Suburban secondhand stores grow with the thrill of the hunt

Sara Jackson often likes to spend her lunch break unleashing her inner predator.

But the prey sought by the Schaumburg woman has nothing to do with wildlife or the jungle.

It's snagging an unexpected find at a bargain price - primarily at the Goodwill in Arlington Heights.

“It becomes an adrenaline thing. 'Oh, look what I found.' Then you have to tell someone about it,” Jackson said one recent afternoon. “It is the hunt. You just have to look.”

Across the suburbs, secondhand and resale stores are blossoming. Reasons include an uncertain economy, people becoming more environmentally conscious, and for many, just the thrill of finding an unexpected deal.

“I always have a good time when I come here,” said Ruth Vantil of Arlington Heights. “Sometimes I don't even buy anything, but mostly I do.”

Nancy Moloney, manager of the store, puts it this way: “It's just that excitement of coming in and not knowing what you're going to find.”

Hunting 'treasure'

The growth of Goodwill locations in the metropolitan area has helped dispel the stereotype of the dirty, dingy secondhand shop.

Goodwill had eight area locations in 2006. Five years later, the number grew to 23, and by the end of this year, the Maryland-based company will have 41 area locations, said company spokeswoman Cheryl Lightholder.

The industry's mission to provide training, employment and support services for people is one reason people donate items to Goodwill in exchange for a tax deduction. Clean locations, competitive pricing and good value keep shoppers coming back, she said.

“Goodwill is one of the best treasure hunts around,” Lightholder said. “You never know what you are going to find. We have great donations coming in daily. Inventory is always changing.”

Other players in the suburban resale arena include New Uses, the Salvation Army and smaller consignment and thrift shops, many of which benefit a certain charity or cause.

One example is the Wise Penny in Wheaton, the proceeds of which help the Auxiliary of Northwestern Medicine at Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield and Delnor Hospital in Geneva. The money is used for scholarships, home care physicians and assisting the Living Well Cancer Center in Geneva.

“Resale shopping offers the thrill of the hunt,” said Meagan Esler, manager at Wise Penny. “Many people come in looking for treasures. You never know what might come in from an attic full of boxes. It's always fascinating to me to look through the newspaper used to wrap the treasures to find the year the item was wrapped.”

More for less

Jackson, the Schaumburg woman who frequents the Arlington Heights Goodwill, said a new pair of jeans can cost $70. That same $70 at a thrift store can buy up to 10 pairs of jeans - you just have to be thorough, diligent and patient, she said.

“You can find really good bargains,” she said. “With the cost of everything now, it's better to pay less than your usual retail. Today, the prices are so high.”

Lightholder and others also agreed the Great Recession and uncertain economy helped drive suburbanites to resale locations. The promise of more for less rings loud for people on fixed incomes or back-to-school shopping on a budget.

Rich Carlson of Arlington Heights said advances in technology also have spawned more bargains. With people shifting to tablets and other devices for e-books and online music, more and more books, CDs and records are showing up at thrift stores.

“This is much better than a garage sale,” Carlson said after buying two books for $4 at Goodwill. “You want to get lucky.”

But can resale shops be hurtful to a local economy, by lowering sales taxes collected by a city?

A city would collect more sales tax from a T-shirt purchased for $20 than one sold at a resale shop for $3.99. But on the flip side, that $16 the customer saved could later be spent at a local restaurant.

“It's hard to say if (growth in resale shops) is good or bad because they're serving two different clienteles,” said Rob Carr, president of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association.

Resale, he noted, “comes with downsides. You might not have as much selection.” And some shoppers simply seek the latest fashions. Also, retail stores have better return policies. Many resale shops don't accept returns or offer only store credit.

Environmental upside

The three R mantra - “Reduce Reuse Recycle” - also dovetails with the resale market.

Kay McKeen, executive director of Glen Ellyn-based SCARCE, School and Community Assistance for Recycling and Composting Education, cites the global benefit of buying a used, or secondhand, product. Also, an uptick in do-it-yourself projects adds to resale demand.

“Young people are shopping at thrift stores more than ever,” said McKeen, adding that resale is ideal for people furnishing a first apartment. “You're going to pay $5.99 versus $50. You're saving a (natural) resource, you're saving pollution, you're saving money. Resale shops have a variety of benefits, and it's not just the environment.”

Fliers at the checkout lanes at the Batavia Goodwill location boast how much the company saves from landfills each year.

Still, Sharon Hartwick, owner of “The Salvaged Heart” in Batavia, acknowledges the resale market is getting “a little saturated.”

“People are all looking for a bargain. And better prices,” Hartwick said. “Things are getting recycled instead of dumped. It's better for the environment. At my shop, we get a lot of college students that love vintage.”

Hartwick also works part time at “What's Your Consignment?” in Geneva, a location for higher-end items that people want to sell instead of donating or leaving to an estate sale. Hartwick said the store has reached nearly 1,200 consignors during its three years in business. The store owners stage couches, tables and pictures, not unlike what you'd see in a retail furniture store.

“The perception (of secondhand) has changed,” Hartwick said. “Before, you would only go if you couldn't afford retail. But now if you find something, you brag about it. Now, it's more like, 'What kind of bargain did you score?' because you're a good shopper.

“You really have to look and go often and be there at the right time,” she said. “Everyone wants a bargain today. That's what it's all about.”