Thrifty Tip #22: Don't Sleep on the Small Shops

I am pretty non discriminatory when it comes to thrifting and consignment. I have seen the full gambit of the thrift shopping experience, from bargain basements and bulging bins to beautiful boutiques and bountiful baskets. What I have learned from those 10+ years in resale is never judge the size of the shop to determine the contents within. 

I cannot tell you how many times I have walked into a good size store only to leave empty handed, or walked into a smaller shop and left carrying bags full of things. 

You never know what's inside until you look.

Larger thrift stores may look more appealing simply because, well, they are bigger. We equate (as far as the shopping experience is concerned) bigger with better. The bigger the market, the more options we could have. The bigger the mall, the more stores and sales it could have.

The bigger the thrift store, the more (and therefore the better) recycled stuff it could have. Logic, right?

Not necessarily. Just the size alone does not determine the items within the larger store are better. A big room full of junk is still a just a big room full of junk. Other factors come into play when thrift shopping, and few have to do with the size of the store.

On the contrary, most smaller thrift shops have to be more selective with the intake of their inventory due to their size. This means the potential for higher end and better quality items increases, so you could have a bigger score there. Some smaller shops also have a more intimate, boutique feel. 

I'm not saying that one size store is better than the other. What I am saying is, to use the old adage, don't just a book by cover. 

Don't judge a shop by your own perceptions and prejudices of size.