Thrifting in Athens: Where to Shop
We will forever be grateful for the popularity that thrifting has gained over the years! Not only is it a more affordable route to fashion, it’s also much more sustainable and eco-friendly than throwing away old clothes and buying new on-trend pieces every season. However, as fun and exciting as thrifting can be, it’s also difficult to know where to shop depending upon what you’re looking for, how much time you have, and how much money you want to spend. We’ve curated a guide of our favorite places to thrift in the Athens area organized by the occasion and the price with the most convenient locations attached. Hopefully, this gives you a head start the next time you’re in the mood to thrift!
DYNAMITE
60 Likes, 0 Comments - Dynamite Clothing (@dynamiteathens) on Instagram: "Treat yourself to some Dynamite on this gorgeous Sunday! Open till 6🧨 #dynamiteathens..."
This shop is an eclectic mixture of vintage and recycled clothing. You’re sure to find some kind of statement piece or your new favorite item here. Don’t let the small size of this store mislead you; it’s packed with vintage jean jackets, amazing pants, breathtaking dresses, and not to mention a great selection of jewelry! This store offers a much more curated and handpicked selection than Goodwill, so it doesn’t require quite as much work to find something wonderful, but I’m sure you’ll get lost perusing the colorful racks just as easily. Also, make sure to check out their Instagram to stay updated on all of their incoming clothing. @dynamiteathens
Price
These clothes are more curated, so the price is higher than your traditional thrift shops but still affordable for the items that you’re sure to find! Generally, most items are around $20-$50 with a few outliers at higher price points.
Location
An Athens original, Dynamite Clothing is located right on Jackson Street in the heart of downtown.
Goodwill
This one probably goes without saying, but for those who aren’t familiar with it, Goodwill is always a go-to. Little attention is paid to the ambiance of this store with its racks of clothes and harsh fluorescent lights, and a lot of the items are a little out of trend, but there’s a certain type of pride that comes with finding one of Goodwill’s hidden gems. This store offers a great opportunity for finding pieces to up-cycle. Generally, I can find a lot of simple staples, whether it’s a pair of jeans, some loungewear, a good quality winter coat, or a sweater. Their sweater selection is often filled with oversized and patterned numbers perfect for the approaching winter months. Although this isn’t clothing related, they also have a good selection of dish ware and miscellaneous objects that come in handy when shopping for an apartment.
Price
These prices range anywhere from about $3-$12. Shirts and sweaters range from around $4-$6, jeans and pants are about $6-$7, and dresses can vary from $7-$12 depending upon the occasion.
Each item sold in Goodwill has a colored tag attached to it, and throughout the week each day will have a different color that is on sale, usually 50% off. The order depends on the store that you shop at, so make sure to check out the color before you start shopping!
Location
The closest three Goodwill’s are in Willwood Square on Lexington Road about 3 miles away from UGA’s campus, Athens Square Shopping Center on Atlanta Highway about 5 miles away, and Epps Bridge Parkway about 4 miles away.
agora
106 Likes, 2 Comments - Agora Vintage (@agora_vintage) on Instagram: "This Chic and Sleek Patent Chanel Maxi is now available 🌟 DM for details!! * * * #ChanelMaxi..."
This luxury consignment store is a type of shop that tends to be rarely reasonable. Agora is filled to the brim with consigned products from esteemed designers and brands. I have often heard of people scoring big with bags and shoes, which tend to be at more reasonable prices at Agora than those that are brand new within the luxury world. For people who love designer items and are unable to afford them at full price, Agora provides a shopping experience with fantastic inventory and reasonable prices.
Price
When it comes to the price of luxury items, reasonable is a relative term. While the shop is filled with consigned goods, they are designer resales and not just a random assortment of second-hand items. However, it is common that you can find extreme markdowns at Agora to the price of the item as opposed to many other retailers. Though this price point is much higher than the curated consignment shops mentioned above, in comparison to the original sale price of these items, it is simply unbeatable!
Location
Agora is located right in the heart of downtown Athens, and is truly one of the only shops of its kind in the area. Put this shop at the top of your weekend to-do list, especially if shopping for a Georgia grad!
America’s Thrift Stores
America’s Thrift is very similar to Goodwill with a similar price range and premise. They sell clothes as well as home items and furniture. They also have weekly color discounts and different deals on certain days-- Friday is education day, so students get 10% off!
The one big downside to America’s Thrift is that there are no dressing rooms, so if something doesn’t fit once you take it home, you’re stuck with it. However, with their low prices and extra deals, it’s usually not a problem if you’re a careful shopper.
Price
Most clothing is from $3-$12 but they have different deals all the time that can make it a lot cheaper!
Location
The nearest America’s Thrift store is on Atlanta Highway in Athens, about 5 miles away from campus.
Atomic
152 Likes, 4 Comments - Atomic (@athensatomic) on Instagram: "This weekend was awesome thanks to these beauties and more. ✨🥰Thanks y'all!! We'll be back at it..."
It is almost certain that you’ve passed by the beautiful windows styled by Atomic’s employees! Once you walk inside, it’s a wave of variety and nostalgia. The store is set up by booths in which vintage curators vend a selection of items that they bring in. This is a really great format for shoppers because the selection is so diverse and filled with different tastes to cater to a variety of style profiles. There truly is something for every vintage-lover out there. They have a fantastic social media presence and are constantly posting videos of styled outfits. If you’re interested, follow @athensatomic or stop by for some glorious pieces.
Price
As it is with vintage, items fall at a higher price to account for both the quality and labor that vendors invest into finding them. There are multitudes of accessories and art from local vendors at a lower price point, but the majority of clothing falls under $50!
Location
Atomic’s one and only location is in downtown Athens across from Shokitini!
We hope that some details about these local gems will inspire your next glorious thrift haul. Whether it be donating to these businesses or going all out on a shopping spree, we hope this compiled how-to guide will make you a thrift-store rock star! Happy hunting!