Hey, big spender!
Put away your Benjamins and black cards because all you'll need at these bargain emporiums are coins and dollar bills. Whether you're a thrift wizard or a brand-name-only type of person, Austin's plethora of thrift stores has something to offer for everyone.
From Austin Pets Alive! Thrift to Top Drawer Thrift, our city offers tons of insanely cheap and rewarding thrift and consignment stores. You never know what you'll find lurking amongst the stuff in the bargain bin. Check out our picks for the best places to get thrifty in Austin.
Photo via Top Drawer
5312-A Airport Blvd
Top Drawer Thrift lands the number one spot on our list for two reasons: their amazing, curated selection of low-priced vintage items that you'd usually find marked up at a resale shop and the fact that all their proceeds (yes, all) benefit the work and mission of Project Transitions. Project Transitions is dedicated to serving people with HIV and AIDS by providing housing, comprehensive support services, recuperative care, and hospice in compassionate and caring environments.
______________________________________
photo via instagram
611 S Lamar Blvd
2932 Guadalupe St
While Pavement isn't exactly a typical "thrift store", it's a great option for finding some recycled hidden gems that won't break the bank. They are a buy/sell/trade shop selling new, vintage, and gently used merchandise that has been hand-picked by their staff. They even have tailors on their team who are dedicated to repairing and reworking damaged garments to give them a second life. We recommend following them on Instagram so you can be the first to know when they do special sales, like $5 fill-a-bag.
______________________________________
photo via KUT
650 Canion St
Hidden behind a striking “78752” mural, Heartening is Austin’s eco-friendly clothing project offering both a free clothing stand and a $3 clothing warehouse. With a zero-waste mission, everything is affordable and all proceeds cover operating costs. Heartening invites the community to donate, shop, and volunteer in a welcoming space built on sustainability and generosity.
______________________________________
photo via facebook
11101 Pecan Park Blvd
Certainly one of the most impressive thrift stores in Austin, Savers is a huge emporium with a bountiful supply of long-lost treasures. At Savers, you'll find everything from men's and women's clothing to housewares and electronics. True to the spirit of bargain hunting, Savers offers their items at dirt-cheap, incredibly generous prices starting as low as 50 cents. In addition to hooking customers up with cheap and cool goods, the store also provides for the community with its Community Donation Center, a program that benefits local nonprofit organizations like Easter Seals Central Texas. Shopping at Savers not only rewards your closet but also benefits your surrounding community. You'll never know what lurks among the clothing racks, shoe stands, and bargain bins at Savers. Find their last remaining Austin location up near Cedar Park.
Photo credit: Too Cheap Blondes
6505 Burleson Rd
Stepping into Goodwill's Outlet Store can be a bit intimidating even to the most accomplished bargain hunter. The warehouse is literally chock-full of blue bins, each containing all kinds of goodies from children's toys and clothing to electronics and accessories. If you're unfamiliar, here's how it works: The store rolls out bins throughout the day without scouring through them. Shoppers then pillage through the bins searching for hidden gold. Oh, and pricing is measured by the pound i.e. you can load up on clothing for pretty much nothing. With its endless supply of thrift items, Goodwill is certainly a formidable experience even for seasoned hunters. But if you're willing to spend some hard time amongst these bins, there's no telling what type of treasure you will find.
Photo Credit: Instagram / @Apathrift
Various Locations
Austin Pets Alive! is seriously one of the best things ever. In addition to being a super kind no-kill animal shelter, APA! also has its very own thrift store that offers designer items, jewelry, books, and more. Of course, APA! Thrift operates under the premise, "shop for you, save a life," giving proceeds to APA! and its various programs. Not only does shopping at Austin Pets Alive! Thrift Store prove exciting and rewarding but it also benefits the city's most vulnerable pets. Prices, as you may have predicted, are insanely cheap as the store's motto eschews personal financial gain for building community and helping animals in need. Seriously, now that there are multiple convenient locations of this amazing store, why would you not go?
photo credit: @Swimly
2142 E 7th St.
With its telling name and vibrant pink exterior, Treasure City Thrift is one of the most exciting and affordable thrift stores in the Austin area. Treasure City always stocks insanely cool, bizarre, and truly one-of-a-kind items offered at low prices that go unrivaled in Austin's thrift scene. The store is so thrifty that it actively monitors and lowers its prices to ensure it is the cheapest thrift store in town. Talk about generous! In addition to offering low prices and great items, Treasure City Thrift also supports local programs working for change, promotes support groups, and assists communities in need. They also recycle waste and materials, transforming trash into resources that benefit the entire city. Treasure City Thrift is a local gem that just keeps on giving. Speaking of which, they sometimes even have 25-cent sales and totally free markets, as well!
Photo Credit: Instagram / @Martha_Louise_Hunter
2411 Lake Austin Blvd
We know we already told y'all about Goodwill Blue Hanger, but there's something really special about Goodwill Lake Austin—its location. Situated right at the edge of Tarrytown, Goodwill Lake Austin is known for raking in high-quality, designer goods discarded by the citizens of Austin's "old money district." Expect to find brand names like Polo, Lacoste, Gucci—pretty much anything that could be worn at the country club—and more inside Goodwill Lake Austin. Like all other Goodwills, this store also sells housewares, electronics, jewelry, books, movies, games, and more at ridiculously low prices.
Photo Credit: Instagram / @recycledreadstx
5335 Burnet Rd
Recycled Reads is truly one of the greatest non-profits in Austin. Started in 2009 with the goal to salvage Austin Public Library's discarded material and resell it at dirt-cheap, affordable prices, Recycled Reads quite literally makes knowledge accessible to everyone. A champion of egalitarianism and the idea of public access, Recycled Reads prices their items to sell with the cheapest items priced at 50 cents and the most expensive items priced at $2.00. Their selection is immense and impressive for such a grassroots store; it collects discarded material from all 20 Austin Public Library locations! The place has a small staff and mostly relies on volunteers; if reading and education is something you're passionate about, we definitely recommend getting involved. This is a perfect store to load up on dirt-cheap books while simultaneously supporting a good cause.
photo credit: Austin Creatuve Reuse
2005 Wheless Ln
If you're into arts and crafts then you probably know how expensive the hobby can be. (Just go look at the prices at Michaels.) But luckily, Austin Creative Reuse is here to make arts and crafts affordable, rewarding, and even more creative. They "collect, distribute, and sell materials donated from industry and individuals," offering top-notch materials at low, low prices. Austin Creative Reuse is a perfect place to load up on materials for your new arts and crafts project. They also host educational events and programs that teach the community not only the importance of conscious consumption but also how to responsibly reduce and reuse material usage. Next time skip out on the exorbitant prices at super fancy arts and crafts stores and just head to Austin Creative Reuse.
Photo Credit: Yelp / Tim C.
901 Braker Ln.
St. Vincent De Paul (Vinny's, to some) is one of the classic Austin thrift stores. It's been serving the Austin area for quite some time now and its clothing racks and shelves are known to be some of the most bountiful in town. You'll find both vintage and contemporary items at some of the lowest prices in Austin. Recently, the store uprooted from its iconic South Congress location after 30 years of service and relocated to Braker, proving itself as a stalwart and committed thrift store. Of course, revenues generated from sales go to people in need within the community. Vinny's has been part of Austin culture for years, and their determination to continue giving back to its city is absolutely refreshing and commendable. Their prices are cheap and their causes are good.
Photo Credit: Habitat for Humanity Restore
500 W Ben White Boulevard
Thinking about restoring those flimsy rain gutters on the side of your house or embarking on a new DIY project? Or maybe you're just trying to up your Tim Allen-Home Improvement game? Habitat For Humanity ReStore is here to help you accomplish whichever household project you're after. Still a little curious about what this place exactly does? Basically, they collect and resell reusable materials donated from previous owners. The Goodwill of home improvement. Their prices, of course, are unbelievably cheap, with most items priced at insanely fair rates that go unrivaled in all home improvement stores. In addition to selling bargain items, Habitat For Humanity ReStore also serves as a "community recycling center" that diverts "millions of pounds of excessive dumping in Austin landfills."
Containing an endlessly re-visitable collection of knick-knacks, books, furniture, clothing, and everything in between, Texas Thrift is an absolute necessity for bargain hunting in Austin. Sensibly priced and friendly to boot, Texas Thrift is to many, a mecca of second-hand shopping. You walk in here and find something special every single time. As a bonus - on most holidays, the entire store is 50% off. Does it get much better than that?
__________________________________
EVEN MORE THRIFT STORES IN AUSTIN:
13801 Burnet Rd #200
5700 Menchaca Rd #240
512 W Stassney Ln #107a
4901 Burnet Rd
4101 S 1st St
Got a favorite place for some bargain hunting?
Holler!
