Originally published by Lisa, April 2011 at http://oceanisland.wordpress.com
Whether you are like me and just love the hunt or you’re looking for bargain clothes, housewares, books, records, useless little knickknacks (etc…etc…), thrift stores can provide an interesting way to spend an afternoon. Not to mention the karma plus from spending your money in a way that will, in most cases, benefit a good cause. Victoria has an extensive selection of thrift stores and my favourite thrifting route is this one:
WIN (Women In Need): it’s right next door to Ocean Island and while not huge, generally has a good selection of clothing, along with all the usual thrift store fare.
St Vincent de Paul (833 Yates): another smaller shop with an impressive selection of Harlequin romances! (and lots of other books too)
Salvation Army (corner of Hillside and Quadra): it is a bit of a trek along Quadra to this one, but there is also bus #6 if the 10 blocks seem too daunting. It is a relatively new store with a bit of everything and makes a good in between stop before the next shop on the route. (There is also another store at 525 Johnson Str.)
Bibles for Missions Thrift Store (2520 Government street): they have a larger selection of records to browse through than most of the other thrift stores but unless you really like Engelbert Humperdinck you need some luck to find the treasures. And if you happen to be looking for an organ to practice your own music on, they’ve got one for sale here too!
And last but not least: Value Village (1810 Store street): The biggest but also the most expensive of the thrift stores in town…be prepared to loose a couple of hours if you get into the hunting here!
This is by no means a complete list of thrift stores! Check out Ocean Island’s list in the Victoria Guide for a few more. And keep in mind that many of these stores (in particular the church based ones) are not open on Sundays!
If you want some treasure hunting action on a Sunday, one good option is the Western Speedway Swap and Shop (2207 Millstream Rd.). Entry costs $1 but on a nice day you will find an absolute plethora of anything you could possibly need and even more that you definitely don’t, including several different types of kitchen sinks. It is open from 7am until 2pm, so start the journey early. The best way to get there is by car, but it is also possible by bus; take the 50 or the 61 from Douglas Street out to the Langford exchange (approximately a 40 min journey) and then take bus 57 from the Langford exchange. The 57 only goes about once an hour, so a bit of planning for the trip will save you an agonizingly long wait out in Langford!
And If you need to get rid of some knickknacks before you can accumulate more, a table at the Western Speedway Swap and Shop costs $12.00 for the day.
Happy Hunting!
