Thrift Shopping in Chicago

Growing up, my mom always loved taking me to thrift stores. We could afford to go to regular stores and buy our clothing there, but my mom loved the idea of reusing old items and the history behind everything. I loved it because it felt like a treasure hunt, and you never knew what you were going to find. 

Today, that love of thrift shopping has been deeply embedded in my personality and it’s one of my favorite things to do. Not only is shopping second hand better for the environment (don’t get me started on this), but it’s a good way to make sure that all of the clothes you own are unique. 

When I moved to Chicago, I knew that finding thrift stores wasn’t going to be hard. In most big cities in America, there is usually a plethora of Goodwill stores or a Salvation Army here and there. However, I didn’t expect to find a new favorite thrift store. 

Village Discount Outlet will forever have a special place in my heart. I cannot recommend it enough to people who love to thrift. I live near the Lincoln Park campus and the closest location to me is the one off of the Paulina stop on the brown line. The reason this store is my favorite is because of their prices. Everyday a different colored tag is half off, and it’s so cheap that you don’t even feel bad for shopping because you only end up spending $2. They also change out their store inventory every week so there’s always something new when you go. The only downside to the store is that they don’t have fitting rooms, but there are mirrors to try things on over your clothes. If you are a fan of shopping secondhand, I recommend you check this store out!

– Haedy Gorostieta