Thift Shops in San Diego

San Diego has a lot of thrift shops; AmVets, Salvation Army, neighborhood thrifts and even better-- dumpsters! Here's a handy guide to help you sort through the slew of second-hand shops before you begin sorting through their piles of old underwear.

Best Local Thrift Shops-- San Diego, CA

AmVets
3441 Sutherland Street, San Diego, CA‎
(619) 297-4213‎
Click here for a map to AmVets

This thrift shop rocks the socks off pretty much every other thrift store in San Diego. Why? It's friggin' massive. Since there's so much inventory here, the odds of finding something cool are much higher than the touch-and-go chances of smaller shops.

The clothes are well-organized and there's a huge section in the back that somewhat resembles your grandfather's garage after 75 years of crap accumulation. Piles of old electronics, furniture and odds and ends make this store more like an adventure than a consumer experience. The only downside: no dressing rooms. However, this is actually a perfect business model--what doesn't fit you, you cannot return and will most likely donate back to AmVets.

Rock on, you genius AmVets exchange policymakers! Bring a friend with decent taste and wear something spandexy so you can try things on over the clothes (that you'll be donating next week.)

Goodwill
4359 Home Avenue, San Diego, CA‎
(619) 262-6596‎
Click here for a map to Goodwill

Possibly my favorite for clothing, this thrift store has got it going on. Organized by style and color, the clothes here are usually pretty decent and although I've found the occasional collared fake fur tee-shirt, pleather pants or leopard patterned socks, I still come out of this place with large, full bags in hand. It's cheap by most thrift store clothes standards and the staff, although somewhat slow with the moving around, is super funny and friendly. They seem to enjoy being there more than I do, which, with money in my hand ready to leap out to be spent, is saying a lot.

The dressing rooms are typically vacant and the shop seems to carry a strangely high number of old board games on a regular basis, which makes me question the surrounding community. Does this area attract board game lovers? Or are they deciding en masse to boycott fun? Either way, I've found some especially fun, old and weird board games that I'm accumulating in my own closet at home. For the Revolution, you know.

United Cerebral Palsy
4341 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92105
Click here for a map to UCP

This block of thrifty love sits square in the center of City Heights. Although mostly clothing (as most thrift shops are), the furniture assortment usually produces uniquely odd and useful items, such as wooden children's kitchens or mini pool tables. The kid's section is a tad larger than the almost non-existent children's sections of most thrift stores and shoes seem to multiply here like wild bunnies. (With a lot less poop.)

Discounts are offered for students, seniors and military, while daily item sales keep things fresh. One can usually find an odd assortment of exercise equipment, children's games and items for the handicapped here. Strange, I know.

Kids Need Thrifty Stuff, Too!
Children's Thrift Shop
Renee Kelleher
Opening Winter 2010 in Ocean Beach
Email Renee at littlehawk92104@yahoo.com

Few things suck more than having to buy clothes and shoes for kids who will outgrow them by next Tuesday. Local Renee Kelleher from Ocean Beach, mother and generally sassy woman, has recognized the obvious need for kiddie hand-me-downs. Why spend $15 on a tee-shirt made with less than two square feet of fabric when you can get it for a few quarters and a tiny stain of puke on the inside sleeve? Stains = personality! Where other thrift stores fail in the children's departments (probably because children spill something on everything), Renee hopes to thrive. I believe she will. (And she'll keep the stains to a minimum-- promise!)

Currently taking donations for her up-and-coming entrepreneurial adventure, Renee hopes to accumulate enough used clothing, toys and kid-related items to make even Santa blush. Proceeds will benefit children's charities on a global scale. But she needs your help. After all, you can't start a community without ... unity?

If you'd like to help Renee create the thrift store of your children's dreams, please give her your used kid-things. She'll even pick them up!(isn't that nice?) Come on, it's time to give up those Care Bears from your wonder years. I'm not judging (and by that I mean I am), but collecting stuffed animals as an adult is just weird. Give 'em to the kids!