National Thrifting Day—where to go in the Huntsville area

Thursday, August 17 is National Thrifting Day, if you were not aware. And if you are anything like the shoppers in my household, thrift store shopping is not only a great way to find cool stuff for cheap, but it also is somewhat of an art form.

Great thrifters know where to shop and on what days of the week — which is not my forte — and they know what thrift stores have the best clothes, which ones have the best appliances, books, dishes, etc. Like I said, it’s an art. So whether you’re a thrifing artist or just a casual shopper, make sure to observe National Thrifting Day in Huntsville.

National Thrifting Day

Thrift stores are abundant in the Huntsville area, and depending on what you are looking for, the merchandise at these stores is fantastic. Here are some of my favorites in the Huntsville area:

• America’s Thrift Store & Donation Center – 2009 Drake Ave SW, Huntsville, AL 35801
• The Saving Way Thrift Store – 1810 University Dr NW, Huntsville, AL 35801
• Sacks On 72 Thrift Store – 7443 Hwy 72 W, Madison, AL 35758
• Value Village – 3008 Memorial Pkwy NW, Huntsville, AL 35810
• King City Thrift Store – 526 Jordan Ln NW, Huntsville, AL 35805
• Thrift Mart – 4710 University Drive NW, Huntsville, AL 35816
• Shirley’s Treasures – 1108 Andrew Jackson Way NE, Huntsville, AL 35801
• Redstone Thrift Shop – 3209 Hercules Rd, Huntsville, AL 35808
• Salvation Army Thrift Store – 2112 Oakwood Ave NW, Huntsville, AL 35810
• Goodwill Store & Donation Center – 8501 Whitesburg Dr, Huntsville, AL 35802

The benefits of thrifting

Not only does thrift store shopping allow you to shop for stuff you can use at prices you can afford, but it helps the community in more ways than one.

• When you donate to a thrift store, you keep those items out of landfills and help someone else get use out of an item that you no longer plan to use. In essence, thrifting is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint.
• Most thrift stores exist as nonprofit organizations set up to benefit a specific cause: for instance, America’s Thrift Stores (one of my favorites on Drake Ave.) raises money for Make-A-Wish Alabama. The Saving Way Thrift Store benefits the His Way Recovery programs.
• And of course, the Salvation Army and Goodwill thrift shops benefit those organizations.
• Any thrift store you visit will likely display which organization it supports.

You can find all kinds of cool stuff at thrift stores, but you do have to be patient and diligent. Don’t casually browse. Like going to a garage sale, you need to look for hidden gems that may not catch your eye immediately. Make a day of it.

And by all means, celebrate National Thrifting Day.

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