Just have a little time to continue with the introduction:

Like I said, I worked and managed thrift stores for over 18 years. As we say, "I got dust in my blood."

I worked for two large thrift store chains and one small one. The two larger ones are SAVERS (also know as Value Village and were also known in Canada as Value de Village. OK, my French is way off) in Northern California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona. I also worked for Goodwill in Central Arizona covering the greater Phoenix area.

The little thrift store was the most fun and rewarding. My wife and managed the thrift store for the Arizona Animal Welfare League. People would bring in all kinds of pets from dogs and cats to iguanas and parrots.

OLD SCHOOL vs NEW SCHOOL THRIFT STORES

Old School thrift stores are not as well organized, probably don't have a rotation system for their items. By not having a rotation system, things can remain on the floor for weeks and weeks. Some items might just be put in bins for going through. The lighting is probably spotty and it will have that good ole' thrift store smell.

Around the 1980's or so, some thrift stores went through a change. I believe it was Savers that lead the change. The idea was to make thrift stores more like department stores. Well, not like Nordstroms or Macys, but more like what we see as Ross Stores and Marshalls.

New School thrift stores have a rotation system. Normally clothes will be on the floor for a couple of weeks, then receive a mark down. In our case, it was 50%. If it didn't sell by the end of that week, items would go for a dollar. I have bit my tongue seeing great stuff go for just a dollar. Things like an Armani suite (yeah, sure it was a size 52. but it was Armani), decent sofas, TVs and on and on.

And of course, people hide things hoping it will be there for the markdown day.

By having this rotation system, things are kept "fresh." Customers like to see new things everyday!

Again, it will be better organized, better lighting and look like a department store. The smell? Mostly still has that good ole' thrift store. Savers use to sell popcorn to cover the smell. Now, in some, there's the things that spray szent into the air so it smells like thrift store cinnamon. You just can't get that smell out of used shoes!

Short Introduction

Hello!

George here. I've worked and managed thrift stores for over 18 years.

I've looked around the Internet and really haven't found anyone writing about the "Crazy World of Thrift Stores." So, I thought I'd give it a go.

Presently I have left the thrift store world and have started my own online consignment business. But that's another story.

I'll be back and we'll cover interesting items that come in, some history, how thrift stores get stuff out to the floor, who the heck does the pricing and what training do they get?

Of course, all this won't be covered in one day!

Thanks...

George