I’ve always loved antiques. I came from a family that passed down portraits and furniture through the generations. My family places lots of value on those items. Not because of the physical value, although my parents had pieces appraised for values that could have put my sister and I through college, but for the sentimental value. Those pieces mean something to my family. It is like some sort of time machine. It connects us to our past. It brings an intimacy with our ancestors that time can not allow us to have. Knowing that we were sitting on the very same chair for Thanksgiving dinner that our ancestors in the late 1800’s sat on, is a privilege and somehow ushers in new life to our family’s story. So at an early age, I learned to respect and appreciate antiques.
My love for antiques gave me a curiosity about the stores that sold them. In college I frequented antique stores and picked up miscellaneous items to enhance the decor in my room. I never really entered many thrift stores. Well, maybe with the exception of looking for a Halloween costume circa 1970 for a party? I think I was always disinterested in thrift stores thinking that is where everyone’s trash goes to die. It seemed dirty. I was too clean, too cool. That is, until I met my Thrift Mentor, Natalie Drake. I will keep calling her my Thrift Mentor from here on out, because it just feels right.
My Thrift Mentor and I met about 10 years ago. The very first time I walked into her house I was stunned by the incredible decor. Her vibe can’t be bottled. It is eclectic. It is collected. It is modern. It is traditional. It is transitional. Now, you may be thinking that this sounds chaotic and not uniform. But it is symphonic. It all makes sense. It is a beautifully displayed collection of goodness throughout. One day I will talk her into letting me post some pictures. You will be so inspired!
My Thrift Mentor has a way taking the most ordinary things and making them look swanky. I once stood looking a bowl of snow globes mesmerized how they could all look so cool together. I had passed by a million of those babies throughout my life and thought of them as just a kid’s trinket that sufficed for 10 minutes of entertainment- I would have never thought of them as modern eye catching decor. She has a bicycle console table in her entryway. She had the butcher’s anatomy of a cow drawn in chalk on chalkboard paint her kitchen before chalkboard paint was cool. Her kid’s changing table when he was a baby was a vintage medical changing table- from a real live hospital that she scored for free. Intermingled in these collected pieces are statement pieces. Good quality decor. Needless to say after leaving her house my thoughts and opinions of thrift stores changed forever.
Over the years my Thrifting Mentor has given me tours of Thrift stores. Swapped photos with me of thrift scores. Taught me terminology. Thrift culture. And given me tips on where the good stuff is weeks before everyone else catches on. Listen. Everyone should have a Thrift Mentor like mine. Do you have one? You can claim me. I’ll be YOUR Thrift Mentor.
Last week my Thrifting Mentor took me on a tour of thrift stores in Dallas. I will give you the play by play for each store. There are so many other great ones around so this list is not exhaustive. If you have never gone into a thrift store or are not sure where to start, READ THIS FIRST.
I will give you the run down in the order it makes sense to me for you to visit each location. At some point you should stop for coffee or lunch. There are so many great haunts in this area of Dallas. We ended our afternoon at the Dallas Farmers Market!
Salvation Army | 5302 Harry Hines Blvd. Dallas 75235
This store is a classic thrift store. They use the color system for all clothing and home decor. All green tags that day were 50% off. For their furniture they have a unique mark down process. Let me lay it out:
Now, each time I go in I will jot down the dates on my phone so I can quickly distinguish the percentage off and not have to calculate each time a look at a date on a tag. They had some great furniture pieces for great prices. A wide variety of styles and sizes. In my opinion this location is a stop for furniture They have a large selection of clothes and glassware, but I was just more impressed with their furniture selection.
Genesis Benefit Thrift | 3419 Knight St. Dallas 75219
Just thinking about Genesis Benefit makes my heart happy. As my Thrifting Mentor said as we entered the door “Now, we can spend some time in here!” If you are looking for great clothes and housewares this the place to spend some time!
We were greeted at the door with a simple sign “All blouses $2.” For real?! As I sorted through the blouses I couldn’t believe it. Great brands. Classic blouses. Trendy blouses. $2 This is where thrifting gets tricky. You start thinking things like “That’s so cheap- I like that shirt. If I only wear it once , that’s OK its only $2!” That is a very slippery slope, sweet friend. Take a deep breath, grab some fresh air and go back to your list. Now, with that in mind grab as many $2 blouses that you have room for, that fit you, and that you will actually wear this season! I found a lot. I even got my oldest this cute top. How much you ask? $2!
This store is the mecca of jewelry. They had the best pieces. It’s not a large selection, but it’s a great quality one. They also had some great designer purses. They were reasonably priced. I do really like to find a great designer purse in a pile at a thrift store that has been overlooked and priced for $5. It’s so satisfying. Uh Oh. That’s this addict in me kicking in. I’ll check myself. Here they are a little more astute and they price them accordingly.
The housewares section is divine. I picked up several picture frames and the most adorable bow etched water goblets. I can’t wait to host a luncheon and put some water with lemon slices in those! They do have a small selection of kids clothes and men’s clothes. But this is the place for women’s clothing, shoes, accessories, and housewares.
Dolly Python | 1916 N. Haskell Ave. Dallas 75204
This is the site of the Leopard Furry Coat. And so many other fantastic pieces. This store is not a traditional thrift store. Some may argue that it does not belong on the pages of this post. But, it sells used items just as all of the other thrift store goods so I think it qualifies. This is an iconic vintage institution in Dallas. There are tons of unique, good quality clothing items. They are well organized by type or era. The other half of the store is a little antique booth set up. There you’ll find home decor, jewelry, hats, all kinds of things! You will not be disappointed if you plan a trip to Dallas JUST to walk into this store! It made my day!
Goodwill Electronics | 1919 N. Haskell Ave. Dallas 75204
*Can we make a special notation here for the Goodwill right across the street from Dolly Python? It is a Goodwill dedicated to computers and electronics- think build your own cryptocurrency rig (I know what that is because one lives in our media room currently?!), computer, get your kid a gaming console. How crazy is that? The staff here has a reputation of being super helpful! We didn’t pop in this time, but I plan to next time I’m near by with my hubby!
Ross at Peak Thrift | 4233 Ross Ave. Dallas 75204
Ross is jam packed full of furniture. That is no joke. It is interesting quick stop. There could be just the furniture piece you need, but it may be buried under several other items. The employees are super friendly and helpful. I’m sure they would be happy to move things around for you. There is a small, one way path going around the store because they have so many items. You could easily get cornered there and stuck, so proceed with caution. I found their selection to be a bit pricey. Which may explain the large inventory on hand. It is so centrally located and will take less than 10 minutes to walk through so it’s worth the stop if you are looking for a specific piece.
City Square Thrift | 1213 N. Washington Ave. Dallas 75204
City Square has it all. Furniture, glassware, home decor, and clothing. The clothing is really nothing to speak of in comparison with the furniture selection. The furniture pricing was good. They also follow the color system, but instead of 50% off it is 25% off. Sometimes, I am sure it is 50% off. It will just depend on the day and special. They have some great furniture pieces here!
Need more specific directions? Got you covered, girl!
I hope you will take a tour of these great thrift stores soon! Be sure to tag @hostingwhatmatters in your posts on Instagram so I can highlight you in my stories . Use the hashtag #thriftscore for all of those hidden treasures you find!
Meet the Hostess
I'm a Southern girl who loves a good party, a house full of laughter, and a porch swing full of friends and family. I blog about how to host in a way that matters. Curious what I mean by that? CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE AND READ MY STORY.
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