One of the most fun ways to create your next afternoon tea ensemble is to go on the hunt in thrift and consignment stores. Close to Destination Tea’s home in Dunwoody, Georgia, these five thrift shops are all on the Northeast side of Atlanta: in Chamblee, Dunwoody, Sandy Springs and Peachtree Corners. If you are in the area, we highly recommend these treasure troves of very affordable and fabulous tea fashion, including tea dresses, shoes, tea hats, bags and bling. Thrifters know finding that amazing, perhaps vintage piece for a great deal is the best feeling. As an added bonus, many of these stores also apply your purchases towards funding their charitable programs.
1. Attic Treasures Thrift Shop, Chamblee
Now with a newly expanded jewelry collection housed in the back upper part of the building, Attic Treasures is a nonprofit thrift store owned and operated by Assistance League of Atlanta since the ’90s. Staffed entirely by volunteers, this shop neatly displays top brands and gently used or new items to raise funds for their programs, which help meet the needs of “low-income children lacking proper school clothing; displaced families living in shelters, cars and motels; indigent new mothers; children traumatized by crisis situations; patients recovering from devastating injuries; and promising students who lack the resources to pursue higher education.”
2. Giving Tree Thrift Store, Chamblee
We appreciate how fashionable the items are at the Giving Tree Thrift Store, selling for unbelievable prices. They regularly have color-coded “75% off” sales, and “99 cents” items! Do not miss the jewelry selection at the checkout counter, where vintage costume jewelry and statement pieces are plentiful. The store’s mission is to help adults and children with special needs, “empowering them through lots of love and purpose.” Amongst its programs, the Giving Tree hires adults with special needs to work at the store, and also provides them with pre-paid vouchers for shopping there.
3. Consigning Women, Dunwoody
One might expect — at a consignment (not thrift) store perched at the border of Dunwoody and Sandy Springs — that the merchandise is a bit pricey, but that’s the happy surprise of Consigning Women. Most clothing ranges from $15 to $40, many items marked down according to the consignment model (25% markdown its second month in the store). We even snagged some items at 50% off. Come here to shop “upscale resale”: designer brands for very affordable prices, as well as oodles of new jewelry (necklaces in the $20/$30 range), organized by color. Also, consigned items only stay in the shop for two months, meaning this stock is constantly refreshed and changing.
4. The Drake Closet, Sandy Springs
The Sandy Springs Drake Closet is actually the third boutique to open (sister stores are in Roswell and Alpharetta). When you shop these name-brand new and gently used ladies clothing and accessories, you are helping raise funds for The Drake House, whose mission is to provide supportive housing and enrichment programs for homeless mothers and their children in north metro Atlanta. The Roswell facility includes The Drake House (a 16-unit apartment complex), The Drake Center (food pantry, laundry facilities, classrooms, computer lab and library) and Drake Village (units for 16 additional families). The mothers living in The Drake House facilities also use Drake Closet clothing donations for interviews and employment opportunities. Shopping for this great cause is made simple at The Drake Closet, where all items (save the “Boutique” high-end items) are sold at flat rates by clothing type, like $5 for all donated jewelry (they also have new) and $12 for blazers or $8 for shirts. The hunt is made easy here, as merchandise is neatly displayed and organized. We also noted that their selection of clothing, priced from $8 to $30, is in excellent condition.
5. Goodwill of North Georgia, Peachtree Corners Thrift Store
Not all Goodwill stores are created equal, and having visited several, this is one we recommend. What all Goodwill stores have in common is prices that put a smile on your face, though Goodwill shoppers know you have to be sharp-eyed to avoid defective items. At the Peachtree Corners Goodwill, a large inventory of clothing includes gently used brand names hidden in the racks. Every 3 weeks, merchandise on the entire floor is refreshed, and if you need to make room in your closet, you can also bring donations to this location before you shop. Happy hunting!
