Houston is a great place to find second-hand treasures for amazing prices. According to ABC's Channel 13 Houston news, our resale scene is booming right now. More high-quality donations are pouring into stores all over Houston, and many chains are expanding. For some of the best places to buy second-hand in Houston, check out these articles from CBS Houston, The Blvd magazine, and About.com's Houston channel. You can also read reviews from shoppers like you on Yelp.com and Citysearch.com.
Many Houston-area college students already know the joys shopping second-hand, since they tend to be young, hip, but on a budget. Today, though, there are so many reasons for everyone to look into resale shops in Houston. In today's economic climate, everyone can afford to save a little money. Concerned about the environment and human rights? Since everything has already been paid for once, you're not directly supporting the manufacturer, so you have less reason to worry about how they treated their employees or the planet. Knowing that you've saved your wardrobe, furniture, and household items from a landfill is a good feeling, too. Need another reason to buy your clothes gently used? Many shoppers find that they dress and decorate better—in better quality items and more sought-after brands—once they start shopping second-hand.
If you're new to resale shopping, you may have a some questions. What's the difference between vintage, consignment, and thrift shopping?
According to About.com's Vintage Clothing and Furniture channels, “vintage” means that an item is between 20 and 100 years old, and is representative of the era it came from. Vintage clothes and furniture are not old enough to be considered antiques, but are clearly from a bygone era. You can find vintage items in consignment stores, in thrift stores, on Ebay—or anywhere. Wherever items of a certain age are, they're vintage.
“Consignment” is a way of selling. The previous owner lets the consignment store sell the item for them. When it sells, the store keeps a percentage of the proceeds, and the previous owner gets a cut, too. Items in consignment shops are usually pricier than in thrift stores, but they're also more likely to be in good condition and of high quality, and organized in an attractive and easy-to-shop . You can find great clothes, furniture, and more—sometimes even high-end brands—in thrift stores, too, but it's more of a gamble, and you'll have to dig deeper in cluttered racks and bins.
“Thrift stores” sell items that were donated, and the store gets all of the proceeds. Many thrift stores are linked to charities, and give all of their profits to do good—yet another reason to feel good about shopping second-hand. A common misconception is that thrift stores help the poor by letting them to buy clothes, furniture, and housewares at rock-bottom prices. Not so! While some stores do offer even better deals for people in need, (Disabled vets shop for free at Houston's DAV thrift store, for example.) charity thrift shops are in business mainly to make money by selling items that were donated to them, and passing the profits on to a good cause. Don't feel guilty about shopping at a charity thrift shop. The money you spend there is doing good in the world.
Knowing where to shop is just the beginning. Thrift, consignment, and vintage shopping is a satisfying and addictive hobby for many people. The experts know what's possible, how to recognize great finds, and how to fix up and refashion things that need a little care or updating. If you'd like to learn more, visit the fun and extremely helpful Thrifty Chicks blog, and join the online community at TheThriftShopper.com.
Posted by Melanie Belasco Levy on 11/10/11
