If you take a short day trip outside of Atlanta, Georgia, you’ll find Athens. This quirky city has an active art scene, lots of events, and gorgeous architecture. It’s also home to dozens of unique thrift stores that are sure to give you a day of amazing shopping. For thrifty shoppers, it’s a fabulous place to visit. Here are some of the best thrift shops in Athens.
Atlanta Mission Athens Thrift Store
2415 Jefferson Rd, Athens, GA 30607
Atlanta Mission Thrift Store has locations in different cities across Georgia, including Athens. The organization began as a soup kitchen in 1938 and grew into a fully-fledged support system for the less fortunate. They help with housing, food, job searches, and education to get people back on their feet.
Thrift shops are a wonderland of gently used items, including books, furniture, housewares, and cute decorations.
Project Safe Thrift Store
995 Hawthorne Ave #7, Athens, GA 30606
A community thrift store in Athens, Project Safe Thrift Store is a resource where people can buy affordable clothing and other items they may need. Project Safe works with those experiencing abuse in Athens and the surrounding areas, helping them get out of the situation and get somewhere safe.
The store carries a variety of gently used items, shoppers can find everything from books and clothing to jewelry and furniture. Most of the store items were donated from the community members, they also accept monetary donations.
Emmanuel Episcopal Thrift House
540 Prince Ave, Athens, GA 30601
The Emmanuel Episcopal Church sells donated goods through the Emmanuel Episcopal Thrift House. Proceeds support their various ministries and, like all thrift stores, the stock changes according to what’s donated.
This thrift store offers clothing for all ages, toys, and an extensive dinnerware selection. The Emmanuel Episcopal Thrift House offers additional discounts throughout the week, which they post on their Facebook page.
Athens Habitat ReStore
ReStore East: 532 Barber St Building 2, Athens, GA 30601 | ReStore West: 4125 Atlanta Hwy, Athens, GA 30606
Habitat for Humanity builds new homes and rehabilitates old ones to provide safe housing for less fortunate families. The organization supports itself through two Athens Habitat ReStore thrift stores that accept donated items and resell them at low prices.
Habitat for Humanity works toward the day when everyone has a safe home. In addition to building and rehabbing homes, they advocate for fair housing policies and provide training for families to improve their circumstances. Their stores are a treasure trove for furniture, home decor, and used appliances.
St. Mary’s Auxiliary Thrift Store
2165 W Broad St, Athens, GA 30606
St. Mary’s Health Care System runs the St. Mary’s Auxiliary Thrift Store. Its focus is on high-quality items, often selling designer clothing and in a clean, friendly atmosphere. The stock at St. Mary’s Auxiliary Thrift Store changes daily, and they actively seek a wide variety of items including antiques, housewares, and name-brand clothing.
The proceeds benefits the non-profit St. Mary’s Health Care System that provides compassionate healthcare to the community. It’s supported by the Catholic Health Ministries.
Goodwill Thrift Store
4070 Lexington Rd, Athens, GA 30605
The Goodwill Thrift Store in Athens, GA is part of huge chain of thrift stores across the country. The non-profit’s mission to help people get back to work includes job training, opportunities, and placement services for anyone in need.
In the Athens location, they sell a wide variety of items including furniture, kitchenware, jewelry, clothes, and toys. Goodwill takes donations of your gently used items, and supplements the store stock with new items and sells everything at prices that make you smile.
Freedom Boutique
160 Tracy St Suite 2C, Athens, GA 30601
If you’re looking for a feel-good purchase with unique items, the Freedom Boutique is an excellent option.
This special thrift store supports survivors of sex trafficking, prostitution, and addiction through the Freedom House, a safe place for women to recover. The Freedom Boutique sells a variety of items, including clothing, accessories, and jewelry. The survivors also make items that are sold in the store, bringing more awareness to the problem.