Remember the joys of being a kid in a candy store? The endless rows of candy in every color and flavor, Jelly Bellies, fudge, and rock candy, all sold by the pound! I have found that same type of joy, but with clothes.
When Annette Hanley, Development Officer of Special Projects for Goodwill, first told me about a wondrous place where clothes came down a conveyor belt and could be purchased by the pound, I knew I would have to see it to believe it.
Tucked away between Highway 280 and University Avenue in St. Paul, lies a thrifty shopper’s dream, the Goodwill Outlet. Clothes that aren’t sold within a month at the Goodwill Headquarters down the street are sent to the outlet. Every day, 4 trucks of merchandise are unloaded and sorted for the store’s loyal customers who anxiously await the massive amounts of merchandise ready to be sent down the conveyor belts.
But Minnesota is not the only place where you can find Goodwill Outlet stores. Just go to the Goodwill store locator and it will show you the Goodwill stores and outlets closest to you. A quick google search brought up locations in Indiana and Seattle.
I went on a tour of the backroom where huge bins of merchandise were stacked to the ceiling. Because the turnover is so high, customers can peruse the never ending bins for hours and continue to find great items. Julie and the workers at the Outlet are constantly on the lookout for items they know their customers will love.
So here’s how the outlet works. All items at the outlet are sold by the pound. House wares are sold for 99 cents a pound and clothing is sold for $1.29 per pound. But, on Mondays and Thursdays, clothing goes for a sweet price of $1.00 per pound. And to make things even better, the store has a policy that any single item cannot sell for more than $5.00! (Prices may vary at other outlets locations).
I know there are skeptics out there asking, but Kristin can you really find anything good at a Goodwill Outlet? Yes, yes and YES! The first thing I pulled from one of the bins was a white New York and Co. shirt. Next, I found a pair of Michael Kors shoes. After less than 5 minutes of lightly browsing the bins, Annette and I put together a perfect outfit to wear around the office. It consisted of a gray pencil skirt from GAP, a blouse from Tommy Hilfiger, and a shirt from Banana Republic. And just how much did this ensemble cost? We brought it over to the scale where it came in at 1.3 lbs, bringing the total cost to a mere $1.30. Last I checked, you can’t even buy a king sized candy bar for $1.30
No, you won’t find jawbreakers and gummy worms at the Goodwill Outlet, but you will be able to walk away with clothing so cheap, you worry that a security guard will stop you as you are leaving just to make sure everything rang up correctly.
