The 11 best thrift stores to shop for secondhand furniture in Los Angeles
? Thrift stores tend to get new donations every day. By going on the hunt, you might be able to score deals on furniture and get name-brand pieces for a lot less.
Shopping for previously owned furnishings and accessories at Los Angeles thrift stores can feel like a never-ending hunt. But, as with thrifting for clothing, that’s part of the fun.
It’s true, you may not find anything suitable — but you might find a $200 Nespresso machine on sale for $19 (at the Goodwill in Encino, if you’re wondering). Furniture thrifting requires stamina, as many stores precariously stack tables upon desks upon dressers. A visit that results in nothing can be a disappointment, but hope springs eternal. With new items being donated to stores daily, if you don’t see something you like today, there’s always the chance that you will find what you are looking for tomorrow.
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After we published a recent roundup of some of the best places to shop for secondhand furnishings in L.A., several readers complained about the high prices at some of the stores. We agree: It can be depressing shopping for second-hand furniture when prices are 10 times your rent. But Angelenos have many options: vintage and consignment stores, antique shops, estate sales and flea markets. Though it’s true you will find $24,000 Eames lounge chairs and $3,000 dining chairs at vintage stores, which often stock Midcentury Modern furnishings, it’s possible to score name-brand furnishings for a lot less at thrift stores.
Looking for an Eames lounge chair or a Danish modern credenza? Here’s a list of the 18 best places to shop for Midcentury Modern furniture in L.A.
In this roundup, we highlight affordable options from local thrift stores. (I checked out 15 L.A. thrift stores, but based on the individual store’s condition and merchandise quality, only 11 stores made the cut.) Also, keep in mind that many of these stores are nonprofits, which means your money will go toward helping others in addition to keeping materials out of landfills.
Los Angeles is a big city. If you have a favorite thrift store you’d be willing to share, let me know at lisa.boone@latimes.com. I may check it out and add it to our list.
American Cancer Society Discovery Shop, Toluca Lake
Located across the street from Trader Joe’s in a busy shopping district on Riverside Drive, the small shop is crammed with merchandise — lounge chairs are pushed up against pianos, coffee tables and end tables — forcing you to dig a bit to get a decent look at the furnishings. Other highlights included a French antique chair upholstered in contemporary cream suede ($65), a country-style dining room set, an elegant marble bar cart, walnut secretaries and a 20-piece set of Empress china dishware priced at $40.
All donations are tax-deductible and proceeds support the American Cancer Society. You must pick up items within four days of purchase. The Discovery Shop is not responsible for loading furniture.
Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.
Deseret Industries Thrift Store and Donation Center
Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Wednesday through Saturday.
Habitat for Humanity, Pasadena ReStore
Shoppers can peruse two floors filled with an assortment of sofas, coffee tables, chairs, armoires and building materials such as doors and windows. (There is clothing too.) On the second floor, I spotted a white linen sofa ($275) and a blue midcentury-style tufted sofa ($225) in excellent condition. If you’re looking for office equipment, there is a room with a wide selection of desks (my favorite, a sleek white midcentury-style desk, was $75). Elsewhere, Frigidaire refrigerators were $400, handsome media centers with a few scratches were priced at $45 and bookshelves were $70. There was also an excellent selection of bed frames and stylish side chairs for $45. The store lists some of its inventory online, so you can shop from home.
ReStore offers local pickup only, but, like many thrift stores, it provides third-party referrals for delivery. The store also hosts a “Free Furniture Saturday” on the last Saturday of the month, allowing customers to take home two pieces from among select items. Items must be picked up and transported that day by customers.
Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Huntington Collection
You may find a pair of comfortable Sherrill Furniture down swivel chairs in a red and gold brocade fabric on sale for $150 apiece, for example, or an antique oak 19th-century dining table with eight chairs and six leaves for $1,650. (A mahogany dining room table with three leaves and six chairs was priced at $595.)
The store also stocks dressers, sofas, armchairs and accessories, including a contemporary Artemide Tolomeo floor lamp, which usually sells for more than $1,000 and was on sale for $450. A lovely Turkish wool rug from ABC Carpet & Home was priced at $799.99.
This store is a fun place to shop for affordable housewares, including glasses, barware and complete china sets from brands such as Lenox, Longchamp, Spode, Haviland and Dansk. There are also printouts attached to many of the products explaining their history and pricing, which is helpful for comparison shoppers.
Buyers must pick up items within two business days or the items will be subject to a $10-a-day storage fee. After two weeks, the items will be sold. The store does not offer delivery service but recommends a second party that it works with regularly.
Open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Out of the Closet Super Store
On a recent visit to the thrift store, which benefits AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s HIV services, I found a pristine Midcentury Modern-style sofa in ivory linen for $175 and several other sofas and chairs priced between $80 and $200.
There was a good selection of frames, and some unique display shelves and bookshelves, including a restaurant-style baker’s rack for $45. The store is organized well, which makes it easy to shop for housewares, including lamps, glasses and assorted china. This location is an excellent place to stock up if you need wine glasses or want to furnish your kitchen.
Open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Pepe's Thrift Shop
Like other L.A. thrift stores, Pepe’s has an impressive selection of frames, in addition to lighting and chandeliers. All furnishings are marked with blue tape that includes dimensions and price. Midcentury-inspired custom furnishings also are available.
Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.
Revival Vintage Furniture
Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Son of a Vet Thrift Shop
There was a wide selection of artwork and frames, including a stunning black-and-white photograph for $14.99. I purchased a brand-new 18x24 frame still wrapped in plastic from Aaron Brothers for $11.99. If I needed kitchen supplies, I’d head here, as the shelves are stocked with everything you might need — from toaster ovens to crockpots and china to wine glasses ($1.99).
The store does not handle delivery but has affordable third-party referrals.
Open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
The Salvation Army Boutique Store, Santa Monica
Open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
St. Vincent de Paul of Los Angeles
Sofas were available in every style, from modern leather to Victorian-style seating in flowery fabrics. A three-seater in good condition was $99. Similar lounge chairs were priced between $79 and $99. But not everything is cheap. A pristine leather club chair was on sale for $299 and a minimalist three-seater sofa in cream-colored linen was $349. A chest of drawers that looked brand-new was $399. A red leather sectional was $800. My favorite item, a custom-built dining room table with hairpin legs, was $249.
One of the sales staff told me there was even more furniture than what was on the showroom floor.
Unfortunately, furniture dimensions are not listed with items, so bring a tape measure. Once you remove the receipt from an item, you have 15 minutes to purchase it. Otherwise, the item will be retagged and resold. All sales are final and sold as-is. Ample parking on site.
Open 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Also in Long Beach at 2750 E. Pacific Coast Hwy., (562) 494-9955.
Studio Hope Boutique
Open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
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