Visiting Athens, GA gives you a chance to slow down and take a break from busy city life, especially if you’re visiting from Atlanta. Known for its art scene, events, architecture, Athens is home to many unique thrift shops as well. Thrifting can be a great way to find the best deals in the area while also helping the environment by keeping clothes out of landfills. Next time you’re in the area, here are some of the best thrift stores in Athens, GA.
©Netrun78/Shutterstock.com
Atlanta Mission Athens Thrift Store
2415 Jefferson Rd, Athens, GA 30607
Atlanta Mission Thrift Store is a thrift store with locations all across the state of Georgia, including one in Athens. The mission of this organization is to help those facing homelessness in the community. The Atlanta Union Mission was originally established as a soup kitchen in 1938. Since then, the mission has grown and they provide services such as food, shelter, job attainment, spiritual recovery, and educational services for those in need.
The Atlanta Mission has five different thrift store locations. At the Atlanta Mission Athens Store, you’ll find a large selection of clothing, books, furniture, and knickknacks. They also sell home decor and other housewares.
Project Safe Thrift Store
995 Hawthorne Ave #7, Athens, GA 30606
Project Safe Thrift Store is a community thrift store in Athens, GA. In addition to offering a safe and affordable place for people to buy clothes and other items, Project Safe is also a community resource for those experiencing abuse in Athens and the surrounding areas.
The Project Safe Thrift Store is run by dedicated volunteers within the community. The proceeds from the thrift store go towards shelter services, support, and resources for victims of domestic violence. At the Project Safe Thrift Store, you’ll find a variety of books, clothing, jewelry, and home goods. They also have a selection of gently-used furniture and they accept donations from the community as well.
Emmanuel Episcopal Thrift House
540 Prince Ave, Athens, GA 30601
Emmanuel Episcopal Thrift House is a thrift store in Athens run by the Emmanuel Episcopal Church. This thrift store sells donated goods from the community to support the church’s various ministries.
At the Emmanuel Episcopal Thrift House, you’ll find clothing for the whole family, as well as a vast selection of dinnerware and home goods. They offer several deals throughout the week so check their Facebook page for more details.
Athens Habitat ReStore
ReStore East: 532 Barber St Building 2, Athens, GA 30601
ReStore West: 4125 Atlanta Hwy, Athens, GA 30606
Athens Habitat ReStore is a thrift store run by Habitat for Humanity. They have two thrift store locations in Athens: Restore East and ReStore West. The profits from these thrift stores go toward creating safe housing for families.
The vision of Habitat for Humanity is for everyone to have a decent and safe place to live. They provide services such as building new homes, rehabilitating and preserving homes, advocating for fair housing policies, and providing training to families to improve their living situations. The Athens Habitat ReStores are a one-stop shop for furniture, home decor, used appliances, and more.
©Daisy Daisy/Shutterstock.com
St. Mary’s Auxiliary Thrift Store
2165 W Broad St, Athens, GA 30606
St. Mary’s Auxiliary Thrift Store is a thrift store owned and operated by the St. Mary’s Health Care System. This thrift store specializes in used high-quality merchandise and all proceeds from the store benefits the St. Mary’s Health Care System.
The St. Mary’s Health Care System provides compassionate medical care to those in the community. They are a not-for-profit healthcare system sponsored by Catholic Health Ministries. The thrift store is completely run by volunteers and offers a clean, friendly atmosphere where community members can purchase affordable items.
Goodwill Thrift Store
4070 Lexington Rd, Athens, GA 30605
The Goodwill Thrift Store in Athens, GA is a highly-rated thrift store in the community. Goodwill is a non-profit organization and their mission is to put people to work. The Goodwill organization provides jobs and job training programs as well as job placement services for anyone who needs assistance.
The Goodwill in Athens, GA sells furniture, jewelry, clothes, toys, and home goods. They have a wide variety of both new and used merchandise. The Goodwill Store is also a donation center and you can drop off your gently-used goods before you shop as a way to give back to the community.
Freedom Boutique
160 Tracy St Suite 2C, Athens, GA 30601
The Freedom Boutique in Athens, GA provides you with a meaningful thrifting experience. When you shop at this boutique and thrift store, you support women who have survived sex trafficking, prostitution, and addiction. The Freedom House provides a safe house for women within a supportive community.
The Freedom Boutique sells upscale items to support this worthy cause. The items they sell include jewelry, clothing, accessories, as well as items and gifts made by survivors. The funds from every purchase go toward funding the Freedom House. They also bring awareness to the needs of women in the community and offer dignified employment to women in need.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©June Marie Sobrito/Shutterstock.com.