The 9 Best Thrift Stores in Utah (& 5 to Avoid...) (2023)

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Whether you're visiting the state or living here full time, finding the best thrift stores in Utah is no easy feat.

Utah not only has many corner stores, but the state has a "give it all" attitude that has also resulted in a large number of "corporate" thrift stores moving to the area.

Like most places, the best thrift stores in Utah are often kept secret from those who frequent them. After all, why would anyone give up their honey hole?

Personally, I have no problem debating which are the best thrift stores in my backyard. There are so many things for sale and so many places to buy them that a thrift store can hardly be robbed.

So, without further ado, here are the 10 thrift stores you need to visit in Utah!

I'd also like to point out that I've only included "real" thrift stores here. There are tons of great thrift stores in Utah, as well as antique stores, resale stores, etc. on the front line. They sell donated goods directly to the public.

10 Best Thrift Stores in Utah

1. San Lorenzo – City of Heber

I really thought I'd share what I think is the best thrift store in Utah. It's quite small and remote, but if discovered, I'm afraid it could be attacked.

I believe you think it's too far.

The St. Lawrence Thrift in Heber City is a small church thrift store that takes donations from wealthy residents and tourists in and around Park City.

I regularly come across brands that I have never heard of in all my time as a farmer.

Not only do they have an amazing collection of furniture, clothing, toys, and housewares, but they also stock some amazing items for a biennial sale: a ski sale where they sell tons of winter gear for outdoor activities, and a ski sale warehouse. ski where they sell tons. of summer clothes.

Make the trip to Heber, it's worth it!

2. Economizer - Hanger

Rule number one for finding a good thrift store is to stick to affluent areas.

The Savers in Draper is a really nice shop in a really nice location. Plus, there's always a mile-long line to donate, as there aren't many other thrift stores in the area.

Just make sure you sign up for theSparvereinso you can get discounts!

3. Goodwill - Murray

While it's okay to visit thrift stores sometimes, they often don't have the inventory turns to consistently produce good finds. Because of this, the first goodwill on this list is Utah's largest goodwill.

This store is big and had almost every type of item you can imagine. The main specialty here is clothing, so you'll be hard-pressed to find good outdoor gear or electronics. However, I found an old stereo receiver here.turnedFor over $1,000 in earnings!

There aren't many dealers here browsing the shelves and they have very good prices and sales (albeit more erratic since Covid).

4. Deseret Industries – Springville

This is one of the newer DIs and probably the best. Being a bit off the beaten path, it's not full of scavengers. In addition, it receives all donations from neighboring (affluent) areas of Mapleton, Payson, Springville, etc.

All sorts of items are well represented here, but like most DIs, it's filled with the latest fashions. Or at least they were 30 years ago.

6. Savers – Southern Jordan

See Also

12 unique thrift stores in New York City to find hidden gems!

As with Savers' other "good" Utah locations, it depends on the location and how the store sets prices.

This store is always cheaper than any thrift store in my area (except shoes) and has a constant flow of great clothes and shoes. Their electronics and outdoor department is sorely lacking, but I guess you can't have it all!

7. Tienda Goodwill - Salt Lake

First, if you've never been to a Goodwill Outlet, you'll be delighted. The Goodwill Outlet in Salt Lake City gets all unsold goods from Goodwill of Utah, as well as surplus gross donations that they don't have the manpower to process.

If you are interested in really digging for your findings andBuy clothes by the kilo(as well as household items and everything in between) so take the time to stop here!

8. Heber Valley Savings - Heber Valley

This is the second Heber Valley thrift store to make this list. Don't worry, there are only two in the valley, so there won't be another one. When visiting St. Lawrence in Heber, you might as well stop by as they have a lot of small donors.

Pricing here tends to be a little steep (as if they think it's a boutique), but most of the week it's 40, 50, or 60% off everything in the store.

There is a good range of furniture, lots of toys and household items and some shoes.

9. Utah Valley Habitat for Mankind - Orem

If you're looking for something for a craft, home improvement project, or home maintenance, this is the thrift store you want to visit. Things that most thrift stores won't accept are building and household items, but that's all Habitat for Humanity accepts!

I bought lumber, nails, shooting rails and even a mailbox here. Plus, you never know what you'll find in the "Miscellaneous" section, as they take donations from companies that could include clothing, decorations, or even vitamins. A true thrift store experience!

Oh, and they're also known as ReStore if that sounds familiar.

While that sums up my top 9, there are some other great stores I didn't mention that you should check out if you have the time:

• thrift shop of Calvário- West Bank
• The second-hand boutique across the way–Murray
• benevolence–Muehlbach

O que faz um bom brechó?

What makes a good thrift store depends a lot on the type of items you're looking for. For example, the best used clothing store may not be the best for kitchenware.

In the end, the only real way to know if a thrift store is any good is to visit it. However, there are some things you can do to narrow down the options you need to decide.

1. Location

The best second-hand stores are in wealthy suburbs. City thrift stores are usually packed, and those in rural areas just don't have enough donations to keep them great.

So look for thrift stores in affluent areas that are a little out of the way. You'll find things donated by wealthy people who live nearby. After all, they rarely visit thrift stores.

2. Size (or choose)

Some of the best thrift stores I've been to are small corner stores that accept donations of all kinds.

Large thrift stores have a list of items you cannot give away, which limits shoppers' choices.

In my opinion, the best thrift stores in Utah have a good selection of all kinds of items: clothing, furniture, electronics, and everything in between. If you are only interested in one type of item (for example, clothing or building materials), visit the relevant second-hand stores (Plato's Closet and ReStore, respectively).

3. Cleaning

If you have oneGoodwill store near youIf you're a heavy user, you probably know what it's like to feel like you need a shower after saving.

While there are great thrift stores everywhere, I've prioritized thrift stores that are clean and affordable to make them acceptable to just about everyone.

4. Staff

No matter how big a thrift store is, the store's staff and culture can ruin the entire experience. There is a thrift store (which I may or may not mention in the next section) that I will never visit because of the staff.

They are grumpy and when I find cheap stuff (which is the point of frugality) they try to change the price at the till while I pay.

On the other hand, I will regularly visit thrift stores where people are friendly and smile at my mischievous kids!

5. Good Business Practices

I once got into a Utah Savers with a van full of things to donate and a clerk said to me,

"I'm honest with you. You can donate it here, but we have too much stuff and we're going to throw it all away. If you really want it sold, you can drop it off at... a thrift store down the road."

Needless to say, I was pretty amazed.

Unfortunately, such practices are not uncommon. While I normally prioritize getting a good deal, I do my best to support thrift stores that are actually charities or at least engage in ethical business practices.

5 Thrift Stores to Avoid (Worst Thrift Stores in Utah)

Before I list some of what I consider to be the worst thrift stores in Utah, I want to warn you. There are many smaller, owner-operated thrift stores that are truly terrible. In fact, there's one about 200 feet from my house that I literally never go to because it's so bad.

I'm not going to throw any of them under the bus here. They are just trying to make a living.

With that said, I'm going to throw some big box save points right into the fire. A lot of themThrift stores are non-profitbut they are "for-profit" companies.

Remember, this is not a comment about the people working there (in general), but about the overall quality of what is offered, the store environment, etc.

1. Deseret Industries in Provo

First, I found some amazing things at this thrift store. The finds are few and far between.

The real reason I avoid this thrift store is the customers and the staff.

This place is full of people my wife and I call vultures. People literally bringing their families and friends and camping out on the furniture. Then they rush each new car out and cram whatever they can get into their car before deciding whether or not they want it.

Also, they know all the lower level employees rolling the carts and I even saw them give gifts or take things to the employees.

Avoid this store unless you want to get frustrated or fight a bunch of thieves to buy used stuff.

2. Sparer in Orem

The main problem with this Savers is that it's in the middle of Orem and there isn't another one within 40 minutes.

This store is full of savings and sells 24 hours a day. If you're lucky enough to find something good here, it's because the universe has aligned and somehow it hasn't been seen by the hordes of humans.

Not to mention they are serious about their collectibles collection and put just about anything decent under glass at incredible prices. I understand that you should charge what people pay, but a lot of things in the billing department don't sell even if they're half price.

You can find them here, but if you can, grab a Saver's from our list of "good" stores above and you'll be rewarded for the trip.

3. Saving em Taylorsville

If you're looking for a downtown thrift store, this is it.

Tight deals, poor location, and low prices make this place a pass.

I've only been here twice despite stopping at least 50 times and have no plans to visit again any time soon.

4. Goodwill em Layton

We are always excited when a new goodwill opens in Utah, as they are relatively new to the state.

However this was a huge disappointment. It is the smallest and most expensive of the Utah Goodwills.

While we still stop by when in the area, I would never specifically make a trip to visit this goodwill.

5. DE En Sugarhouse

This really is a great thrift store. Just not for me and probably not for you.

Unlike most big thrift stores, Deseret Industries actually does a fair amount of charity work. They allow people in need to get clothes, shoes and more for free, and no place seems to do this more than the Sugarhouse location.

This means that there are far fewer options for shoppers. Combine that with the number of "harvesters" walking around hustling each new wagon and you'd be hard pressed to find anything that isn't 30 years old.

Conclusion

Hope this was helpful in giving you a few more Utah thrift stores to add to your rotation!

Remember, the real secret to finding good thrift stores is spending a lot of time at thrift stores. So go often and stay a long time!

Lots of luck!