Resale Shops in the North Chicagoland Area
This is the web master Flo Crew on her bike!
What is it like to live in the second tier of American Society? Well, you are about to find out. Just as there is a doughnut hole in medical coverage, there is a doughnut hole in society whereby people are too "rich" to be on welfare but not rich enough to shop at Macy's and Neuman Marcus.
Since I am on a limited budget, I involve myself in numerous activities to conserve monies. Besides making use of public transportation, food pantries and soup kitchens, I shop at resale stores. This is a guide to some of the resale shops that I have visited in the North and Northwest suburbs of Chicago.
For newcomers to shopping resale: when you buy clothes from a resale shop, always check the zippers and buttons. (Of course, you already know that.) Wash everything that you buy before you use it. It could have come straight from the cleaners or could have been lingering in a garage for years. (You already knew that too, right?) If something is missing you can usually take it back but not always. You might want to check with the manager if you think you are taking a risk.
I am assuming most shoppers are more astute than I am. Take a look at this lamp I bought from the Goodwill on Dryden in Arlington Heights, and see if you see what the problem is without plugging it in to check it:
Answer: It does not have an American Plug as a Connector
Lucky for me, I have a gentleman friend who got a converter for $6.00. So, I have a $7.99 "bargain."
Goodwill Retail Stores and Donation Centers
Goodwill Retail Store and Donation Center
1551 North Dryden
Arlington Heights, IL 60004
I worked at this store for a couple of years. I thought we had a pretty good selection of items and that we kept the store super clean. Halloween was our biggest season with layoffs during Christmas. I bought stuff there regularly when I worked there. To the right is a cup holder and Christmas cup that I bought there. I would usually shop on sales days and get my employee discount as well when I worked there.
Goodwill Retail Store
900 W Algonguin Road
Arlington Heights, IL 60004
I never worked at this location but I have shopped there several times. It is neat and orderly. I did not like their electronic selections that much. I think maybe they are not a recyle center the way the other Goodwill in Arlington Hts is and consequently don't get as many items to sell in this line. My friend Helene got a flashlight there and it worked!Goodwill Store
8722 West Dempster
Niles, IL 60714
I worked in this store one day during the opening. I worked the book section and thought they had some nice books. I have been back a couple of times since then and thought they had some nice stuff, and that it was clean and well organized. It seemed like I was looking for notebook paper whenever I went and I never found any.
The Classy Closet
The Classy Closet
Corner of Washington & Custer
Evanston, IL 60202
One of the reasons I like the Classy Closet is that it is only a few blocks from my apartment. I recently bought a black chair and folding table from them as well as a clothes basket. The clothes basket doubles as furniture since my place is so sparsely furnished. I also got a yoga mat there and may get a small stool when they come down on the price. You can see the table, chair and clothes basket in the picture gallery.
Chicago Rare Books
Unique
Unique Thrift Store
Southwest Corner of Western and Howard
Chicago, IL
Someone suggested Unique Thrift Store to me when I told her about my now defunct Squidoo lens on resale shops. So, I ventured across Howard Street, the border between Evanston and Chicago to visit a Unique Thrift Store. I was pleasantly surprised at how nice and organized it was and how friendly the staff. I also made a purchase of a grab bag of computer connections hoping to get a computer to monitor cable old style. Unfortunately, it didn't have one in there but hey the price was right. I made a return trip and got a big notebook binder with separation tags for $1.50. What a deal!The Salvation Army Resale Store in Skokie
Salvation Army Resale Store
4335 Oakton St.
Skokie, IL
When I went home after a bad marriage, a worse divorce and other trauma, I worked at the Salvation Army in Mobile, Alabama in the Substance Abuse program. They had a non-medical detox, and it was an eye opening experience to work there. At first it was on Bienville Square in Mobile but then moved to Dauphin Street. Even though the Sally [fond name the patrons have for the Salvation Army] is known for being kind of homophobic, I have a special place in my heart for it. I sometimes shop at their retail outlets. I have been to the Skokie retail store a couple of times after the Salvation Army resale store in Evanston closed. Mainly I have looked for electronics but I did buy a blanket and two small sleeping bags recently. You can see them in the above picture. The two sleeping bags double as quilts under the blanket. You can also see the pillow which doubles as a chair pillow in the day. So far, I don't seem to have bed bugs! The Salvation Army Resale Store in Skokie is also more organized than the one in Evanston was but has less furniture.
The Ort
The Ort
915 Chicago Ave.
Evanston, IL 60202
I have lived near the Ort off and on since I have been in the Chicago area. I also lived with the co-manager of the Ort in Highland Park for awhile. The list prices at the Ort are high but they nearly always have a sale going on. I recently purchased a huge portable shelf space in an Army green color. I left my bike at the shop, and rolled it home! It almost caught sail the wind was so high but I have enjoyed having it because I am using it for my clothes and the shelving in my closet for my books.
The Junior League Thrift Store
The Junior League North Shore Thrift House
920 Chicago Ave.
Evanston, IL 60202
Right across the street from the Ort is the Junior League North Shore Thrift House. One of the reasons that I like to support the Junior League Thrift Store is that they also donate to the food pantry at Hillside Church of which I am a patron. I bought a computer monitor there about 10 years ago. It was old then but it is still working! You can see it to the right there. It is my back up monitor and has kept me in work countless times when fancier monitors went out on me. The nice thing about it is that the man who sold it to me was using it at the store but gave it to me anyway. (He may have been testing it but it made me feel special that he gave it to me.)
I also bought a spring rain coat there that I still use. I went on a shopping spree for "cool" attire two years ago before I meet my Spanish club for dinner. Ole!
Book Den
North of the Junior League and on the opposite side of the street is the Book Den. This is a great place to browse and it has wonderful crowded books - feels like it used to feel going into the stacks in the library at college before they had open stacks! Just recently I was able to find a copy of the Autobiography of Malcolm X there for $2. I want to go back and get a copy of some books on the FBI files on Malcolm X and other political activist when I get my next SS check.Wings Resale Shop
Palatine Resale Store
Park Place Shopping Center
1315 North Rand Road
Palatine, IL
Niles Resale Store
8349 W. Golf Road
Phone: 847-965-1454
Those are the two Wings locations I have been to but I actually was at the Palatine location when they were near Wilke Rd. It was really cool, and I got a bunch of clothing items. I don't think I bought anything when I went to the Niles location and I have not been to the Schaumberg location at all yet. It is for a good cause - to help battered women and their children.
Frisbee Center Resale Shop
Frisbee Center Resale Shop
52 East Northwest Hwy
Des Plaines, IL 60016
This is a resale shop next door to and owned and run by the Frisbee Senior Center. I have mainly bought socks there. I have several extremely warm pairs of socks I got there besides some regular socks - all for twenty five cents a pair. Can't beat that! I also bought a raincoat there that I still have. I get a discount because I belong to the Senior Center.