By Rory McNelley, Education and Enrichment Coordinator

Over the weekend, I visited three different thrift stores around Cincinnati to determine which was the best spot. Back in my hometown of St. Louis, Missouri I can tell you which Goodwill has the good stuff. Here in Cincinnati, my expertise is limited. I decided to broaden my horizon and try three very different stores. 

1. Clothes Mentor 

This is a beautiful thrift store with high quality items and good prices. You can tell they know who to ask for donations because the store features designer bags and high-end clothing items. It is not exactly the prices you expect at a thrift store. A pair of lululemon shorts cost $25, but with the brand names they can mark up the prices. One thing that really surprised me about this store was the amount of shoes they had for sale. I had never seen so many shoes at such great prices. A pair of Hunter rain boots would set you back about $35. My favorite part of this store was the organization. It was easy to find what I was looking for in my size. 

2. Salvation Army

This store was exactly what I picture thrift stores looking like in my mind. A big warehouse type facility is filled with racks of clothes, odd objects, antique furniture and jewelry that looks like it was taken from your great grandma. My least favorite thing about stores like this is the overwhelming amount of clothes. In Clothes Mentor, I was able to identify which sections I wanted to look at. After finding my size I was able to browse in less than 30 minutes. In this store, I first looked around at the sea of metal hangers and thought I am never going to get through this. I sometimes have the attitude at these stores that I must see everything because I could be missing the best thrift find of my life. In these large outlet stores though, you must accept that you can only touch the surface with the limited time you have before your Saturday nap. 

3. Snooty Fox

This last store definitely lived up to its name. This is one of the snootiest thrift stores I have seen. I would more consider it to be a second-hand clothing store, as it was a little bit fancier than what I’m used to. The store’s selection was excellent. Designer brands, a large sale rack, friendly staff and cozy setting are some of its defining factors. If you are looking for nice clothes second hand at a reasonable price, this is the spot for you. A pair of designer jeans that usually cost you $300 (insane) cost about $45 at Snooty Fox. If you are looking for unique cheap clothes, I would stick to a traditional thrift store, but this store is a great way to put together a nice upscale outfit on a budget.

Overall, all three stores are unique in their own way. If it was up to me, which it is, I would put Clothes Mentor in first place followed by Salvation Army and in third Snooty Fox. All these stores were great but judging on diversity in items, selection size, organization and pricing, the winner is clear. 

Cincinnati has a slew of stores like these to explore. It would take weeks to visit them all. Scratching the surface with these three was a great start. Depending on your style of thrifting, I highly recommend visiting one of these stores and more in the area. Not only is it unique and stylish, but it’s also good for the earth!