Ready to pop some tags? Only got $20 in your pocket? TKC visited thrift shops near Kirkwood and rated them on a scale of 1-5 in the following categories: atmosphere, pricing, location, selection and organization. There is not a particular store that stands out among the others as the best because each has their own unique shopping experience. Read to find out which store best fulfills your thrifting dreams.

Goodwill

14373 Manchester Rd

Atmosphere- 2

Pricing- 5

Location- 3

Selection- 4

Organization- 4

Goodwill is a timeless classic. No other thrift store will ever be able to top the feeling of unearthing a unique article of clothing among caverns of ratty T-shirts and finding that everything on the rack is being handed out for the unbeatable price of $2. We visited the location in Ballwin where all clothes were organized by color, making Goodwill pleasing for both your eyes and your bank account. Goodwill disregards brand names when it comes to pricing, which earned it a perfect score in that category. At this location, all sweaters cost $3.50, and there was a fairly wide variety of colors and styles to choose from.

Not every corner of Goodwill is smiles and rainbows, however. The first thing that hit us upon entry was the pungent scent of wet paint, which combined with dusty surfaces and absence of decor lowered our rating for the atmosphere. It’s common knowledge that you have to wash your Goodwill purchases at least once before it smells socially acceptable, so keep that in mind and be on the lookout for any funky stains. Overall there was a decent selection, but you’ll soon find every visit to Goodwill varies between a hit and a miss. Sometimes you leave with the find of a lifetime, sometimes empty-handed. But Goodwill’s most unique aspect is that it’s been serving the less fortunate for 115 years. A quote on the back wall read, “Our business works, so people can,” and that’s the kind of magic you can only discover within the racks of Goodwill.

Savers

9618 Watson Rd

Atmosphere- 3

Pricing- 3

Location- 3

Selection- 5

Organization- 4

One step into Savers and you feel as if you’ve become an ant in a massive, colossal thrifting universe. With six dressing rooms, 10 checkout counters and countless aisles of clothing and accessories, Savers is the Costco of thrift stores. The Great Dane of dog breeds. The encyclopedia of literature. The powerhouse of the cell. If your goal is to sift through every item in search of a few gold nuggets, make sure to plan out at least an hour. Savers deserved the top rating in the selection category, but pricing is not always ideal.

Unlike Goodwill, Savers employees price items according to brand, meaning a second-hand Tommy Hilfiger sweater, which looked strikingly similar to the other sweaters on the rack, cost $14. Yikes. It’s unclear what the customer is supposed to be “saving” since it’s not always money, and it’s definitely not time. An infuriatingly slow computer system and disgruntled employees greatly lengthened our wait time and negatively impacted the atmosphere category. Savers is located in Crestwood, but overall worth every mile due to the wide selection it has to offer. And often, the free membership program offers extra deals and savings. You’re guaranteed to leave with a full bag, but an empty wallet.

Ditto

10027 Manchester Rd

Atmosphere- 4

Pricing- 1

Location- 4

Selection- 3

Organization- 5

An immediate antique store vibe is prevalent upon entering Ditto. This definitely appeals to the grandma within every thrift shopper who enters. Ditto’s strongest point was undoubtedly its variety in high quality items which exceeded clothing exclusively. The creative displays interwork clothing, homeware and furniture. All of the clothing is organized in distinct sections based on categories which makes for a smooth and relatively quick trip. Ditto is a “type A” person’s dream when it comes to organization. Another bonus was Ditto carried both petite and plus sizes in abundance. Although the variety in items was outstanding, the variation within those groups of items was only average.

The music and friendly staff gives Ditto an added homey flare which is a huge improvement from the setup of more traditional thrift stores. That being said, a friendly face at the cash register doesn’t help much if you never make it there, considering the (at times laughably) high prices. I don’t know anyone who has $250 to drop on a fur coat, Ditto, but I’m sure anyone that does would likely buy it from… I don’t know, not a thrift store? Thrift store shopping is typically meant to be a more affordable option to retail, but at Ditto this aspect of thrifting doesn’t always hold true. Similar to Goodwill, Ditto is also a nonprofit organization. It branches from the Christian Schools Association of St. Louis (CSASL) and provides tuition for families who can’t afford a private religious education.With the convenient location just a few minutes away from KHS, Ditto is worth a look around, but don’t expect to find something you like and can afford on every visit.

Avalon

6388 Delmar Blvd

Atmosphere- 5

Location- 5

Pricing- 2

Selection- 3

Organization- 4

Picture this: You finish your Snow Factory rolled ice cream as you step into a colorful and vibrant store filled with treasures from every decade imaginable. You browse carefully through a rack of on-trend clothing, surrounded by at least 10 other people who are nothing short of style icons. Well, that’s the Avalon experience. Avalon snugly fits in The Delmar Loop, and is about a 20-minute drive from KHS however the profusion of urban life and culture in the area makes the trip worthwhile. Plus, every time you walk into Avalon, you earn 5 Cool Kid Points. It’s just facts, sorry, we don’t make the rules. The store is incredibly easy to navigate, but you’re best off looking through everything because you never know what kind of gems will be hidden in the men’s sweater section.

The store is relatively small compared to all others we visited, so looking through all the merchandise won’t take you hours. But don’t be too quick to classify Avalon to be a utopian haven of all the best qualities of thrift stores. Every hero has a tragic flaw, and Avalon’s is undoubtedly its pricing. While prices weren’t insanely unaffordable, they were higher than the average prices of any other store. We were able to find two of the same sweater for reference, one in Goodwill and the other in Avalon. While the tags were identical, the prices were not. The sweater at Goodwill came to $4, while Avalon’s was a steep $11. Unless you’re purchasing a more vintage piece that you couldn’t find elsewhere, there is a noticeable price inflation. Avalon is a thrifting spot no one should miss, just make sure it’s not your only go-to thrift store.