Thrifting through Bloomington

Don’t search “thrift stores” on Google and go. We tried this and found that many listed online are out of business or closed during the hours listed on their websites. Make sure to call smaller shops, or really any store besides Goodwill or Plato’s Closet, before you go to make sure they’re still around and/or open as advertised.
Here are the Weekend staff’s favorite places to thrift, in ascending order of cheapness.

Cheapest

Salvation Army, 115 N. Rogers St. Call them at 812-334-1366.

The Salvation Army store here in Bloomington can’t compare to the behemoth that is the Indianapolis branch, but if you don’t want to make the long drive, it will do. Almost everything is less than $5. The quality and selection isn’t as consistently good as Goodwill, but for the lowest prices in town, we’ll take it.

Pro tips: They have a small student discount, so bring your IU student ID.

Goodwill, 1264 Liberty Drive. Call them at 812-336-8104.

If you have a car, the non-College Mall Goodwill is the way to go. The one close to campus tends to be fairly picked over, so make the drive west for the freshest stuff. Prices are slightly more than Salvation Army, but most clothing is still comfortably less than $10. Target and other area stores seem to donate some of their overstock to Goodwill, so you can sometimes find new, mall-brand clothing with tags still on.

Pro tips: The whole store is on sale every first Saturday. Sign up for the rewards card to track your purchases and donations. If you donate enough, they sometimes give you store credit!

Cheaper

Vintage Vogue by GW, 422 E. Kirkwood Ave. Call them at 812-335-3513.

If you missed it last time you walked by, it’s tucked in the alley between Which Wich and Chipotle. Local Goodwill stores filter some of their nicest or brand-name items to Vintage Vogue. Although the Weekend editors still prefer normal Goodwill stores, Vintage Vogue has a nice, boutique-y vibe that’s more pleasant to shop in than normal Goodwill, and its proximity to campus can’t be beat. Prices are a few dollars more than normal Goodwill, between $7 for a shirt to $30 or more for a designer jacket.

Pro tips: Your Goodwill rewards card works here, too. And the whole store will be on sale this Saturday.

Plato’s Closet, 1145 S. College Mall Rd. Call them at 812-333-4442.

Plato’s is the oddball of this bunch. They’re not a typical thift store — rather, they’re a for-profit resale store. The great thing about Plato’s is that you can often bring in your old clothes, sell them off and shop for free with your profits. Pieces here are more typical, on-trend, brand-name items. If you can get over all of the middle-schoolers that shop at Plato’s, it’s surprisingly rewarding. Prices clock in anywhere between $4 for a tank top to $40 for fancy, designer jeans.

Pro tips: Plato’s also has a rewards card you should sign up for. If you sell your clothes fairly often, your stamps can add up to a 15 percent off coupon for store merchandise.

Cheap

Amused, 212 W. 4th St. Call them at 812-332-8733.

Although it’s also a skate and smoke shop, Amused has a surprisingly good selection of groovy vintage threads. The clothes are definitely a little more free-spirited than Plato’s or Cactus Flower, so expect lots of tie-dye, lace and flowy linen dresses. Prices range from $8 for a simple top to $35+ for longer dresses.

Pro tips: Be aware of the new clothes mixed in with the vintage pieces, or you’ll end up spending lots more than you intend to.

Cactus Flower, 322 E. Kirkwood Ave. Call them at 812-333-8279.

While the main floor of the store sells modern pieces, walk up the winding staircase and onto a floor that sells everything from old satin gloves to oversized men’s flannels. This is definitely more of a curated vintage store than a thrift store, so not everything in the shop is cheap. But if you’re willing to pay a little extra, you’ll walk out with some pretty unique things. And if you’re poor, check out the cardboard box near the shoe rack to find funky men’s shirts for a few bucks. Prices range from $5 for a women’s tee to $50+ for pristine vintage boots.

Pro tips: The shoe wall here is fabulous. And don’t miss the vintage robes and lingerie!

By Kelly Fritz and Amanda Arnold