Salvation Army

You can find gems in this store, for sure. However, some things to note:
1) They now charge for plastic bags — 54 cents. Take your own bag for your stuff.
2) They want to read your receipt upon leaving the store — keep your receipt handy.
3) Things are very overpriced for a thrift store.

I have never in my life gone from rating an establishment a solid 5 to wishing I could rate lower than 1. There is no nice way to say this but… THIS PLACE SUCKS. It appears they are under new management. The staff is cold and disinterested. You aren’t even greeted by these people. It’s like they are angry that you are coming there. Forget finding someone to help look for something. Or worse they won’t even help you put things in your car. I honestly was one of this stores biggest advocates. I constantly am donating things as well as purchasing high end items. Now some idiot from their corporate got the bright idea to charge more for items than you pay at a conventional store for new items. My only compliment is the store is extremely clean and tidy. I will visit again in a month or two. Maybe things will stabilize by then.

Tried to arrange a pick-​up twice.
First time, no call or show. Found out they cancelled my order without letting me know while I spent all day waiting (Estimated pick-​up was between 11a-​5p). I even emailed the company to see what the process of the pick-​up was going to be (ex. Are they going to call when arriving?), the representative did not know himself.
Second attempt, they called in the morning. I missed their call and called them back multiple times just to be directed to the Pick-​Up department with no one answering the phone. Once again, no call and no show.
Their system is completely unprofessional.
I have boxes and bags of clothes and shoes, if I could take them myself I would. Salvation Army has taken a great amount of joy out of donating clothes.

A store employee degraded a nursing mom to her face and to other store employees. How disgusting! An apology to the mom and training for this terrible employee are in order immediately!

EMPLOYEE SHAMED BREASTFEEDING MOTHER TO HER FACE AND OVER WALKIE TALKIE, SAYING «WHITE WOMAN HAS HER TITTY OUT.» I will keep posting until you do something about it. Over and over and over again. Everywhere. Feel free to keep deleting, then we’ll come for a nurse in. Management — will you fire this employee for breaking the law, please?

I love thrifting. I loved the days when you could find designer items priced reasonably because you were at a thrift store. Well, this location no longer calls itself a thrift store, it is now «upscale resale» and the prices reflect that.
On my last visit I noticed many pairs of (used) shoes were priced at $ 65 and up, the lowest I could find was $ 8 for flip flops. There was a pair of Allen Edmonds shoes behind the counter for $ 300… I was pissed. I asked the manager «Would you be willing to pay $ 65 for a pair of used shoes at a thrift store?» Well, he was a jerk and said «No. I’d be willing to spend more than $ 100 on a pair of used shoes if I liked them and they were my size.»
Basically don’t shop at this store and expect thrift prices (on shoes especially).

This Salvation Army is huge! But the men’s section seems very small to me. The sizes aren’t all that organized so you really have to look through everything to find something you like. I managed to find some awesome stuff on their half off Labor Day Sale.
BDG Urban Outfitters Cardigan — $ 2 (Retails from $ 40-​$ 60)
Calvin Klein Short Sleeve Button Up — $ 1.50 (Retails from $ 30-​$ 40)
Target Khaki Colored Denim Pants — $ 3 (Probably retails for around $ 20)
Banana Republic Short Sleeve Button Up — $ 1.50 (Probably retails for $ 30)
All the items I got were in great condition though. I have to give it to you though, this store does not have a lot of junk, there are lots of named brands for really cheap!
Also one of my other complaints is the line for the register was very long because it is such a popular store, and it was on Labor Day but that’s not their fault.
Stop by this Salvation Army for great brands and affordable prices.

Something for everyone here, it’s just that you need to have a little time to spare. I’ve gotten some fairly high-​end men’s shirts here (Brooks Brothers, etc.) for $ 5 – 8, but had to pick through the swollen racks to find the gems.
I wouldn’t recommend going on a big sale day if only buying an item or two, as the checkout lines can be monstrously long for the 50%-off sales.
Store is closed for shopping on Sundays, but open for donations.

You know you’re a regular when you start to recognize the other regulars (shoutout to the book man in the station wagon!) I love this place. I go at least once a week since it’s very near to my apartment and I have found tons and tons of treasures here! The prices are higher than normal thrift stores but the quality is beyond superior. I find great glassware, clothes, and decorative knick knacks. I started searching for vintage glassware a year ago and thanks to SA I have a whole collection now! The book selection is also great! Overall, you can’t go wrong here.

I have lots of hope for people and stores but this place (specific location) is overpriced and especially for being a secondhand store. In addition to that, the people working there are unfortunately always and consistently rude. I work in the service industry and am a firm believer in customer service so to me this has been a sad experience. I try to go back to find items that are «reasonably priced» and never succeed. I have seen things there from the $ 1 store that has been priced for $ 5.and to me that is a scam to those who are shopping at a secondhand store to save money… and regardless of its mission. Used things should never be sold for more than a person can purchase for less or equal value new.
My hope is that it will actually change one day… and for the greater good of its consumers because as a secondhand shopper, this place is not a good deal.

Not sure how to rate a drop-​off for old clothes, but I’ll try. Went there with a carload full of crap that’s been at the house forever. Staff took it all, no questions asked and no compliments given.
Would go back again rather than throwing stuff away.

This place use to be a great hidden find because presumably you’d get a lot of good quality stuff donated from the rich Lincoln Park crowd. However, word must have got out and management seem to have taken that into account in their pricing model. Many times items are just as expensive as they are brand new in the stores they came from (they seem to get a lot of stuff from Target).
The staff is friendly and unlike other comments I rarely have to wait to get any assistance. The few times I have waited was because they were helping other customers, not sitting on their butts so that’s a good thing.
I have found some good items for a decent price but on average, everything is on the pricier end for a thrift store.

Considering they are a charity they’re sure picky with the items they’ll take. Crazy!

Really massive Salvation Army, seriously I think I could get lost for two days here and still want more. It’s definitely one of the largest SA’s I’ve seen, but on the pricier end for a thrift store in my opinion.
Well staffed and organized, the clothing racks were super impressive! Color coordinated, sized, clean, and stocked with ample choices.
Huge jewelry counter (staffed) and more than a couple isles of shoes. Framed art & household items appeared pretty overpriced, but I suppose that’s somewhat to be expected based on the neighborhood and surrounding area.
This location could also be called a bookstore almost based on the fairly expansive selection of books (also very well organized and sectioned.) Great place to people watch– some seriously interesting characters.

Biggest word to describe this resale location (like many other reviewers have already said), EXPENSIVE. Sometimes a pair of shoes will be $ 30. Coats and purses are also often $ 25-​$ 50.
The prices would exclude this location from my rotation altogether if it weren’t for the dressing rooms. At least I know for sure it fits if I buy it for the higher prices. So now I go here if I’m looking for something specific (they are pretty well organized). I never go and just browse. BUT if it’s just clothes your going for I suggest trying crossroads instead. Their prices are high for resale too but they are fully curated and only have great stuff. Much less ‘hunting’ to be done there.

This is Salvation Army thrift store feels like a T.J. Maxx; I had to confirm that I didn’t walk into the wrong place because the entire venue didn’t have a thrift-​store vibe.
The «boutique, designer» section of the store was slightly over-​priced, even though most items there were very gently-​worn. Some were seemingly brand-​new.
I have one (1) minor complaint about Salvation Army thrift stores. I don’t know what criteria they use to determine prices for their donated merchandize. My instinct tells me that it’s against the norm when a Forever 21 blazer is twice more expensive than a Tahari blazer. I’m pretty sure that they are not direct competitions to each other. I guess shoppers should be aware of such thing.
I was able to find a turntable, but it was missing a needle and was out of balance. For $ 41, I had to pass.
My brought hubby along after work to check out some vinyl records. Their organizations on CD albums, vinyl records, DVDs, and books were impeccable!
This location is by far the most spacious one I’ve been to. The donation center and the thrift store were adjacent to one another. There’s a plenty of parking. I took the CTA 74 (Fullerton) bus and got off at Clybourn. The alternative route on public transportation is to utilize the CTA bus 9 (Ashland).

TL;DR: Avoid being shamed. If you’re trying to make a donation of anything in a less than nearly new condition, just head to Goodwill.
My experience with this donation center was very similar to that of Caity B’s. My wife and I recently moved from a 4 bedroom single family home into a small 2 bedroom apartment in the city. As you can imagine, we’ve had to downsize a bit.
I attempted to donate some used, but very solid furniture pieces including a mid-​century modern dresser my wife was reluctant to part with. I started removing the items from the van, only to be harangued by critical and harsh-​seeming questions regarding the condition of the items I was attempting to donate. Needless to say I was off-​put by the rudeness of the Salvation Army clerks.
And I could certainly have understood their skepticism had I been trying to unload garbage. But each piece I attempted to donate had, just the week before, featured prominently in my home. One of the pieces was less than 6 months old. I was told that my things were «too beat and too old» and not in «new enough or ready-​to-​sell condition.» I felt embarrassed and confused. Did I mistake a pawn shop for a donation center?
After leaving the store I went immediately to Goodwill where my items were accepted with appreciation and gratitude.

I’ve found some great gems at this store, but they are very, very overpriced for a thrift store, especially one trying to help families stretch a dollar. Often times the Target clothes can be priced more than they were in-​store on clearance.
Most of the staff is not friendly nor helpful, but some are great and even remember me. Unfortunately, it is very understaffed which leads to long lines and waiting and a non-​supervised dressing room. Upon entering the dressing room you will find HUNDREDS of price tags ripped off and stuck behind the mirror from customers removing them and stealing the clothes (by likely wearing it out of the store).
There is a major inconsistency with pricing. The items should be quality-​checked before put on the shelves/​racks. Many of the toys are broken/​damaged and the clothes are stained. For DIY-​ers, that’s no problem, but the price should reflect the condition.

people who work there can be very disrespectful sometimes, some of item are really expensive for a thrift store.
i swear i got most of the time cheaper stuff at Rosemont fashion outlet than at this location.
this place is more than over priced, and it’s really really sad, because people who donate give those items for free hoping to help people who are in the most need with them but we are getting them at high price, for used stuff
this is really taking advantage of a situation, telling people to donate and help people in the need but actually you are helping no body just doing business
the staff is rude and careless
but the store still organized and that’s something i like

I would give this location five stars if not for the over priced goods. Now, here’s the deal. I spend my free time occasionally browsing thrift stores for good finds. My mother taught me the art of finding great things at used stores. Having said that, I have been to almost every thrift store in Chicago. Hands down, this Salvation Army is one of the best ones – HANDS DOWN. BUT! The prices are so over priced, it makes you question whether your purchase will be worth it. For instance, I will attach a few photos of great finds today. But, I have seen loads of stuff at this location that made me wonder why I tried (take, for instance, a somewhat decent quality north face jacket, they prices for 42 bucks and some change. Sorry but if you’re savvy, you can find a brand new one for 50).
The things I purchased today were a great find and a great deal and are examples of how I feel overwhelmed with joy, whenever I remember how my mother taught me to thrift.