Gainesville has more to offer thrift shoppers than some might think.
While most know about Salvation Army, Plato’s Closet and Goodwill when shopping for affordable second-hand clothing, here are a few hidden-gems Gainesville has to offer.
1) Flashbacks Recycled Fashion
This store at 509 NW 10th Ave. may look rugged on the outside, but it is packed with fashionable second-hand clothes within.
"This is such a hole-in-the-wall kind of place, I guess you would have to know Gainesville pretty well to just come shop over here," said 22-year-old UF sustainability studies senior Christy Reed, an employee at Flashbacks.
Clothes aren’t always brand name, but there’s a lot of Forever 21 and a few other recognizable brands.
The store features up-to-date style, usually determined by fashion blogs and Internet trends, Reed said.
"Here you can find something that you can actually wear," said 22-year-old anthropology and linguistics sophomore Rasha Chouder.
It’s open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
There will also be a Flashbacks opening on University Avenue by the end of the summer.
2) Family Treasures Thrift Shop
With "Thrift Store" painted in bold letters on the side of the building at 710 N. Main St., it’s hard to miss this store when you’re passing through Main Street.
The store holds a great variety of items, never turning down a donation.
"We try our best with everything, we even give the clothes we don’t use to guys who recycle the fibers for other things," said the 25-year-old manager, Heather Uuk.
The store is spacious and well organized, and makes it easy for you to find exactly what you’re looking for.
All clothes have fixed prices, nothing more than $10.
Specials are posted daily, and on Fridays students get 15 percent off of purchases.
It’s open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.
3) Outreach Thrift Store
This 26-year-old, family-owned store at 125 NW 23rd Ave. is your typical thrift shop, with crowded racks and baskets full of random goodies waiting to be picked up for 50 cents.
"We only take things in better to best condition," said Glenn Vellekamp, the owner.
While most stores have a limited amount of clothes in the men’s section, here it’s packed with a diverse selection.
The store’s best bargains include the 25-cent and clearance racks in the back, which are updated daily.
It’s open from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
[A version of this story ran on page 8 on 8/7/2014 under the headline "Student Senate updates statutes, deletes positions"]
Flashbacks Recycled Fashions, 509 NW 10th Ave., may look rugged on the outside, but it is packed with fashionable second-hand clothes within.
Family Treasures Thrift Shop at 710 N. Main St. keeps its merchandise on fixed prices. None of the clothes cost more than $10.
