My trip to Salvation Army

By Tenisha Mercer
www.BargainistasATL.Blogspot.com

I have a thrift store confession: I don't like Salvation Army. Never really have.

I think part of my frustration is that, when I was a child, my grandmother and I would always truck up to the Salvation Army not far from where we lived in Highland Park, Mich., a stones throw away from Detroit.

And I would see nothing but polyester from the 70s and old, stinky clothing. Nothing new, nothing even close to it. And it would all be a mass jumble -- nothing organized, color coded or anything. Felt like a swap meet -- the only Salvation Army that was halfway decent was in the burbs, but I never went there that often.


So I largely avoided them, even as I became older. Even as a thrifter, I thought there'd be no way I'd find ANYTHING. And they freaked me out (there, I said it). Until last weekend. I happened to be driving near a Salvation Army in Duluth and I stopped in. I was surprised. Now, vintage clothing isn't exactly my cup of tea -- like the average thrifter, I  like some vintage goods, but I did find a LOT of vintage clothing -- bubble jackets from the 90s, gaudy shirts from the 80s.


I managed to find some classic Escada skinny pants - I can't wait to wear them. I have to get out my needle and thread and sew up a rip in the back, but I'll post a pic of them as soon as I do. Escada is a classic brand that I have loved every since I was 12 and 13 years old,  flipping through the pages of Vogue Magazine. I like vintage -- just not all vintage.

The Salvation Army was clean, neat and organized -- they had tons of furniture. I saw at least 3-4 folks on the sales floor, organizing and tidying racks. I was impressed.

This particular store is a good 30 minutes or so away and, while I'm not saying I will go there regularly, it is definitely NOT the Salvation Army of my childhood.