Value Village

I dislike sounding like one of those people who «knew the band before they were famous,» but I’ve been coming to this Value Village for many years now and altho the content hasn’t changed that much, still all by donation, the prices most surely have. This stretch of Hastings has been relatively low rent for a long time, but in recent years there has been some movement towards gentrification.
The t-​shirts that used to sell for 50¢, now go for $ 5 and up. Finding a great deal is now on par with finding a parking spot in their lot. Just the amount of Mercedes Benz and BMW owners who shop here now should give hints as to the new pricing. Don’t get me wrong, you can still get a good, or even great deal here, they just don’t fall off the racks like they used to. Now you have to earn them like those fighting old ladies at Winners.
The selection is still there, tons of clothes, from kids wear to old lady furs, a decent book section with some DVDs thrown in, a few cases full of costume jewelry and a house wares section filled with all sorts of glassware and kitchen items. Don’t forget to take a look at the Value Bags, some real bargains can be found in these leftover collections. With multiple levels and tons of merch, this department sized thrift store still offers the potential for a great deal, even if its true bargain days are behind it.

I miss the days when good stuff was here, at low prices.
The modern market for the vintage craze means that everything worthwhile has been picked clean by someone who will just mark it up and re-​sell it at some other store in Vancouver at ridiculous prices. VV knows this, so anything potentially valuable now gets a price hike.
I don’t really go here anymore, except to drop off stuff I no longer want. All the store reminds me of is how there are too many people in the city now, and everything is a competition, even the second hand stores. That’s probably the other reason why they jack up the prices… because in a city that’s now experiencing such scarcity when it comes to «good deals», there’s always someone in line who will pay more for less.

Today was 50% off for club card members. After having paid the fella behind me didn’t have a card to get the discount so swiped mine to help him out. Then when he came outside he have money to the woman that was begging outside. Nice to witness the Pay-​it-​forward vibe.

I went to this VV earlier today and after I navigated my way through the barrage of homeless and indigents in the sidewalk and then past the large overflowing bin of trash just inside the entrance my eyes began to glaze over by the sheer scale of the building.
I mean… it’s 3 floors for cryin outloud. Never have I ever breathed so heavily just thinking about how I was going to manage to get through all of THIS. Most of the clothes were on the hangers and on the actual racks which kind of shocked me because I went at 6pm on a Saturday and it was very very busy. There is also a large full selection of items in practically all the departments.
Then I started to look at the price tags…
Granted that the prices are lower than what one would normally find at retail but I think the people that set the prices and process the merchandise in the back have a list and just because they see Abercrombie or something the cool kids wear or something by any designer it’s instantly $ 20 or more. But like $ 17.99 for some old acid wash jeans by Armani? And it’s probably like from an outlet store or something. This is just one example, but honestly even if I had wanted to purchase something the line was too long and I wasn’t feelin that. Plus they didn’t even have a half off color either.
I would possibly come back on a week day or early when they open. That’s usually the best times to come anyway.

This used to be one of my go-​to stores, but the problem with urban renewal is everyone starts coming to areas that used to be «scary» and beats you to the good stuff.
This VV and the one on Victoria Drive seem to consistently suffer from what I call «speculation syndrome» — that’s when the pricers worry about missing a gem so they overprice anything they deem as remotely valuable.
One feature of this branch: more household and furniture than the average VV.
I’ll always remember the beautiful stuff I found at this shop back in the day — the strange split level arrangement is unique… and very few thrift shops in this area can boast 3 floors.
I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit here anymore, but will continue to drop in if nearby.
Happy Hunting!

Over the last few years Value Village has gotten ridiculous with their prices.
Here you will find dirty, worn out clothes and household goods at very close to, or more than what it would cost to buy them new.
I really don’t understand it.
I never find gems in here, and if I find something even halfway decent, the price is way more that I would pay for used goods, especially with the condition of most of the stuff.
Value Village is also a for profit business. This is not a charity shop. They do donate a small fraction of what they make to Big Brothers/​Big Sisters (and Canadian Diabetes too, I think?) but at the end of the day they are selling goods that are donated for premium prices and banking most of it.
No thanks.

You know what I love about Value Village? Being able to find used products that are more expensive than when bought new from the original distributor.
I bought two small mats from there for $ 1.99 a pop. I went to Ikea soon after and found the same ones for .69 cents.
Want a lot of crap clothes from ‘Joe’? Well, it seems that half the clothing VV now sells comes from either ‘Joe’ or ‘Old Navy’, and not only is it rampant, it is also expensive — often more than when found in the original store new.
Their «No refunds» policy makes sense, but their exchange policy is absolutely absurd.
Why sell jackets for $ 80 that may be exchanged, but then force the customer to buy $ 80 worth of stuff in-​store the day of the exchange? I even returned a jacket within an hour of purchasing it — so obviously there is absolutely no wiggle room.
Why can’t you just give people credit so they may use it at their own free will?
Why can’t you inform people who are making large purchases (like an $ 80 jacket) about your exchange policy before completing the sale?
Also, is the manager causing a big scene because an addict stole a shirt in the change room really worth it? You’re selling donated items — get over it. I don’t think making everyone else feel uncomfortable and crumby because of a $ 2 shirt theft by someone with addiction and mental health issues is a good way to run things.

Second hand shopping…
Never liked the idea to be honest. It is a cultural thing. Depending on your income level, you buy newer things and pass your olds to people who are really in need. I was fortunate enough to be not to be in need, and, it did not existed, the second hand stores, even including furniture, where I grew up. So it took me a while to step into one of these places. I think Salvation Army store around 64^th&Granville was my first.
I used to stop by the library next door for DVDs. One day my ex-​girl kept me waiting a bit too long in the area. I already got the books and the movies, so I decided step in and check Sally Ann out. My father was a very sharp dressed gentleman, I grew around good fabric, I can spot them from a mile, even in a crowded and disarrayed rack.
For a while I stayed away from the clothing section. The DVDs, books, tableware… nah. Not for me. As I was leaving, something hung on a rack got my eye from, I would say from 30 feet. You have to check it out. I went over and grabbed it. It was the most beautiful leather coat you would see. Black, used up very cleanly –which I have a great weakness for, I love the unwanted, awkward, beaten down, left out-​, made in Canada, weighing at least 7−8lbs, thick, tip top leather. The tag, a shy $ 18.99. It fit like a glove. I felt bad-​ass, my expression, my energy completely changed, at a little glimpse I saw couple girls giggling in the corner.
Couple years later, I changed my neighborhood and my status. I tend to shop more when I spend too much time with myself, so on one of the e-​bay cruising nights, I came across to an old chunky Sony walkman and bought it. Time to get some cassettes, the neighborhood second hand store, Value Village!
Gotta get all the classics; Belafonte, Pavarotti, George Micheal –faith-​, Bön Jovi, Dirty Dancing –for the girls at the bakery-​, Lois Armstrong, Zamfir, Joan Baez, Hendrix, Tracy Chapman, Michael Jackson –BAD– … Same day I found an unused jacket with tip top English wool, I would say at least a $ 300 – 400 range, for $ 20. And let me tell you when I was younger, when you wanted an Armani, it was minimum $ 2000 and still hand made in Italy. Nowadays all the designers are very affordable and not hand made. I think with the exception of Ermengildo Zegna, but I might be wrong. So when you get something from that era, it is technically superior with the quality of the fabric, the stitches, the labor, the way the suit flows…
Since then I stop by every once in a while to pick up an old cookie jar, or a real bone china tea-​coffee cup, quick walk by the clothing and my cassette collection is getting bigger, years later, again…
However I still have issues with some type of cloth sharing, and I strictly keep it Greco-​Roman. No socks, no pants or shorts, may god forbid, no underwear. Other departments, this joint rocks.
Last stop; I got a 50’s style rain coat, again handmade in England from a custom tailor shop, $ 14.99 with the hope of looking like Bogart or some morbid, loser detective from a classic film noir period.
Guess what? I look nothing like of that jazz, and it is so not the point.

The infamous Hastings Value Village. I had the pleasure of working at this location in the 90’s. Back then they had a huge vintage clothing section, ravers flooded the store searching for crazy outfits, and hookers would stuff about 20 items in their shirt and then try to walk out the door without anyone noticing. Those were the days. Back when VV was actually cheap! I must have bought hundreds of items here.
These days it’s pretty hit or miss. I’ve found a couple great vintage dresses & records here over the last couple years, but more often I seem to walk out of this store empty handed. I guess it all depends on what you’re looking for. This is a popular location, so get here early before everything is picked over!

Be patient, and you will never know what you will walk out with from here. A massive 2 level space, this place can be overwhelming.
I visited this past weekend in hopes of finding something for my Halloween costume. Guess everyone was also thinking the same thing, so the place was quite packed.
Sorting through racks and racks of items, I finally found something suitable. There is a lack of mirrors in the place though, so you’ll need to be extra patient with those.
I’m rarely in that area, but I think I’ll need to make a trip back here just to see what treasures I can hunt down.

Spent a lot of time at this second hand –sometimes goldmine– of a store. This past weekend I only planned on being the support shopper for my wife who needed a few items for cheap. I ended up with a super cool little dress and a pair of yellow skinny jeans. I couldn’t help it!!! The wife found a rad old school NKOTB t-​shirt for $ 5.99. Not bad at all.
My problem though, is the feeling I get after about 20 minutes in here. I start to feel dehydrated and really dirty. Now, I am a bit phobic (or A LOT phobic to some) but I can feel my lungs fill up with dirt and my skin cracking if I spend too much time in this store. I also get headaches… Might be in my head but it always happens here. Odd, a little scary, but usually worth it with the treasures I seem to come across.

So after reviewing our local vintage gem AKA F-​as-​in-​Frank on main I got the urge to hit up Value Village. After a quick google search and a few insights from some Lookbook buddies I headed out to the Hastings location.
Now the thing with Value Village is its like watching a movie pre editing. Their no frills approach leaves you sorting (oh so much sorting) instead of some good eyed local vintage shop owner doing the work for you. So after making a list of items, their colours and style I headed out to give my arms a hanger moving workout.
The first thing I noticed was the size. Three floors with what seemed like a very large staff keeping the place super tidy. It was fairly picked through as pointed out in prior reviews but they did have three outta the four items I was after.
So if your into mixing up a little vintage with your wardrobe and your Van based than I say give it a try however if you can handle the trip out to Burquitlam the one on Clark Rd is where its at. True its way smaller however it seems the folks out there don’t really appreciate it and there is always a great find.

Iam The Thrift Queen. I find kick arse clothing here.
95 pecent of my gear comes from here.

«Mom, your jacket is kinda grubby» (17-​year old son)
«Jeeze Louise, your coat is an effin’ mess!» (Best male friend)
«You wore that coat the first time we met. It brings back a lot of memories» (Boyfriend)
All in all what they were trying to say was that it was time that the coat WAS a memory. My favourite weekend, all weather coat had to be replaced. No amount of regular washing was going to bring it back to its former glory. It was the perfect weight, had pockets in all the right places and never disappointed me. *sigh* Goodbye dear friend, you will be missed.
So off to ValueVillage I headed. I got 3 pairs of pants, 5 spring weight sweaters, a couple of light hoodies and FIVE COATS of various styles and weights. I got one that can easily replace my beloved weekend/​gardening coat. Plus a few dressier ones that I am sure my friends and family will be proud to see me in. All for $ 150.
I’m a happy camper.

Despite having three floors of merchandise, and it’s own sorting warehouse, the Value Villagee on Hastings is easily the most picked through one in the city. If you’re looking for brand names or even well fitted clothes in your size, dont put too much hope in the racks in this store. However, they do have a decent selection of books, movies, and CDs most of the time, and theyre often in a lot better taste than most Value Villages (probably due to it’s proximity to Strathcona and Commercial Drive, two college/​university neighborhoods in Vancouver).
Also, I’ve noticed a disturbing trend in pricing. $ 20+ for a used pair of Levi’s? $ 5 for a used white shirt? Walmart PAYS for their merchandise and still makes a ridiculous profit selling at those rates (not that I buy anything from Walmart anymore!). This trend doesnt seem to apply to the Value Villages in Burnaby and Coquitlam, so it must be the supply and demand of the location. Theyre directly competing with the vintage boutiques a dozen blocks up commercial, but they (unlike Value Village) buy their merchandise, and at least have a unifying sense of style!
Just like other Value Villages, this is a hit-​or-​miss place with a lot of stuff to offer. Unlike other Value Villages, by the end of the day it’s devoid of anything but highly priced garbage.

Had a ton of halloween costumes, but nothing popped out as something I’d want to wear unless I was getting aboard a delorian and travelling to 1985.
I wonder if poor people get sad at halloween because all the good selection at thrift stores is gone?

Perhaps you’re going to a Unilocal party with a 50s theme and you need an apron for a glamorous Donna Reed style housewife ensemble. Value Village has you covered– go upstairs to the linen section. Immediately up the stairs, turn to the right. The aprons are below/​next to the tablecloths and placemats.
Score! Now just dig around to find that perfect one. Value Village never lets me down!

What to do when ¹⁄₃^rd of your stuff is in storage and you know your fabulous cheese slicer is SOME where in there, buried in a box…
Just head on over to V.V. and pick up a «new» one.
I think this is not the greatest thrift shop around, most items are over priced! –but in a pinch it works. Besides, you never know what you may find while you are treasure hunting.

Do you remember back in the day when you couldn’t wait to get to Value Village to find your next amazing addition to your life… be it clothing or something for your house… sadly those days are dead…
I used to always find great clothes… some hidden gems that was just perfect for me… now it’s the same old crappy acrylic knot sweaters and light denim jeans… even the homeless people seem put of by the fashion selection…
I will say this in their favor… you can occasionally still find some furniture that some family has donated not realizing that it’s a great mid-​century piece that is worth something. this location in particular seems to have the best furniture selection in Vancouver. and it’s being sold for like $ 25…I love those finds!
Skip their parking lot. it’s a shit show… stick to the streets. the side streets are usually free to park…

Known locally as «slim pickins», this second hand corporate clothing store sells a wide variety of garishly ugly clothing, with a couple of gems hidden away for the chronic regular. The clothes are over-​stretched and covered in various corporate fundraiser slogans, the couches and furniture are old, sinking, and hideously patterned, and the vinyl and book selection is mind numbingly devoid of interest.
Not to discredit other Value Villages, it is the location of this store that curses it from being a worthwhile visit. Most of the nicer items are pre-​sold to fancy hipster stores for a 350% mark-​up, and what’s left is a landfill of cloth that gets picked over daily by the local scenesters and people living on the poverty line. Everybody knows that you need to drive for at least half an hour in order to buy second hand city clothes, because nobody buys in them in the suburbs.
Still, every now and then you’ll find something beautiful that fulfills exactly what you were looking for. Or at least it seems that way until you bring it home and realize that it was only really nice compared to the sea of atrocious items you rejected before finding it.