Minneapolis and Saint Paul Thrifting Excursions

I wanted to focus this post on some requests I’d recently gotten for my favorite go-to thrifting spots in the Minneapolis and Saint Paul area. For me, thrifting is a hobby, so I do it for fun whether I need anything or not. I love to poke around and see what’s there, look at décor possibilities, flip through old records, books, art, movies, games etc. I see history and intrigue behind nearly every corner in a thrift store. It’s neat to see what people get rid of, to imagine the stories behind China sets and tea cups or old beer steins. That said, my favorite shops are my favorites as much for what's in the store as for what fun and exciting experiences surround each store and the neighborhoods I can explore. 

So, I’ve put together a list of my favorite thrift, vintage and consignment spots in the Twin Cities here, but also paired them with some fun drinking and dining excursions. Those who give it a try will find thrifting often brings them to new and exciting corners of the cities they maybe haven’t previously ventured to. The second part of this blog post includes some general thrifting tips. 

Plan an Urban Adventure

1. Savers on Lake Street is big and mostly full of clothing. They also have a large selection of shoes and housewares. This is a great place to buy bowls, serving trays, and wine glasses! I've found some good records there too! This is my favorite everyday thrift shop in the greater Minneapolis and Saint Paul area. I never leave here empty handed. After check-out has happened and we are feeling fat and sassy on goods, but starved for eats, we cross the parking lot for some excellent tacos at Pineda Tacos. There are several Pineda locations throughout the Twin Cities and they have made the best tacos lists on multiple occasions by various local publications. As a note, the shopping plaza there is not glamorous. This is not a place to go for ambiance, but for tasty tacos and a little money left over in your pocket, this is the perfect place. Savers and Pineda are right off the Blue Light Rail Line. Alternately, want to explore more of this awesomely diverse Lake Street area? Head down the road to Midtown Global Market with the East Lake Brewery right inside. Or visit the unique and habit-forming delights at the Himalayan Restaurant. Grab a pub pie and a pint at Merlin's Rest, or do urban upscale Mexican dining or drinking at Sonora Grill. Lake Street has a lot to offer. 

Address:
2124 E Lake Street
Minneapolis, MN 55407

2. Arcs Value Village at Penn Avenue and 66th is also one of the larger of the Twin Cities area thrift shops. It is a great spot for clothing, outerwear and purses. This thrift becomes an excursion when we pop over to Pizzeria Lola afterward and get some of the best pizza around (as featured on Diner’s Drive-in’s and Dive’s, don’t forget to take some quirky photo booth photos before you leave). Another option would be to take a scenic drive near Lake Harriet and bop around the quaint Linden Hills neighborhood for Sebastian Joe’s ice cream or fancy eats at Tilia or The Harriet Brasserie. Heading the opposite direction from Arc’s Value Village for amazing Mexican at Mi Ama Grocery. The Huarachazo there is made fresh and is truly amazing, filling and flavorful! They also sell fresh tamales in the grocery.

Address:
6528 Penn Ave S
Richfield, MN 55423

3. Turn Style in the Highland Park neighborhood of Saint Paul is great for dresses, jeans, sweaters, purses, shoes, and jewelry. It's really consignment and not thrift, but a great place to drop in and check out. Turn Style is a consignment chain and they are all over the metro. For housewares check out the one in Edina near York. For nearby, go for board games and burgers at The Chatterbox, or visit the Highland Café. Drive a bit further down the road to try one of the nation’s best burgers at The Nook, or drop downstairs to the RanHam and bowl a game at one of the oldest alley’s in the Twin Cities.

Address:
2044 Ford Parkway
St. Paul, MN 55116

4. The newer Goodwill on Nicollet and the new one on University are both pretty solid for cool chairs, housewares and coats. The new Salvation Army locations are bright and clean, so these are great for beginners who are apprehensive about thrifting. If shopping on Nicollet. there are a number of nearby spots to grab a nosh and a gulp. I’d recommend Hola Arepa for interesting and delicious Latin-inspired food and creative cocktails. There is a pretty good cocktail trifecta in this area. Hit up the speakeasy Volstead's Emporium, drop into Eat Street Social and finish with Icehouse for cocktail flights, food and often live music. Peninsula Malaysian Cuisine is a tasty meal for carnivores or vegetarians alike. Just down the road is My Huong Kitchen or jump in nearly any other restaurant on Eat Street there. I’d definitely leave room for a stop in at Glam Doll Donuts. If shopping on University, I’d definitely go get some Vietnamese food at iPho by Saigon.  You could also go a bit further down the road to the upscale option Ngon. If Thai is more your thing hit up the spicy On’s Thai Kitchen. Ever had Ethiopian? Try some at nearby Fasika. Once in the area, we usually stay around for a show at The Turf Club. This place is always great for a stiff drink and a lively concert.

Addresses: 
6023 Nicollet Ave. Minneapolis
MN 55419
1221 University Ave W
St Paul, MN 55104

5. For vintage, Go Vintage on Minnehaha in St. Paul, is awesome for funky and retro clothing, hats, scarves, and jewelry. I always have fun visiting Go Vintage, even if I'm not in the mood to buy. For Vintage, most would head over to Selby and Snelling and visit Up Six or Lula, but I enjoy the trip out to Go Vintage. They are larger and the shop is chalked full of selection. Once you have shopped up a thirst, visit Flat Earth Brewery or 11Wells Spirits across the street. Jot over to nearby Ward 6 for an adult malt, or journey back in time at Red Savoy’s Pizza. Tongue in Cheek is also a fine choice. It's a little further away, but their cocktail flights will surely please almost any taste buds.

Address:
713 Minnehaha Ave E
St Paul, MN 55130

Thrifting Tips

1. Learn how to vet an item. When initially pulling it off the rack or shelf, think about why someone may have given the item away. Check for small rips, seam splits, and stains. I highly recommend trying clothing on for fit and a closer look. If that's not going to work, at least take into consideration the lining, the comfort of the fabric, and try the zipper a few times.

2. Sometimes we may have to roll up the sleeves or dig, flip and slide to find just the right one of a kind piece. Other times it can just be training the eyes to scan a rack fast for shine, texture and color. Remeber too, it can be fun to try something on that wouldn’t normally be on the radar. Some of my favorite new pieces are those out of the box fashion moments I took a risk on. 

3. Look at labels. Not to be a snot about the brand, I really don’t care about that myself. If I like it, I like it, but definitely look at the label to be sure you aren’t paying too much. If it’s from Target, I know it was most likely $30 or less new, so it should be $10 or less at the thrift store.

4. Similar to any time we are headed out to go clothes shopping, it is smart to think about wearing something that is easy to take on and off.

5. Don’t forget room in the cart and time in the schedule to look at, scarves, hats, shoes, jewelry, records and housewares. Much of my wedding décor was from thrift stores and I almost never pay full price for a purse or a clutch.

6. Sometimes really cool gifts can be found at a thrift store too. I bought my friend Ryan a bowling ball that had his nickname already on it, Rhino. As we love to bowl, I got my bowling shoes at the thrift store too! I bought my friend Terrie a lovely white rocking chair for her baby shower from a thrift store. Thrift stores are also a great place to look for craft supplies, white elephant gifts or Halloween costumes. 

7.  One downfall of thrifting is that some of these shops can be pretty dusty. If you have dust allergies, you may want to wash your hands or bring hand sanitizer for afterward and maybe even bring any allergy medication with you.

Now that I’ve shared some of my spots, don’t steal all the cool shoes in ladies size 7.5! Please enjoy and maybe I’ll see you out there.