Thrifting Like a Pro
The best places in the Fargo-Moorhead area for eco-conscious deals.
Sometimes thrifting feels overwhelming because you don’t know where to go or which store has the best items and you never know what you’re going to find. The good news is, I wrote this to give you some guidance and recommend a few places to make your life easier.
Uptown Cheapskate
I love Uptown Cheapskate! They’re technically consignment so they’ll buy clothes from you if you’re cleaning out your closet, but they donate whatever they don’t buy from you so you don’t even have to haul your stuff from place to place. They’ll take care of it! They carry trendier styles and name brands similar to Plato’s Closet (but I like Uptown better personally), so there is a lot of cute stuff to choose from. They have lots of jewelry and shoe options too, and cute stickers at the front of the store. Prices are pretty good as well. A little higher than a spot like Savers but definitely less than retail. I got a good blazer here for around $20 and a pair of like-new Air Force 1’s for $40.
Revolver
Revolver is probably the cutest thrift store I’ve ever been to. Everything I saw was vintage, including clothes and lots of trinkets that were fun to look through. The store is pretty small but has plenty of good stuff on the racks, and there are many little things to find. There are a lot of accessories, including a notable collection of neckties and bowties, vintage gloves, and lots of jewelry. I did find a three-piece suit here for $30 and you can bet I did not hesitate to take it home with me! The person working that day (who may have been the owner) was sweet and I enjoyed chatting with her. Definitely a spot I’ll return to any day.
St. Francis
I didn’t spend a ton of time here, but St. Francis is pretty big and has plenty to look through. This seems like a good spot to find some basics and I found cute jewelry here too. What drew my attention most was all of the kitchen and houseware items. This is a fantastic place to find dishes! You could probably stock a whole kitchen with what they have here, and they even had some really pretty china sets. There were many cups and plates. If you’re just moving to campus or even living off campus for the first time and need to get started on kitchen supplies, I would definitely recommend shopping here.
The Arc Attic Treasures
The Arc is one of those thrift stores where you could sift forever looking for gems. The 215 N. University Drive location is less overwhelming for sure but, on the other hand, 3201 43rd St. S. is bigger and has more options for clothing, so pick your poison. It’s a good spot to find some unique items and plenty of nostalgic stuff too. Their prices are fantastic, and they have a huge variety of merchandise from movies and other media to housewares and furniture. The south Fargo location had a great inventory of housewares and kitchen supplies, so I would recommend that store for houseware needs because they had more to choose from. I bought a couple sets of glassware for 99 cents per glass, and I found vintage cafeteria lunch trays for movie night dinners in the living room! I only spent about $12 that day and the equivalent at Target could have easily been $50. I highly recommend, especially if you’re moving into your first house or apartment.
Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch
Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch has a few different locations. The one I visited was smaller and didn’t have a ton of clothes but had a pretty good selection of kitchenware and media and lots of stuff for kids. I found an Emeril Lagasse air fryer/toaster oven in like-new condition for only $40 (one that retails at $150 on Amazon). This is another place I would recommend going to for more kitchen and home items.
St. Vincent de Paul
St. Vincent de Paul is another spot that’s super cute. The lady working the front counter was sweet and friendly! There aren’t a ton of clothes, but they do have a variety of items including furniture and some craft and office supplies. The prices are great. I bought two crewnecks, a couple of frames, and an adorable painting all for a grand total of $14. They have a decent selection of shoes, some books and board games, and kitchen items as well. They also have a whole media room with a lot of DVDs and a couple shelves of vinyl. The most memorable thing about this place is that they use bags made out of old T-shirts! I thought this was such a fun idea and a great way to repurpose old items. They also have bubble wrap and other packaging that’s donated to them and repurposed. On another note: If you have old bags or packaging you’ve been looking to get rid of, take them to a thrift store in the area.
My Best Friend’s Closet
My Best Friend’s Closet is actually a consignment shop, so it’s more pricey than some of the other secondhand spots but also pretty trendy. There was a lot to choose from and they had a really good selection of business professional attire, which is great for anyone in music, mock trial, speech, etc., or needing something for job interviews! They also had plenty of other items to sort through, and I could’ve spent a lot longer there if I had all day. There are lots of coats and shoes, at least more than I feel like I find at most other thrift stores. This is a place to check the price tags for sure because they have more expensive items, but I did find a pair of Timberlands in pretty good condition for only $24 so I grabbed those with zero hesitation.
Honorable Mentions
Sustainable Move-Out
Shoutout to the Cobber Free Store, a mini thrift store on campus where students can drop off items they don’t need anymore for other students to take for free! With the end of the semester around the corner, this is a great time to donate gently used items for other Cobbers. The Free Store is located near the Martin Luther King Center lounge by the staircase up to the Campus Ministry Office in the Knutson Campus Center.
Published April 2024