Review: Goodwill Worcester

This is the fifth year that I have been living (and thrifting!) in Worcester, but I have only recently come to be an frequent shopper of Goodwill at 25 Park Avenue in Worcester, MA. This is because the Park Ave location just recently underwent some wonderful renovations.  The store now has a more open layout, convenient registers, and well-organized racks.  Organization is key in good thrift store: thrifting is a time-consuming process of sifting through thousands of unique items, and mess can make the difference between an enjoyable hunt and an overwhelming headache of a shopping experience. 

Reasons I love Goodwill:
Everything is organized by garment type and color!
All the short sleeved shirts will be on one rack, and within that rack, all the red pieces will be together, all the blues together, and so on. Although I am rarely searching for a specific colored garment so it does little to help me locate a particular piece, the color system is a way of maintaining organization and keeping the store welcoming and easy to shop in.

There are no price tags: just different colored tag fasteners
Price tags don’t get ripped off and lost: Often thrift stores won’t sell items that don’t have their tag attached, because there is no other way of verifying the item came from that store. The absence of paper tags means this is never a problem at Goodwill, so you will never be denied buying that awesome garment you found

You can wash the clothes and return them: No paper tags means that you can wash the clothes and bring them back! So if you find an amazing shirt, but it has a small stain on it, you can bring the shirt home and try to remove the stain. If the stain doesn’t come out, you can bring it back.

Their mission is to provide people with meaningful employment
The job market is horrendous. Goodwill provides disadvantaged people with job training, support, and placement.

There’s probably a Goodwill in your area
Seriously, Goodwill is everywhere. Visit their website. They’ve got 165 locations around the country.

From my trip to Goodwill on September 26, 2011
I’m super excited, because I didn’t pay “full price” for anything during this trip. All orange tags were 50% off, and for the items that didn’t have an orange tag, I got a 25% with my student ID for their back to school sale.

100% Silk Diane Von Furstenburg Scarf: $2.99 less 25% student Discount: $2.25

I love the colors. I love the crosshatch patterns. I love that I could totally wear this to a pride parade, but it is subtle enough for everyday wear. I’ve already worn it once as a bandana around my neck. And did I mention it’s 100% silk and DIANE VON FREAKING FURSTENBURG? Total score.

Light pink leopard V-neck: $4.99 less 50% for orange tag: $2.50

When I’m thrifting, I am always drawn to patterns. A lot of time colored leopard print can look cheap or immature, but I think the scale of the spots and the muted rose tone keeps this shirt classy. The cotton is good quality and there is no pilling.

Hi-Line Striped Tee: 4.99 less 50% for orange tag: $2.50

Did I mention I love patterns? I love the beige and black stripes on this shirt, and the interesting cut pattern. Also, Hi-Line is a brand sold out of Madewell, a high-quality store that is owned by J.Crew, so I know it is a well-made product (no pun intended). Nautical stripes are also allegedly in right now. I’d saw this pattern is close enough.

J.Crew Grey Chino: $6.49 less 25% student discount: $4.87

Honestly, I’m not a J.Crew shopper.  Most of their clothes are a little “prep school parent” for my taste. But wide leg trousers are coming back this season (not that I’m throwing out my beloved skinny jeans...) and I have a hard time finding pants that fit at thrift stores. Because I’m nearly 5’10”, I need to buy long length pants, and these are extremely rare at the thrift store. So I snapped these up. Long-legged ladies, listen up: If you find a long length pant that fits at a thrift store... don’t hesitate. They’re a rare find. Lock that down and head to the register.

Black polka dot silk sheath top: 4.99 less 50% for orange tag: $2.50

I know, I know, more patterns.  But again, 100% silk!  Sleeveless silk tops are my new favorite item, because they move flawlessly from day to evening looks.  Pair a top like this with nice jeans and a suit jacket for Casual Friday, and after work just remove the jacket and add  a big piece of colorful jewelry for a night out!

Needless to say, I was extremely satisfied with my trip to Goodwill this week. I found five wonderful pieces and spent about $15.00!  

Coming up: Top Thrifting Tips, and more Thrift Store reviews.