This Charlotte Thrift Store Sells Nothing But Discounted Electronics

Charlotte, North Carolina, is a beautiful and lively city with a lot to experience, including some fantastic shopping.

The Queen City's metro area is home to nearly 3.4 million people, so you can expect to find many thrift stores with a wide range of merchandise. Whether you live in the area or are just visiting this charming Southern city, you'll undoubtedly find something (or perhaps a cartload) when you head to any of the 12 stores listed in this article.

We turned to Google and Yelp to find the thrift stores that shoppers in the Charlotte area love most, from charity shops to locally owned stores and beyond, these are the places you'll find great deals and perhaps something unexpected.

Here are 12 thrift stores in the Charlotte area to add to your shopping list. Happy thrifting! (For more on North Carolina, here are 20 things the state is known for.)

The Assistance League of Charlotte is a charming store with a mission — and you're guaranteed to find some unique wares here, from crystalware to fun wall art. There's a wide variety of gently used items such as clothing, books, toys, jewelry, and household goods here. You may also run across an antique or three.

The store is well-maintained, organized, and run by volunteers who will ensure you have a pleasant experience. The Assistance League of Charlotte provides a lot of services to the community, from handing out backpacks, uniforms, and clothes to school kids to providing scholarships and support to teens. When you shop at their thrift store, your money will go far.

Carolina Value Thrift has six locations in the Charlotte metro area (three in Charlotte and one each in Mooresville, Kannapolis, and Gastonia). These stores sell clothing, shoes, furniture, jewelry, books, electronics, toys, and other household goods that are picked up at buyouts, liquidations, and as leftovers from merchandisers.

Reviewers love how well-stocked and affordable the stores are. Weekly discounts include 50% and 75% off select items, and one thing that makes them unique is their recycling program. They sell unsold apparel as recycled clothing or rags, in bundles of approximately 1,000 pounds, that can be used for recycling and resale purposes.

Bargain Hunters Thrift Store sells gently used clothing, furniture, shoes, toys, books, electronics, linens, appliances, and household items. This company takes pride in keeping items out of landfills and receives donated items that they ensure are recycled properly if they don't sell them.

Bargain Hunters also has a boutique section dedicated to name-brand items. Reviewers appreciate how well-organized the store is and, of course, the great deals.

If you aren't familiar with Clothes Mentor, you're missing out. This is a great store to find gently used designer clothing, shoes, and purses, as well as more mainstream brands for up to 70% off retail prices. What's more, Clothes Mentor only buys items that are in great shape, in style, or classic and timeless.

This is a nationwide chain that will buy your items for cash on the spot or store credit. The Charlotte store is rather large and everything is organized by style, size, and color, making your shopping experience a breeze.

Community Thrift Store has a great selection of items you won't find anywhere else. They sell second-hand clothes, books, jewelry, electronics, furniture, and more. You'll also be impressed by their selection of antique and vintage items.

GW: A Goodwill Boutique is, as its name implies, a spinoff of the standard Goodwill store. GW is a specialty shop that sells a curated selection of designer and name-brand clothes for men and women at affordable prices, most $24.99 or less.

This store is located in a trendy section of Charlotte, so you'll find names like Coach, Michael Kors, Lululemon, Ann Taylor, and Nike. There is also a smattering of home goods, jewelry, and shoes to peruse.

The GRID: Powered by Goodwill is another Goodwill specialty shop, this one for technology buffs. You'll find new and refurbished computers and computer accessories, printers, TVs, audio equipment, gaming consoles and video games, retro games, and more.

Prices here reflect a 15% to 65% savings from retail, and in keeping with the Goodwill mission, sales fund tuition-free job training programs, job search support, family stability services, and more for thousands of people in the community.

My Backporch Treasures is a small and charming shop that benefits the Matthews Help Center, a nonprofit that assists families in need. You'll find unique vintage items as well as handbags and wallets, shoes, clothing and accessories, antiques, collectibles, electronics and media, toys and games, housewares, and outdoor goods.

You can also buy their more upscale items online, and you'll find sale items for 20% to 75% off.

Plato's Closet is similar to Clothes Mentor in that it's a popular chain that will buy gently used, trendy items for resale. There are several locations in the Charlotte metro area, and each carries an unbelievable selection of clothing for teens and adults.

You'll find designer labels and name brands here including Coach, Michael Kors, Lululemon, Anthropologie, Nike, adidas, Vans, and more. You can bring in your gently used items for cash or in-store credit.

Uptown Cheapskate has four locations in the Charlotte area that focus on the latest trends and styles for teens and young adults. They also feature vintage and retro styles but only those items that are in good shape.

You'll find brands like Coach, Michael Kors, Lululemon, Free People, J. Crew, and Urban Outfitters at a fraction of retail prices. They also buy gently used items for cash or store credit (selling for credit will earn 25% more).

Where Ya Bin offers a unique concept that is becoming quite popular among shoppers everywhere. This discount chain fills blue bins with overstocked goods purchased from various online retailers such as Amazon. The pricing changes daily, starting at $14 for items on Fridays and decreasing until they reach only $0.25 on Thursdays.

These stores are not for shoppers who like organization or who dislike digging for items. Much of the merchandise here is in unmarked boxes and you may not even know what you're getting until you take it home and open it up. Shoppers have reported buying everything from espresso machines to game consoles, household goods, and more.

ZABS Place is another great thrift store with a wonderful mission. This nonprofit boutique provides adults with special needs with training and paid employment opportunities.

It offers a wide range of top-quality merchandise, including home décor and clothing. This store is well-organized, and you are likely to find great deals on high-end products. One reviewer called it "a great place with a big heart." (Here are 15 items you can confidently buy used.)