America's 11 Best Thrift Store Chains To Shop For Home Goods, According To Reviews

If you're looking for the best deals on furniture, home goods, and decor, you can't beat a good thrift store. When it comes to finding the best selection of secondhand items, these chains are worth checking out, according to shoppers. From giant warehouses to curated collections, each thrift store has a slightly different display approach. We've consulted social media, Google reviews, and forum threads to find out what people are really saying about America's thrift store chains.

When determining the best thrift store chains, there are a few qualifications. To compile this list, we considered a range of factors, including customer reviews and overall shopping experience. We also looked at elements such as merchandise variety, the potential to find unique items, and overall value for shoppers. While not every chain excels in all of these areas, each earned a spot on our list for offering a noteworthy thrift shopping experience. You can find a more detailed explanation of our methodology at the end of this article. 

If you live in America, you've likely found yourself in a Goodwill. There are over 3,300 stores in the U.S. and Canada, each with a variety of home goods and decor. Certain locations have a larger household items selection than others, so it's important to research the specific Goodwill outlets in your area before going on a home decor hunt. Goodwill's inventory can change drastically based on the season, so if you haven't had luck in the past, try searching right after spring cleaning. The days after holiday weekends can also be quite fruitful, as people finally get time to declutter and donate items. 

The reviews of Goodwill depend largely on the location, but there's a reason why they are one of the most well-known secondhand stores. "In one year, we furnished the majority of our entire house by shopping at Goodwill and Craigslist," shared Lauren, a DIY and decorating enthusiast from Blesser House – adding that Goodwill can sometimes rival Craigslist in the realm of home finds. Here are 15 savvy tips for getting the best furniture at Goodwill if you're after some cornerstone pieces. 

Salvation Army is another ever-present secondhand store. It currently has 887 thrift stores across the United States. The benefit for buyers is that they are known to be picky about their selection, which means you can expect higher quality pieces overall. However, this can make the process more difficult if your goal is to donate. If you can't make it to a store in person, you can actually shop the Salvation Army's selection of home products online.

Although they might have a more curated selection, some Reddit users criticize certain locations for pricing used furniture unreasonably high. This might be a reflection of their greater selectiveness in what Salvation Army accepts and sells, but it does not necessarily mean every item is overpriced. One way around this issue is to make sure to scour different stores around your area for the best deal. Salvation Army fans also suggest shopping on half-price day to get the best bang for your buck.

Value Village has over 300 thrift stores in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. They can be a great resource for vintage furniture, as is evident in the countless vintage home hauls across social media. Value Village is a for-profit chain, and shoppers on social media have complained that the prices are rising. But this doesn't mean you can't snag good deals there. One trick to try is signing up for the Value Village email notifications to get access to the most up-to-date coupons and promotions.

In short, while Value Village might not be as cheap as it once was, you might still be able to find items that are better bought from the thrift store than paying full price, especially if you are furnishing a second home or a rental property. TikTok user @roamwithrasha said that she was able to furnish her entire Airbnb for less than $3,500, partly thanks to shopping at Value Village. Another TikToker, @furniturerehab, shared some stunning mid-century furniture finds, proving that Value Village can be a place to source genuine, high-quality pieces.

Habitat for Humanity ReStore has over 1,000 locations, and the selection of items at each store tends to vary. They have particularly good reviews when it comes to the home improvement selection. While some small appliances can be on the expensive side (depending on the store), you can find great deals on a lot of home improvement items. If you're currently renovating your home, this can be a great resource to lower your overall costs.

One Reddit user urged other homeowners to seek out items like electrical boxes, paint, and silicone caulk. Another user commented on affordable air filters and refrigerator filters, noting, "I have saved so much money on this stuff buying it there." You shouldn't overlook these kinds of small thrift store finds, as they can be more valuable than you think. For homeowners with flexible project timelines, browsing ReStore before heading to a traditional hardware store can uncover unexpected materials and supplies. If they don't have what you need, keep checking for new inventory.

Unique is also owned by Savers, the parent company of Value Village. The Unique locations are mainly concentrated in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Some locations offer day-specific deals, like the Bridgeport, Chicago location, which offers 50% off discounts on Mondays for members of their Super Savers Club. If you're looking for thrift store flips that can make your home look more expensive, and have a Unique store in you area, it's probably worth checking out. 

Most of the locations are rated close to 4 stars on Google. With hundreds of reviews each, this is a fairly impressive average rating for a secondhand chain. As with other Savers-owned chains, Unique does get some recurring criticism over high prices. One avid Unique fan noted in their 5-star Google review, "I've gotten some really excellent things here. Over the past couple of years, I tended to go every couple weeks, but recently have been going weekly. I have noticed recently that the prices have gone up quite a bit." Even so, the review was still 5-stars, with them explaining, "Sometimes they have absolute trash there that is 10 times what you think it should be. And then sometimes it's an absolute hidden gem that's 10 times less. I figure it all evens out." It's worth visiting different locations to score the best deals.

2nd Avenue has six locations in Washington DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New Jersey. They do fall under the Savers umbrella, and are a for-profit company. While they primarily advertise their selection of secondhand fashion, they can actually be an amazing resource for vintage furniture and home decor. According to their page on Yelp, the superstores stock their sales floor with over 10,000 items every day. There are many positive reviews about the selection, and complaints are largely about specific staff members.

Decorator Kelly Elko listed 2nd Avenue as her favorite thrift store of all time — particularly for cute vintage decor pieces. She describes it as bright and well-stocked, and recommends searching for pieces like pottery, dishware, and glasses. On TikTok, @mrvintagenj highlighted several vintage furniture finds, sound systems, and lamps. Always search for vintage furniture brands online to check the resale value, and follow these tips to determine if you're paying a fair price for vintage furniture. 2nd Avenue can have a surprisingly lucrative selection.

MyUnique has 11 locations across New York and New Jersey, and the selection of home goods is impressive. They boast having one-of-a-kind vintage finds, which makes them a particularly tempting thrift store if you love sourcing rare and iconic design pieces. Their "daily tag discounts" offer even more ways to save, with color-coded tags that offer an additional 25%, 50%, or 75% off. If you're located in the tristate area, or taking a trip to the region soon, definitely put it on your list.

Their selection is praised highly across various social media channels. Instagram user @lalarosenyc commented on how much home decor her local outlet had, and described the extensive variety as "sensory overload." TikTok user @mrvintagenj even spotted a reproduction Marcel Breuer B33 chair. And @rachelloveslattes shared that the entire basement of the Paterson location is home decor and furniture, describing the store as "massive."

There are hundreds of Society of St. Vincent de Paul thrift stores across the U.S., each operated by the society's Catholic charity. You can find your closest location on their store locator. Under the Society of St. Vincent de Paul umbrella, each thrift store is typically run by local councils or conferences. This means inventory, pricing, and selection can vary greatly by location. Many of these stores also support local charitable programs, with proceeds often funding community assistance services.

TikTok user @herstoryretold raved about the warehouse full of home decor at her local store, and even found some decorative items for as low as $1, which is cheaper than Dollar Tree. If your priority is finding bargains, Society of St. Vincent de Paul stores are worth putting on your list. Not every location will have a large selection of home goods, so it's important to research your local St. Vincent de Paul store before heading out for your shopping trip.

Olde Good Things is a massive antique dealer with physical locations in New York, Los Angeles, and Scranton. This is the place to go if you are looking for decorative hardware and fixtures. In addition to home decor and furniture, they also have props from film sets — although the prices on these are high. If you can't make it to a store in-person, you can shop their selection online.

All three locations have at least a 4.5-star rating on Google, and customers frequently say that shopping at Olde Good Things feels like walking through a museum. One customer wrote on Google, "This is an essential destination for the 'architectural salvage store' type (we know who we are). They have a big stock while particularly good varieties of doors, chandeliers, mirrors, and ironwork panels. Super friendly staff to boot!" On Yelp, one user wrote the following about the New York location: "Unbelievable place of history and artifacts from NYC and all over! Worth a visit if you're in the area to browse and check it out!"

If you're after ornate vintage furniture and beautiful antiques, you can't beat The Brass Armadillo Antique Mall. There are six locations total across Des Moines, Kansas City, Omaha, Phoenix, and Denver. What started in Des Moines as one antique marketplace has grown into a multi-location operation spread across the U.S. Instead of identical stores, each site develops its own identity based on the vendors who operate there, which means the inventory and style can vary widely from place to place.

TikTok user @wildjoyexperience dubbed the Brass Armadillo as the "coolest antique store in Arizona." @alexiainarizona shared a similar sentiment, calling it "one of the coolest stores I think I've ever been in." The sheer scale is incredibly impressive, with an endless array of glassware, decor, and furniture. If you're planning on making a trip to the Brass Armadillo in the near future, keep an eye out for these valuable, antique furniture pieces that collectors hunt for at the thrift store.

Gone for Good is a thrift store chain based in Colorado with multiple locations. The stores specialize in home goods, with many customers highlighting strong selection and good pricing. In addition to operating as a thrift store, the company also provides junk and trash removal services. Their estate clean-out work contributes to a constantly changing inventory that often includes unique vintage furniture and distinctive home decor pieces.

"The prices are unbelievably fair and the employees are full of knowledge on the furniture brand, the story behind a piece, and general enjoyable banter. We just purchased a 1960s dresser in wonderful shape," one Google review stated. "Friendly small business with a good cause. Always something neat to find like furniture or other goods for the home but stuff moves fast," noted another review.

We selected the top thrift store chains in the U.S. using a combination of different sources to understand real customer experiences and overall store quality. A large part of our research focused on social media reviews (particularly video-based ones), as they show direct, in-store walkthroughs and give a clear sense of what shoppers can actually expect to find. We also turned to decorators and bloggers well-versed in the thrift store scene.

We also examined forum threads, where users share detailed personal experiences and opinions about different thrift stores based on real visits. In addition, we considered Google reviews to analyze general satisfaction and consistency across locations. Each thrift store has its strengths, whether it is the unique selection, rare vintage pieces, or an extensive variety.