By Ava McAnally

Every thrift shop offers something unique, and every thrifter has preferences for what they like and dislike about thrift shops. One of the best parts about thrifting is finding a thrift shop that consistently fulfills your wants and expectations because you know you will always enjoy your purchases and time spent there.

I found shopping at Junior League Thrift Shop in Ardmore to be a very pleasant experience. The atmosphere was simultaneously lively and relaxing, which stood out to me because often the climate in thrift shops can be either too stressful and hectic or dull and boring.

Feeling overwhelmed is inevitable when thrift shopping, as many shops have a copious amount of clothing packed into an insufficient space. Junior League, however, provided ample room for walking and moving throughout the racks despite the abundance of clothes.

Everything was organized neatly and it was very easy to locate where the different items were displayed; there were two rooms: one held the majority of the clothes, household items, dishes, jewelry, shoes, and the dressing rooms, and the other room held the rest of the clothes, a small children’s section, and an area with books, movies, and records.

Something that can make or break a thrift shop is its level of cleanliness. Thankfully, the dressing rooms were well-kept and clean, which is especially necessary for keeping customers and employees safe amidst the Coronavirus. Being comfortable in the space you are touching, changing in, and generally shopping in is vital to having a safe, risk free thrifting experience.

Pretty much anyone would be able to find at least one thing they love at Junior League. There were casual clothes, dressier/formal clothes, and clothing for different occasions, just to name a few. They sold pants, jeans, tops, dresses, sweaters, jackets, and even graduation gowns among many other types of clothing.

Aside from clothing, there were also accessories, shoes, jewelry, decorations, dishes, furniture, and other household items, including seasonal items that seemed to be from different decades and styles, items that varied in brand value, and items that would appeal to different ages and generations.

There was also a rather expansive book selection, along with records and DVDs. The books were being sold for very low prices: $1.00 for paperback books and $1.50 for hardcover books.

This is a great aspect of the shop because buying books can be expensive, so this gives people the chance to indulge in more books for a much cheaper price while opening themselves up to titles and authors they otherwise may not have heard of or have expressed interest in before.

The prices for other items at Junior League were like many stores, significantly cheaper than the original costs, except this shop is a little more expensive. The prices were fair, but it is not the type of thrift shop one goes to expecting to pay only a few dollars for an item.

Most tops and bottoms cost around $10, and items like jackets, dresses, and dressier items cost in the $20-$50 with more expensive brands exceeding these limits to different degrees. Most of the practical clothing pieces like simple shirts, blouses, sweaters, and athletic tops cost about $12, which seems reasonable, considering some of the brands sold the items for significantly higher prices initially.

Upon entering the store, all customers were greeted by staff with a smile (under their masks) and asked if they needed any help finding anything. This warm, friendly energy permeated the store during my entire shopping experience, including when it was time to make a purchase. Overall, I was very satisfied with my experience shopping at Junior League Thrift Shop. I purchased a shirt and a book, and, based on how happy I felt after finding them for a great cost, I would definitely recommend all thrifters, regardless of experience, style, budget, or reason for going, to check out this spot.

Contact Ava McAnally at communitarian@mail.dccc.edu