Out of the Closet’s bright pink exterior is hard to miss. With over 20 stores across the United States, the thrift chain has quickly become a go-to for avid bargain shoppers. Luckily for Emory students, there’s a location just three miles away.
This thrift store is full of retro clothing, vintage bags and good-quality furniture items. The store highlights the affordability of their fashionable merchandise. Not only is the franchise well-curated and sustainable, but it provides free HIV testing and AHF Pharmacy services at the Atlanta location. In addition to this service, Out of the Closet is the perfect place to donate your clothing, furniture and artwork; they even offer scheduled pick-ups for larger donations.
Founded in 1990 to help raise awareness for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Out of the Closet donates 96 cents for every dollar made to provide HIV services to locations around the world. And, in emphasizing a safe environment for the LGBTQ community, Out of the Closet employees strive to welcome every shopper. When shopping here, your new purchases can be justified by the fact that you’re supporting an important cause.
Spending countless hours sliding the individual metal hangers against the rack to find clothes isn’t everyone’s ideal way to shop. Luckily, The Clothing Warehouse makes thrifting easy, convenient and accessible. Along with an in-person store, they have a website where customers can shop for thrifted finds without going to the store. Online, each item of clothing is neatly displayed on a hanger with a description, size and brand of the item. Once you find something to purchase, you can simply add it to the cart and ship it right to your home. The online platform expands the store’s target market, making it easy for non-locals and online thrifters to support the brand.
The Clothing Warehouse prides itself on hand-curated vintage finds, with brands such as Levi’s and Wrangler. The shop buys and resells over 40,000 pounds of merchandise each month. It is easy to find something that caters to every individual’s taste, and the store carries thousands of items and styles ranging from the ’50s to the ’90s. The merchandise is strictly curated, as The Clothing Warehouse prioritizes quality vintage and, as a result, the clothing is not cheap.
Located in the Little Five Points neighborhood, The Clothing Warehouse curates their products to alleviate students from the search for good vintage. Courtesy of theclothingwarehouse.com
While some people may say that searching through the racks of clothing at the store is the fun of thrifting, The Clothing Warehouse is a great option for those who want the hidden gems without experiencing the tedious search.
Second Life is a non-profit in Atlanta that has combined two of the best things to exist: adorable, furry animals and shopping for clothes. For most people, there is truly no better combination.
The store donates funds to animal rescue shelters and neutering programs with the goal of helping to give homeless pets the opportunity to recover from their lives as stray animals. Second Life hopes that enabling a safe physical and mental recovery for these animals will give them a chance to find a nurturing home. Additionally, the store uses thrift store proceeds to educate individuals regarding the importance of reducing pet overpopulation. In the 11 years that Second Life has been operating, they have donated over $1.8 million to more than 70 animal rescue groups and neutering programs.
Not only will customers find their typical gently-used clothing items at Second Life, but they can also discover The Luckydog Boutique and pets. The Luckydog Boutique is a section of the store that is dedicated to designer and better quality merchandise. In this section, customers can find brands such as Michael Kors and Free People and sterling silver jewelry. Additionally, Second Life is pet-friendly, welcoming all well-behaved animals on a leash.
For students who are missing their furry friends back at home, Second Life is the perfect place to bump into sweet companions while thrifting for good finds.
Sydney Song (26C, she/her) is from Barrington, Illinois, intending to major in BBA. Outside of the wheel, Song enjoys figure skating and reading memoirs. Her top two artists consist of an interesting duo: Taylor Swift and John Mayer.
