Thrifty Shopper

Category:	Thrift Store
Address:	376 Elmira Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
Phone:	+1 607-220-1992
Site:	ishopthrifty.org
Rating:	3.5
Working:	10AM–9PM 10AM–9PM 10AM–9PM 10AM–9PM 10AM–9PM 9AM–9PM 11AM–6PM

Location

Photos 42

Reviews 14

peter gumaer ogden

I visit this shop weekly searching for antiques and collectibles. Once in a blue moon something good slips through the radar--its a great advantage when you have over 45 years of knowledge about antiques and collectibles values so you can sometimes buy an item here for $1 that is worth $500.00 [its like having a license to steal]. A friend of mine paid $2.99 for a rare piece of George Ohr pottery he found here that he sold online for $12,000.00. My appraisal services would be a boon to this stores profits. Obviously management checks these reviews regularly. Several weeks ago I left a review that was largely positive but noted that the frames and framed artwork as well as the books were sometimes terribly out of order. This is not the fault of the staff. All it takes is one thoughtless customer to rifle through these items to create a big mess. In particular there is one gentleman who obviously sells books on Amazon: He comes in with his book price scanner and leaves the bookshelves looking as if they were hit by a tornado. If he keeps this up he should be warned and if he doesnt shape up he should be banned from the store. Recently a wonderful new book shelving system has been installed which makes the books much more accessible and more difficult to disorganize. Also, the artwork is now much better displayed on the floor against the wall. I had returned to these reviews to edit my last review to reflect these positive changes. I was shocked to discover that my largely positive, slightly critical review had been deleted=CENSORSHIP [most people in Ithaca get very riled up about CENSORSHIP and INTEGRITY. As a regular customer this censorship pisses me off. In the past, on more than one occasion I have found a shattered glass or a large pane of razor sharp broken glass that had fallen out of a frame amongst the inventory. Out of kindness and concern for other customers and to protect management from a major lawsuit caused by an unwary customer slicing their arm open I have in each case carried the dangerous razor sharp glass up front to a staff member. After noting that you removed my last review I will think twice about helping you out with lawsuit prevention "damage control" from now on--like most of the other customers who apparently could care less--if they did why do I keep finding broken glass?--Others might be afraid of the old "if you break it you bought it"--so they leave it. ...and bedbugs can really destroy a second hand stores reputation. I WILL be checking back to see if you deleted this. Google reviews arent the only reviews out there: Theres Facebook, the TC Dept. of Health, my anonymous website, and word of mouth locally; aka the Tompkins County gossip mill--oh, and letters to the editors of THREE Ithaca newspapers . Maybe I the future you, like secure business managers with integrity on google reviews will not delete honest reviews which might be slightly critical. P.S. It would be great if you would install a water fountain like the SA has across the street. P.P.S. Staff: Your staff is always very, very friendly and helpful; It would be nice if the few thoughtless customers had more respect for your staff and other customers.

Jeff Werner

This is a nice local (Syracuse/Ithaca/Binghamton) nonprofit that runs homeless shelters. I far prefer donating goods to them, as opposed to a certain other organization that spends its money on national lobbying for socially conservative political causes. Thrifty Shopper / Rescue Mission are just straight-up helping people. And, Ive purchased a number of very nice shirts and pairs of pants here. Everything always seems quite clean and well-organized. Staff are friendly and easy going.

Summer Logan

Awesome clothes/shoes and home goods at sweet prices. Tuesday seniors and veterans save 25%, Thursday college students save 25%. Open til 9 M-Sat, open til 6 on Sundays. Accepting donations. Proceeds fund the local homeless shelter. Everybody wins!

Fred S

The place is extremely dirty and disorganized stuff just thrown on shelves and if it was donated dirty it stays dirty and gross when someone brings in something new the workers take it away so fast you never new it was there thats not helping the poor

Deborah Ecklund

I dont like this store theyre too high-priced for used items theyre very unorganized and sometime this stuff is a little dirty

George-Ann Wood

Staff is friendly and you never know what great deals you might find here. They have a wide variety of things.

Robert Lavarnway

Lots of womens clothes. Not a good selection for men. Salvation Army across the street is better.

Victoria Flavin

This second hand store has tons of great stuff. It is neater and smaller than Salvation Army.

Kity Daemon

Inexpensive and okay variety. Similar to (but not as good as) the Savers/ValueVillage chain.

Katrina Browne

Not as cheap as salvo, nor as well organized, but clothing condition is on average better.