By Sarah Willis
Saving money is a priority for a majority of Americans.
Many U.S consumers choose to shop at thrift stores for used clothing, furniture and household accessories as an alternative to purchasing brand new items from big retailers.
Thrift shops offer nearly anything you can imagine: clothes, furniture, jewelry, books and board games. It’s always good to save money when you can and there’s a thrift store for nearly every budget. Check out the list below if you’re looking for local places to thrift but need a place to start.
Located at 47799 Main Street, in Anacoco, and open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 A.M to 5 p.m.; Ruby D’s is a fun place to shop.
They have everything from furniture to vintage photographs and they seem to have hundreds of new items each time I visit. It’s very easy to find jewelry, dishes, tools, collectibles, and decor here. The staff at Ruby’s is helpful and kind and the items are fairly organized. However, this may not be a safe place to visit with children, as they have breakable items within arm’s reach at virtually every turn.
Finley’s Flea Market- Leesville, LA
Located at 13960 Lake Charles Hwy in Leesville, Finley’s is open Thursday- Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., it can be easy to miss if you aren’t sure what to look for.
From Entrance Road turn left onto HWY 171 South and merge into the right lane. Follow 171 S for about 2.5 miles and look for a white and yellow sign that reads “Finley’s Pickering Flea Market and Army Surplus” just off the road on the right.
This is a flea market so rather than a set shop, it’s more like a line of old buildings run by different people selling and flipping thrifted items for fairly decent prices. There’s something to see in literally every single building, but if you’re looking for the best items there you should go all the way to the end and look for Theresa Wilson in building 6B. She takes very good care of her items, and she is always willing to haggle for prices.
Theresa deals mostly with furniture and toys, but she also has a number of other items available, and she often posts the best items on Facebook Marketplace.
Helping Hands is located at 603 S 3rd St in Leesville. Open Wednesday – Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Helping Hands has a few items, but generally deals with toys and clothes.
It is a local charity and a good place to find clothing in and out of season and for all ages. Donations received by Helping Hands go to help those in need of food and to provide basic school supplies and Christmas gifts for children of less fortunate families.
Goodwill – Leesville, La
This Goodwill is located at 1166-1372 Boone St in Leesville and is a great place to shop for flip items, decor, and electronics. The Leesville Goodwill is open Monday – Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This Goodwill isn’t very big, they mostly carry clothing, decor, and kitchen items but they also have toys and occasionally pull in some really decent furniture at very cheap prices.
Goodwill- Deridder, LA
Located at 1015 N. Pine St in Deridder, this Goodwill is one of the best places to look for decor.
The Deridder Goodwill is open Monday- Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Like the Leesville location, they sell clothing and other items and feature a large selection of kitchenware.
This Goodwill almost always seems to have a large selection of furniture and is a very great place to find books and movies.
Other Thrift Shops in The Area:
The Lord’s Closet- Leesville, La
The Lord’s Closet is located at 382 Entrance Road in Leesville.
The Fort Polk Thrift Shop- Fort Polk, La
Located at 830 Colorado Ave. in Fort Polk and open Tuesday- Thursday from 9:30 a.m.to 4:30 p.m. This thrift shop is said to have not only a variety of items, but also great prices and a friendly staff. The Fort Polk Thrift Shop is a private organization that uses its revenue for charity and education in the local area.