Fast fashion and trends that last for the equivalent of five seconds in the grand scheme of life are the bane of the Earth. Thrift stores are loaded with the aftermath to the point where much of what gets donated immediately gets thrown in the trash, no questions asked. That is not to say everyone should start hoarding their belongings or just chucking old items to save the extra steps. Quite the opposite, in fact.
Rather than immediately rushing to Amazon to buy that brand new $50+ Labubu that’s going to be fun for all of a week, wait and think. Chances are the trend will blow over and second hand Labubus or whatever trend just passed in mint condition will hit thrift stores and garage sales for a fraction of the price.
If the fear that the trend will pass brings on a slew of quick impulse purchases, then that is exactly the problem. Don’t ever buy something because of the fear that it will no longer be in style. The style will pass and something new will come along. If the item is truly valued by a potential buyer, then the desire will last and secondhand finds will provide.
There are many thrift stores within a 20-minute radius of Oakland University that will penny-pinch and prove that waiting was the right choice.
Grace Centers of Home
Located on Van Dyke Avenue in Utica, Grace Centers of Hope features two store fronts and a wide variety of fine quality, affordable merchandise. One of the store fronts contains several wide, shallow bins labeled “Clothing $1.37 per pound,” where patrons can fill a bag and pay by weight. The rest of the store houses antiques, furniture, more clothing and a selection of first aid materials.
While this store does not have a student discount, they do feature a series of rotating sales, such as 50% off. They also have a similar tagging system as Salvation Army where a certain tag color will be on sale.
St. Vincent de Paul Society
Located off of Hall Road in Shelby, St. Vincent de Paul Society is another large thrift store nearby. They have the typical thrift store line up of clothing, knickknacks and furniture for affordable prices. Students should make the trek on Wednesdays with their student IDs for a 10% discount.
Plato’s Closet
Walking distance from campus, the nearest Plato’s Closet is located on Walton Blvd and Adams Road, just across from the Village of Rochester Hills. Since the store is consignment and offers a small monetary sum for donations, they have a very picky selection. All name brands and high demand clothing at prices to match. Not as affordable as the other stores mentioned, but definitely worth the visit. This store earns bonus points for having OU gear but loses them for not offering a student discount or other predictable sales.
Salvation Army
Boasting hundreds of locations across the country, Salvation Army cannot be overlooked. With just about anything one can imagine at varying qualities and rotating sales on different colored tags, the store rarely disappoints. Students and teachers should visit on Thursdays for a 25% discount with school ID. Also worth noting is the 5 items for $5 colored tag sale on Fridays and Saturdays.
