Goodwill Hunting in St. Louis

Last Friday, I went on a Goodwill store hop in St. Louis with Glamazini.  I’ve been quite curious about the local thrift shop scene, so when Glamazini introduced the fabulous idea, I immediately jumped on board.  The plan was to visit the infamous Goodwill Outlet and four other Goodwill stores chosen strategically by their locations.

Goodwill Outlet

Thrift shopping demands time and patience because it’s a chore to sift through lots of undesirables in the hope of finding a gem.  The occasional discovery of fashion treasures, though, makes the entire process worthwhile.

With that said, the Goodwill outlet introduces a whole new world of thrifting.  Picture over 20,000 square feet of retail space stocked with bins that are filled with everything you could ever imagine someone donating to Goodwill.  In addition, every 20 minutes, new bins of merchandise are rolled onto the floor.  Y’all, the St. Louis Goodwill outlet is the largest in the country. 

Bargains hunters, clearly more familiar with the process than I was, eagerly awaited the new merchandise being rolled onto the floors.  Getting first dibs on the new stuff was such a priority for two shoppers that day that they started physically fighting about it.  Say what?  Yes, fighting!

Goodwill Outlet, 3728 Market Street, St. Louis, MO 63110

Bins in the Goodwill Outlet

After sifting through a few bins, Glamazini and I, both avid dress shoppers, decided to head to a few other locations where it would be easier to shop by item.

Other Goodwill Locations

The other locations, including the Brentwood, Sunset Hills, Manchester, and Chesterfield stores, met expectations.  They were well organized by item type (skirts, shirts, dresses, and so on).  There was a wide range of brands.  There was a sizable portion of vintage items.  I was particularly impressed by the extensive coat collection in every location.  Fur coats, wool coats, puffer coats, no matter your preference, Goodwill plans to get you covered this fall/winter.

Check out these standout pieces from various locations:

Trendy fur vest at Brentwood Goodwill, $35

Vintage Famous Barr Fur coat in Brentwood store, $25

   

Glamazini’s Fab Find: Wilsons Leather Blazer, $15

On this particular trip, my favorite stop was the Chesterfield Goodwill at 11 Forum Shopping Center, Chesterfield, MO 63017.  Why?  It was a haven for designer goods in excellent condition.  The store also appeared to be new.

Outside Chesterfield Goodwill, 11 Forum Shopping Ctr.

Coach bucket bag, $15

B. Mankowsky bag, $35.  Like new condition.

Christian Dior menswear-inspired blazer, $15

I purchased a couple items for myself in this Chesterfield store.   Checkout my $14 outfit below.  That very mod-looking, red, Live a Little jacket was only $8.  The super chic tweed skirt by Tommy Hilfiger was $6.

This Goodwill hop was fun and filled with cool suprises.  The trip was especially enjoyable with my company.  I plan to delve deeper into the world of thrifting after this experience.

Be sure to read Glamazini’s recap of our Goodwill Hunting.

Are you a thrifter?  Please share your experiences and tips!