Hey muffins! After spending the last five years in Ann Arbor during both my undergrad and grad school experiences, I have definitely checked out many of the city’s thrift stores. Secondhand shopping is an excellent way to reduce your waste and avoid fast fashion. It is also super fun to look for treasures! Now that I no longer live in the area, I thought it would be fun to share some of my faves with you all. These Ann Arbor thrift stores are the ones I would shop at the most; each one has different reasons on why I like it, so here are my thoughts!
1. The ShareHouse
Address: 5161 Jackson Rd
This store was my absolute favorite place to shop – I will definitely miss it! The building is large and contains a mix of literally everything and anything you could be searching for. The clothing department is relatively small, but they have a nice chunk of vintage pieces. There are even wedding dresses if you are looking to have a sustainable ceremony. ๐ Even though they don’t have a large amount of clothes, the prices are excellent ranging from $0.25 to $3.
In terms of home items, they have bins of EVERYTHING (ex. utensils, bathroom storage, craft supplies, etc.). While everything is well labeled, you will have to dig through bins if they are full. But you are bound to find some treasures! They have a huge wall of cheap cookbooks and a whole room for games and puzzles. Most things are assigned prices at checkout (except for clothes), but the owners always give extremely reasonable prices. You could probably bargain with them if you wanted, but I’ve never seen the need. A great thrift store to check out – give yourself at least two hours to look at everything! ๐
Best finds: Three 1000 piece puzzles ($4), a huge stack of vintage greeting cards ($4.50), Mickey Mouse shirt for Disney trip ($0.25)
2. Ann Arbor PTO Thrift Shop
Address: 2280 S Industrial Hwy
This thrift store has a moderate amount of clothes, but each week a certain color tag makes those pieces only $0.50! Because the section isn’t massive the clothing turns over pretty quick, so there are always new things to look at. I’d recommend shopping for those 50 cents pieces at the beginning of the week; they are perfect for any thrift flip projects!
If you are looking for crafting/DIY supplies, this is also the place to go. They have everything from single buttons to stickers to scrapbooking paper to fabric to vintage patterns. It is truly incredible and the labeling is on point. The kitchen section is relatively small, but I have found some nice things there. They also have a good game section and check each one to ensure all the pieces are in the box! Unlike the ShareHouse, everything is individually priced. All the proceeds go to support local schools of the area, so I loved supporting this place these past five years!
Best finds: “Technicolor dreamcoat” sweater ($4), Halloween pillow ($4.50), fabric for my DIY Mary Poppins costume
3. Salvation Army
Address: 1621 S State St
My favorite “chain” thrift store has always been Salvation Army, and the one in Ann Arbor doesn’t disappoint. This store is basically 90% clothing – it has everything you could ever look for! Because Ann Arbor is a wealthier area, this location is stocked full of amazing brands. This also means the prices are slightly higher, but even as a broke college student the prices were never too high. The store is quite busy, and a lot of people shop here (including college students as it is walking distance to campus). But, this means the inventory turns over often… There are a ton of new items each week!
Best finds: Gnocci “Gucci” shirt ($3)
4. Recycle Ann Arbor’s Reuse Center
Address: 2420 S Industrial Hwy
This recycling center is close to the PTO thrift store, so I would always stop in when I was in the area. Their “barn” has bits of everything from kitchenware to boxes of books to lots of furniture. Nothing is individually labeled, and I have found that the prices end up being higher than the ShareHouse. But, this center also has a huge selection of reclaimed wood and other materials. If you are a handy person or is about to start some home projects or rebuilds this would be the place to check out!
Best find: Nice golf club for my boyfriend ($8)
Overall, I think there are a lot of awesome secondhand options in Ann Arbor. On top of the ones I mentioned, there are also many vintage and antique stores in the area. The city can be quite expensive overall, so thrifting is an excellent way to save that coin AND save the planet! ๐ What are your favorite thrift stores in Ann Arbor?
Love,
Jenna โฅ