverside is a city near Los Angeles, and at first glance it’s a surprise that it made our top five. It is currently the 58th most populous city in the country, and doesn’t have many distinguishing characteristics other than being a university town. Regardless of its relative anonymity however, the team at Joybird named it the “Best City for Thrifting in the United States”.
So what gave Riverside this top-spot honor? A combination of factors including the number of high-quality (top Yelp ratings) thrift stores, low prices, and proximity to the huge city of Los Angeles.
2) Atlanta, GA
Georgia is on our mind when it comes to the best cities for thrift shopping! Atlanta has a huge number of thrift stores and donation centers per capita, and an almost unmatched number of flea markets too!
3) Columbus, OH
A smaller city that nevertheless made the top five. How? If you’re a flea market fan, Columbus is the way to go. Their flea markets are ranked higher than almost any other city on the list! On top of this, the size and location makes it way more affordable than a lot of other larger, more populous cities. The rankings are all about balance after all!
4) Orlando, FL
While Orlando didn’t stand out in any one category, strong rankings across the board means it snags a top spot as a great city to thrift in. If you’re heading to Disneyworld, be sure to leave a little extra time (and suitcase space) to scope out the thrifting scene!
5) Tampa, FL
Florida is on the list twice, and we can understand why. Vacationers come from all over the world to enjoy the beaches of south Florida, then leave all their summer gear and clothing behind when they fly off home! Tampa has more affordable thrift stores than Orlando and Columbus too, so it’s a great place to thrift on a budget.
Next time you’re in any of these top thrift spots, make sure you’ve left enough room in your luggage to haul a LOT of hot items back home!
Not anywhere near these hot thrifting cities? No problem! Boutique by the Box has you covered with FREE economy shipping in the contiguous United States. Need your items faster, or not in the US? Upgraded shipping service is available for an additional fee!
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