Should thrift stores be limited to people in need?

It's a good rule to only shop at a thrift store onlywhen you have made a donation of greater value (assuming you can easily afford regular priced stuff that is). And if you like the soup at a soup kitchen, drop in and help cook or clean, then they might give you a bowl. Actually, I like the idea of the people being helped helping out too. For example, when unemployed and poor for a while, I helped out at the food bank and the thrift store whilst looking for work - for sure I benefitted by getting a little food and clothing, but not much compared to the hours worked. Volunteering can often help in finding work too.

Well it will be great to me enjoy one of those tasty soups even if i can make it at home or go to the
restaurant, but it's a good experience to eat at one of these charytable places and at the same time;
give a good donation.

thrift stores should be left for peeps not making the good wage out there, peeps like myself that do ok should leave our bargain hunting to garage sales and flea markets , I also think thrift stores should even lower their prices for peeps finding it hard to make ends meat, I find that Value village store crazy priced , for even low income would still find it hard to afford anything in there ..

Canada is a free country. You can shop anywhere you want regardless of income.

What about thrift store shopping also being an environmental decision? Perhaps the reason for shopping there is the fact that the items are being re-used rather than buying new as well as costing less? If you save money, you can afford to pay for the (sometimes) higher dollar value of choosing more responsible food and other items....

And the environmental concept of reduce, reuse, and recycle must also be considered in this, especially in disposing of many belongings (including high end and retail purchased clothing) in estates or when no longer needed. The ethical argument could largely depend on supply vs demand. From the stores I've seen there seems to be no lack of supply. But then one must also consider how many low paid retail and overseas manufacturing jobs might be eliminated by buying used items.

i enjoy going to thrift stores because my family grew up on hand me downs. We didn't have very much money. This is my way of giving back whenever I find a small treasure.

Bill... you have the attitude of a simple minded person and that's sad. I know a couple who are extremely comfortable that shopped in thrift shops and I gave them a piece of my mind. I embarrassed them at front of others and they stopped shopping there. They can easily afford the high ends with their combined salary of just over $250K a year. Instead they were basically "stealing" from the poor. This is how I categorize it... stealing from the poor. Nothing new there, the rich have been doing it for centuries and it has to stop. Freedom also gives you the right to think and care for others who are less fortunate than you in life. When will these people start caring for others? The majority of rich people I know are selfish and don’t give a damn about others.

That is like making most of the middle and the uppidy to avoid this and going to much too expensive places to look "cool" instead and always pay too much. Upside to this is most economics stay in the country and not out of it including the Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario and the rest of Canada including Alberta and the British Columbia near it.
Must be better opinions on this afterwards...

Why in the world would I want to go into a retail store and pay full price for something, when I can go into a thrift store and often find something BETTER for a lot less money? I love the prices of thrift stores, but I also love the fact that I can find different things...things that not everyone has because they all shopped at the same retail store.

This day and age, it doesn't matter whether you have a decent salary or not...money is tight all around. That's why thrift stores have become popular. It also makes sense in an environmental sense, as well. It's better to re-use something that still has a lot of life left than to drop a lot more money on something new.

I like shopping at the trift store, it lease you can fit inthe clothes you buy. When you go to the store nothing fits. while everthing is made in china etc. which dont fit for the regular sizes in canada. they made to there own sizes. And I help the one who need the money.

This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever read. Chastising people who "make decent money", for shopping in thrift stores??? Seriously? So would we tell someone who is low income that they can't come into a high end store when they come into some extra money? That they should spend their money more wisely and be more mindful of their financial state? Spare me. Free country, we can spend our money as we please. The retail/consumer machine is out of control... reusing perfectly good clothes, products and electronics is economical, and smart. Everyone has the right to spend their money as they see fit. Proposing that the offset of shopping thrift is to donate time to the less fortunate is a lovely idea... but as a required penance for "stealing from those who are lower income?" I literally laughed at that. Kudos to ANYONE who is thinking more green, more local, and less commercial...this behaviour alone keeps money in communities and great community services running.

I have to agree with J. This is idiotic. How can you tell anyone where they can shop? If I've noticed anything it's poor people shopping at high end stores because they want to look rich and then people who make good salaries and have a good idea of saving buy at thrift stores because of the value.
@Sylvain Bill is not simple minded he is correct. He just doesn't agree with your "logic". I doubt you know any rich people but just imagine their character. You can't simply generalize an entire economic group - unless you're simple minded...

I work at a thrift store and there are people who shop there on a very regular basis. Like every day. There are others who shop somewhat regularly once or twice a week. Then there are others who drop in on a whim and still find something they love. Our company uses these sales to employ more people who have had problems finding employment . So for us sales of our gently used donations is paramount. We do our best to get the maximum value for the donations that we recieve.

Environmental reasons, benfitting the organization, are reasons I shop at thrift stores other than the thrill of a bargain. I agree that it is ridiculous to tell people where to shop. I usually dropoff a bag then buy more. I dont shop at Value Village as their prices are too high.

Shopping at thrift stores isn't just about saving money. It is also about re-using items and rejecting mass consumerism. Just because you have a decent job, you have to buy new, new, new and continue to deplete/pollute the earth. Some people also have a style that embraces vintage...
Last time I checked, there were plenty of goods to go around and thrift stores in my area often aren't taking donations because they don't have the capacity. I donate all my gently used items back to the thrift store and someone else enjoys them.

Would this principle of limiting thrift stores to the needy also apply to all bargains? What about food? Can I also not shop at the reduced produce table at the gorcery store when I want to make soup or banana bread? Day old bread when I want to make french toast or bread crumbs? Only the disadvantaged are allowed to creative uses for things that would otherwise go to waste? While one may be doing it out of necessity and the other out of interest, the effect is that things that could otherwise end up in the landfill are used.

There are always a few jerks out there who will blatantly abuse any system, but on the whole limiting where people shop will only serve to widen the perceptual gap between rich and poor. The rich kids in their brand new jeans vs. the poor kids in thier hand me downs, becomes much more obvious as to who has the cash. Now, teenagers of all walks shop at thrift stores to develop a unique identity - one not premised on money.

Now I think I have heard everything!!! I am probably considered lower to middle class..I don;t have a lot of money but I purchase in all kinds of stores whether it be a big box, a bargin store a boutique or a thrift shop. I feel I am helping the thrift shops by buying good used articles..If I end up not using it I give it back , I dont ask for a refund..However that said...What does it matter where one shops. Are thrift shops going to have a" bouncer" at the door asking for a copy of your income statement??? Come on this is just crazy...I do know many who purchase in thrift stores who dont have a lot of money and are thrilled with finding something special however they also buy on impulse and end up wasting money on stuff that they thought they needed and wanted so it is a double edge sword. When I buy at thrift shops I feel I am making a donation twice over..

And further to my post above..If it was ONLY poor who were allowed to shop in thrift shops would it not identify to the world that these people ARE POOR. And take way any pride that they may have left..Is this not another slap in the face towards the poor..Most times it is not their fault , just bad circumstances. Talk about bullying..Kids would be so embarrassed of their parents.. Its just sad that the author of this story would even think that this is OK..It is NOT ..stop the stigma. The poor have it bad as it is.

People like Sylvain or "peeps" like Brian Larocque are the types who make a big ado about nothing. What are thrift stores going to do... hire bouncers to check your monthly EI, welfare or pay stub as you come in the door or will they require that cashiers ask to see your Income Tax statement while they ring up your purchases ? Nonsense !!

By some people's way of thinking... only the "poor peeps" should be allowed to go to garage sales or flea markets too. And perish the thought you should actually drive up to any of these places. If you have a vehicle, then you certainly aren't poor are you ? Cars cost money for insurance, gas, maintenance, etc... all of which "poor" people certainly can't afford can they ?

In Vancouver, B.C., Canada there are countless "Thirft Stores." Many are run by Church groups with profits going to feed and or house single mothers, drug and alcohol addicted individuals or to help finance food banks/food kitchens. The absoulute SHAME of all this is, that in my way of thinking many of these services should be funded by local, provincial/state and federal levels of government.

Many of the thrift stores get some very nice, if not antique dontated items. It is NO secret that staff, often voljunteers get first crack at these beautiful donations before the customer does. Many times, items deemed to be special are outrageously prices. Thankfully many "treasures" slip through the cracks and genuine bargains are to be found.

Many clothing and furniture donations are so old, dirty, have bed bugs, etc, they must be thrown away. This causes HUGE dumping costs for the charity / thrift store. Some "old" clothing and furntiure is deemed to be "cool" again by young "hipsters" with disposable cash and they scoop up these items. I think that is a good thing because it helps these organizations be able to finanace their many programs.

From my experinence here, the truly poor do not want "thrift" items, they like us, want new things, but don't have the money.

if we want to keep the thrift stores for just the poor , we wont have any thrift stores . We live in a capitalist society , we let the market dictate the success and failure of businesses . I think some people feel guilty buying stuff in a thrift store , I cant count the number of times I have seen attractive women dressed to the nines in the dollar store . They all have a look of shame on their faces , avoiding eye contact . I want people to think I have no money that way I get to keep it. People like to PROJECT how bad they feel about shopping in a thrift store onto others , but it doesn't work with me or others on this forum , so happy shopping , see u in the bargain basement.

What a silly question! Last time I looked we were a free-market society. Sounds like the writer has control issues.

I can't believe that anyone would stoop so low as to berate some one shopping in a thrift store. I donate a lot of clothes to Value Village because they claim they donate profits to the Diabetes Society. One time I was in Value Village and saw a snotty person there, and she said "you shop here?", I looked at her and asked her what she was doing there?. That shut her up.

There is more than enough Thrift Stores around, with more than enough stock to supply everyone regardless of Wealth or Status. Its a win win situation for everyone regardless. Tha latest trend in these shops is to raise their prices to unreasonable levels, which only further makes it tough for the poor. Stores have gone crazy with pricing & that is the real problem. Value Village seems to be pricing their stuff close to New Prices & with the same breath trys to make it seem like they are a real charity . They only give a very very small portion of their Profits to Charity . They seem to be truly in it for the Profit and maybe their designation should be Loud & Clear clearly stated & clarified for all to see.

I shop at value village rarely because they are actually so pricey that I can find clothes on sale by the same name brand new that is cheaper! What do they do for poor people? They are mostly for profit aren't they. Whereas the sally ann actually pours money into community services. Mind you I don't ever find much there these days but I do respect them. I am poor and grew up going there to shop and found many nice things over the years. I used to go rummaging in their basement on weekends when I got older and there were always a few men and women there regularly that would push people out of the way and buy up antiquey type things. I found out from employees that these folks actually owned an antique store and a consignment clothing store. That is sleazy and reeks of plain old greed. I agree to give something back better if you wish to buy. I do believe that if you have a high income you do not need to shop second hand. There are enough green stores out there that make their items locally... that sounds like an excuse and if you are looking for older items that are funky go to a vintage or antique store. Allow poor folks the right to some dignity. Don't leave alll the stuff you don't want for people with less and don't drive the prices up! Have a conscious and some class folks.

You donate to a certain charity, who pick up your stuff, then they sell it to Value Village. If VV isn't in business, the charity doesn't sell your donated items, unless they have a thrift store of their own. By shopping at thrift stores, you support all charitable organizations.

I have been shopping at thrift and second hand stores since I was old enough to start earning my own money. I grew up in a family with 8 kids. We loved hand me down clothes. When I got married and had kids of my own I made their clothes or we shopped at thrift. Once I started working and we had 2 incomes I still shopped at thrift stores because it made my money go further. I have been married for 40 years and for the last 25 I have worked full time. During that time my husband was laid off numerous times due to economic conditions. I am thankful that this type of store is around. It has helped me manage my 'clothing allowance' and ensure that I just might be able to retire at 65 with a little extra that I probably wouldn't have had if I wasn't allowed to shop at a Thrift Store. We may have a good income in comparison with other people but we shouldn't be denied the option of shopping at second hand stores. And just as a note, I do shop at other stores but rarely pay full price for anything. I watch the sales and buy when things have been reduced.

I try to "consume" as little as I can which is why I wear my clothes until they fall apart or make me look unkempt, and why I would *always* buy something "used" before I buy something "new." As others have said, it's not just economical, it reduces waste. It's a principle by which some of us live. Also like others have said, I have *never* seen a thrift store that wasn't bursting at the seams with "stuff." There is no "robbery" going on. Besides, there are places where you can donate where the clothes are given away and not sold (Pregnancy Resource Centre). As a final comment: No one can really know how much someone else makes or how they spend their money. Maybe that couple who Sylvain verbally assaulted gives 90% of their money away to charity. Be nice to everyone people--even those who don't do things exactly as you would!

I was stopped on a rainy day by a man who was wearing only socks on his feet. Obviously down on his luck, he asked me if I knew a church where he could get some shoes. I suggested the Salvation Army thrift store, around the corner. He told me had tried there, but staff refused his any assistance without a note from a social worker. Bastards! I took him to my home and gave him a pair of mine that fit him.

we have the right to shop at any stores we want. rich,poor,middle class, we all want bargins.