Anchor picks: Places to find thrifted treasures

What’s your favourite thing about thrifting? Is it the thrill of the hunt? One-of-a-kind finds? A little bit of everything?

While some folks might suggest hitting up thrift stores in Vancouver, you don’t need to leave the city to go on a little vintage adventure.

What’s Good Vintage Clothing

What’s Good has something for everyone, but it’s an especially fantastic option if you’re looking for throwback athletic apparel, collegiate wear (no, you don’t actually have to go all the way to Syracuse University for a hoodie) or racing jackets like this one from Chevrolet.

If you see something you want, best to scoop it up quickly: What’s Good ships worldwide, and pieces are known to move fast.

Uncommon Clothing

There’s some overlap between What’s Good and Uncommon, but if you’re into designer fare, make sure to visit Uncommon—they’re on the second floor of the River Market. Their Y2K game is fierce, and they have a pretty great selection of designer threads without the designer price tag.

Bonus: they have a strong TikTok game. 

New to You Thrift Store

Steps away from the main New West Library branch, New to You is a not-for-profit option. It’s 100% volunteer run by the Royal Columbian Hospital Auxiliary, so what you spend here goes straight to the hospital. New to You is also a great contender for some of the best discounts. For instance, this July’s sale includes taking 50% off all pants and jeans, platters, books, DVDs and CDs.

You can also find unique baby shower gifts here: their window is decorated with “baby cakes,” which can make a really fun gift for parents-to-be!

St. Barnabas Thrift Store

Tucked away in the basement of the St. Barnabas Church, you can find all sorts of neat things here: Earlier this year, the store was selling a beautiful bedroom bench for $150!

The store does have limited hours as it is 100% volunteer run, and it has struggled with people leaving donations outside, meaning more of a mess to clean up! Please ensure you’re dropping off your donations during business hours.

Hot tip: If you time your summer shopping days right, you can also enjoy the Listen and Love Cafe, which happens every Saturday afternoon at St. Barnabas in July and August. The cafe serves light refreshments, and offers an assortment of puzzles, card and board games you can enjoy with your friends and neighbours!

Treasure Chest Thrift Store

It’s another case of doing good while looking good! This location has fairly low prices, with a healthy assortment of clothing, movies, antiques, books, and home goods for your purchasing pleasure. Proceeds from the Treasure Chest Thrift Store go towards the Canadian Mental Health Association. The store is always happy to have volunteers join its team!