Every week I want to highlight a cool resale shop on 19th Street. I’d like to start my Heights shopping tour with a stop at The Sand Dollar Thrift Store on Yale and 19th.  The clothes are organized by type and by color, making it easy to navigate through this huge store. They also sell house ware items, appliances, furniture,  books, records, VHS cassettes, art, jewelry, bags …. just about everything.

Most of the clothes are in pretty good condition. Usually, it’s middle class families who are donating to the Sand Dollar. Families that can afford to give away slightly worn clothes to replace with trendier items. I’ve dropped off several bags of my own barely worn (very stylish) clothes because they didn’t fit me anymore.

And unlike most vintage shops, the styles at this thrift store are pretty contemporary and trendy. Think dresses from the Gap, 2 seasons old.  My best find? A gold Betsey Johnson cocktail dress for $6. And that’s one of the more expensive pieces!

The key to shopping at a store like this is to be patient and to have an open mind. Cute Betsey Johnson numbers don’t always jump out at you. There’s no pretty display or well styled mannequins to help you pick out what to wear. You need to dig, dig, dig, dig and dig through all the racks of clothing to catch the really good finds. Don’t walk in expecting to find something specific.  Bring your creativity with you.  Dress too long? Get it hemmed. Blouse too wide? Belt it. When you think this way, every piece has potential.  To increase your chances of finding amazing clothes, go in as often as possible. Remember: new items are stocked everyday.

You’ll probably find a lot of great things for very cheap, but remember to keep your personal style in mind. Don’t clutter your closet with clothes you don’t need. That was my biggest mistake when I first went to the Sand Dollar. I bought too many things; most were never worn. In fact, I donated them right back to the store several months later.

While most thrift stores don’t have dressing rooms, The Sand Dollar (thankfully) does. Make sure to try on your finds, keeping your tailor or sewing skills in mind. Examine all your clothes for tears, stains, and holes and remember these can be fixed.

The Sand Dollar takes credit/debit and cash.  Bring your own reusable shopping bag since they still use platic bags at check-out.

I recommend shopping at the Sand Dollar for any adventurous fashionista who loves to  rummage. You’ll never know what treasures you can find.

Picture found at http://heightsblog.wordpress.com/

Some tips for Successful Thrifting:

34 Tips to Thrift Store Shopping

Green Thrift Store Shopping