The Goodwill Store in downtown Novato is a frenzy of activity — shoppers looking for great deals, clerks stocking shelves with new-used items, and people dropping off donations at the trailer behind the shop. There are dozens of racks of clothing but also plenty of household goods, books, CDs and toys. There is another donation station behind the Vintage Oaks shopping center on Rowland Boulevard.
Hospice By The Bay Hodgepodge II is a thrift store benefiting the second oldest hospice organization in the United States, Hospice By The Bay. It provides all types of care as well as grief counseling, and Hodgepodge II is one of two thrift stores in the North Bay that help the support organization. It has two rooms with merchandise, including a lot of apparel and shoes, as well as household items like kitchen appliances, dishes and furniture. To see its selection of goods, please visit Hospice By The Bay Hodgepodge II in Old Town Novato.
The Marin Marketplace, formerly the Marin County Flea Market, is an upscale outdoor venue offering an eclectic mix of collectibles, vintage clothing, antiques and new and designer merchandise. The Marketplace welcomes local entrepreneurs, offering innovative and unique products to the discerning. At the Marketplace, the adventurous can find vintage fabrics turned into one-of-a-kind purses, antique eyeglass frames and furniture made from repurposed architectural materials, as well as the traditional: historic photographs, rare books and political and sports memorabilia. The Marin Marketplace is scheduled to open soon, so check the Web site for dates and venue location.
For more than 20 years, J. Mann & Co have championed ECO-Thrift Stores, eclectic thrift shops promoting sustainability through recycling. These high-volume thrift stores throughout California are recycling in all the right ways. Networking with a number of highly-praised charities, J. Mann & Co promotes sustainability while simultaneously providing customers with an excellent shopping experience. To shop with a purpose, look to ECO-Thrift Stores, ranging from Citrus Heights to Pomona.
Affiliated with St. Francis of Assisi Episcopal Church, Angel's Attic Thrift Shop is a quaint nook of a place full of unexpected treasures. There are books galore, including children's books. An honest to goodness thrift shop, expect to find large remnants of fabric, tea kettles, knickknacks of all sorts, Mylar book covers for $.05 and hardback novels for a $1, games and CD's. There's also surprising finds in glassware, stemware, silverware, baking dishes, serving dishes, purses and jewelry. Open 11am to 3pm, Monday through Saturday, Angel's Attic is staffed by volunteers.
Wise Buys Resale Shop opened in February 2012 on the west end of Grant Avenue in a location that formerly housed Marin Hydroponics. Wise Buys carries a variety of gently used clothing and accessories for women, men, boys, girls and babies. There is also jewelry, kitchenware, household items, furniture, knick-knacks, CDs, DVDs and books. New items arrive often and get stocked on shelves right away, so it's worth stopping in regularly for good deals.