The D.C. area lacks a warehouse of decades-old duds at decades-old prices, the best traditional thrift stores really require a drive, and most of our vintage stores are a very far cry from a bargain (though these are our favorites). But that doesn’t mean that a thrift enthusiast is totally out of luck. After many years of investigation, here’s where we go deal hunting—with an emphasis on deal. Tell us about any secret spots we might have missed in the comments.

Get the cart, you’re going to need it. (Courtesy of Value Village)

VALUE VILLAGE: There are five locations of this huge thrift store chain out in the nearby Maryland suburbs, one of which is located in the same building as a a Unique Thrift for double the finds. The one in Adelphi is my personal happy place: big enough to keep me contentedly digging around for a few hours and well-organized, with a decent selection of everything from knicknacks to shoes to furniture. I’ve never walked away without some kind of find—including a gumball machine, matching top/skirt set entirely in black sequins, never worn Keds, a Danish modern nightstand, and a blazer by a designer (I later learned) that retails for hundreds of dollars … all of which were under $10 a piece. If have items to donate, you can earn up to 30 percent off your entire purchase, depending on how much you bring in (if they don’t give it to you immediately after donating, be sure you ask for the coupon … it is well worth it). Really, the only downside is that you must make the pilgrimage by car. —Rachel Sadon

Find Value Village is locations here

One wealthy woman’s castaway could be your new fur coat. (Via Facebook)

ST. ALBAN’S CHURCH OPPORTUNITY SHOP: As one might expect from an op shop in upper Northwest, there are some pretty sweet things that rich people have tossed away donated to your closet’s cause. This small shop affiliated with St. Alban’s Episcopal Church can be hit or miss, but the hits are not to be missed (my favorite St. Alban’s finds include a tweed blazer with excellent elbow patches that appears to be from the 60s and a completely functional ice cream maker). There’s a small collection of men’s clothes, a slightly larger women’s section, a handful of home goods, and a decent amount of used books. The hours aren’t great (9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. and closed on Sundays), the volunteers can be capricious (others are lovely), and it isn’t exactly the most convenient location … but it is still worth any serious thrifter’s time. You never know when you’ll find your new favorite silk shirt for an eminently reasonable price. —Rachel Sadon

St. Alban’s is located at 3001 Wisconsin Avenue

This weekend, the Petworth shop is running a “Fill A Bag in Fia’s basement for $25” promotion. (Via Facebook)

FIA’S FABULOUS FINDS: To be completely honest, I often walk away from Fia’s empty handed. This small shop on Petworth’s Upshur corridor can be slightly over-priced for what they’re carrying—mid-range women’s clothing and accessories, many of which are work appropriate. But it’s a really lovely local business and I’ve certainly picked up a handful of interesting items. True bargains can sometimes be found in the dim basement, though that takes a fair amount of patience. They also do the occasional “fill a bag for $25” promotion, including one this weekend. —Rachel Sadon

Fia’s Fabulous Finds is located at 806 Upshur Street NW

Martha’s Outfitters has locations in Logan Circle and Anacostia. (Photo by IamJomo)

MARTHA’S OUTFITTERS: The selection varies at their Logan Circle and Anacostia shops. But when the committed digger does find something—they carry men’s and women’s clothing and home goods—you’ll know that your purchase is going toward a good cause. Martha’s Table runs food, clothing, education, and service learning programs for children and families.—Rachel Sadon

Martha’s Table is located at 2122 14th Street NW and 2204 Martin Luther King Jr Avenue SE

They don’t have a website or even a Yelp page and I like it that way. (Via Google Streetview)

ROSARIO’S 3 POR 10 TIENDA: Selfishly, I hesitated to include this unspoiled den of extremely affordable clothing … a true, modest thrift store in a city sorely lacking in them. Swimming in student debt, I outfitted myself for my first professional job almost entirely in pencil skirts and blazers that I plucked from the racks of this small store in northern Columbia Heights. Most of the items are literally 3 for $10 (some things, like jackets or brand name clothing, are marked up). And over the years, a substantial part of my wardrobe has continued to come from them. But 3 Por 10 is the kind of place that only thrifters who really enjoy the hunt can appreciate, as you’ll have to scrounge to pick out the gems (the best thing I ever found was a mint condition Diane von Furstenberg dress for the magical price of $3.33). The best part, though, is Rosario herself. The owner re-named the shop about a year ago (when they remodeled) for his longtime employee, a cheerful woman who has never once laughed at my mediocre Spanish and always asks after an old roommate who frequented her shop.—Rachel Sadon

Rosario’s 3 Por 10 Tienda is located at 3616 14th Street NW

Mt. Pleasant’s Frugalista is well-organized and they sometimes run special offers that make it especially worthwhile to visit. (Via Facebook)

FRUGALISTA: This Mount Pleasant shop, which carries both men’s and women’s clothing, is well-organized by brand and type of clothing. For the convenience, though, I usually find the prices just a couple dollars higher than ideal (it used to be more like it’s sister shop, 3 Por 10, but they got fancier a few years ago). Still, located just a few blocks from the Columbia Heights Metro station, it gets location points and they sometimes run sales that make it extra worthwhile.—Rachel Sadon

Frugalista is located at 3069 Mt Pleasant Street NW

This building is brimming with architectural treasures. (Photo by dullshick)

COMMUNITY FORKLIFT: I always enjoy taking crafty friends to this giant warehouse out in Edmonston for the first time. The look on their faces when they realize the possibilities for DIY and home improvement projects is well worth the small drive. Their shtick is salvaging building materials (think antique doors, carpet samples, slabs of granite, retro bathroom fixtures, lumber, etc) and selling them on the cheap rather than letting them go to the dump. They also carry furniture, which is often reasonably priced, and antiques, which won’t come at any bargains. —Rachel Sadon

Community Forklift is located at 4671 Tanglewood Drive in Hyattsville, Md

If you don’t have a car, you’ll have to bus on up to Georgia and Quakenbos. (Via Google Streetview)

GEORGIA AVENUE THRIFT STORE: Located at the amusingly named Quackenbos Street, the Georgia Avenue Thrift Store is fairly big, but it requires some patience to find the good stuff. I often visit for Halloween costume ideas, but they also have a really big clothing selection for men and women—I’ve found some awesome 80s sweatshirts, vintage tees, cool jackets, and sports jerseys for players you’ve forgotten about. They also have tons of accessories and a kitchen area, plus electronics and lots of CDs if you like having music in your hand. The items are mostly inexpensive (sometimes very) and the proceeds go to AMVETS, a veterans charity. They also will accept almost any items you bring to donate too, which you can deduct from your taxes. The only drawback is it’s not near the Metro, so you’ll need to drive or take the bus. — Andrew Wiseman

Georgia Avenue Thrift is located at 6101 Georgia Avenue NW

The Logan Circle location is on the smaller side, but it is well stocked (Courtesy of Buffalo Exchange)

BUFFALO EXCHANGE: I have some friends who say they never have any luck at this resale chain, but my experience has always been the opposite at both the Logan Circle and Georgetown locations. The buyers have a good eye for what will sell (though that often results in grumpy buyers who are bummed they didn’t take their items) and the turnaround is really quick. Though the focus is on on-trend shoes and clothes, I am most consistently delighted with the handful of vintage finds they have at any given time. They are significantly less expensive than at dedicated vintage stores, to the point that I’ve bought multiple things that didn’t quite fit, had them altered, and still considered it a deal. —Rachel Sadon

Buffalo exchange is located at 1318 14th Street NW and 3279 M Street NW

The Crossroads at 14th and U Streets is a pretty large, open space as city consignment stores go. (Courtesy of Crossroads Trading Co.)

CROSSROADS TRADING CO: This resale shop near the always bustling intersection of 14th and U Streets is usually my second stop after Buffalo Exchange. The selection isn’t as good, but it still beats full-priced retail. If you’re consigning clothes, they are a little less picky than Buffalo and you can also choose to drop a bag off instead of waiting in line. —Rachel Sadon

Crossroads is located at 2015 14th Street NW

It is hard to miss this store on upper Wisconsin Avenue. (Courtesy of Reddz Trading)

REDDZ TRADING: And your third chain reseller option is this cherry red shop in Georgetown; they also have a less loud location in Bethesda. It will definitely be cheaper than shopping at most other stores in those neighborhoods, though perhaps not as much as you’d wish. Several people have reported less than pleasant consigning experiences, though. —Rachel Sadon

Reddz Trading is located at 1413 Wisconsin Avenue NW

This local shop has been hawking new, used, and vintage wears for more than 20 years in Bethesda. (Via Facebook)

MUSTARD SEED: The selection isn’t as large as its chain competitors, but this independent consignment shop in Bethesda often makes up for it in charm and generally decent pricing. They carry new clothes along with a selection of used and vintage items. To consign with them, you must make an appointment online. —Rachel Sadon

Mustard Seed is located at 7349 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda

There is only one location of this thrift store standby in D.C., and it is in Fort Lincoln. (Courtesy of Goodwill)

GOODWILL: I picked up a cheap Natty Boh t-shirt here once, but I don’t come here for the clothes, and not necessarily for the records, either. While this outpost hasn’t yet reached the absurd store vinyl markups as other area thrifts (some of which want $10 for that commonplace America album), I’ve found this shop’s strength to be the best media value of the mp3 era: CDs. Washington’s musical taste makers have been unloading their discs and giving frugal consumers who still believe in buying music the chance to buy it cheaply. On one haul at this shop I was amazed to find CDs by Brazilian psych legends Os Mutantes, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog and Houston outsider artist Jandek (and those aren’t on Spotify). — Pat Padua

The Goodwill Retail Store and Donation Center is located at 2200 South Dakota Ave NE

Current’s 14th Street shop is a lot bigger than it looks from the outside. (Courtesy of Current Boutique)

CURRENT BOUTIQUE: While Current also offers some new items, I head to the back of the store for the pre-worn digs. Since it’s a higher-end consignment shop, it’s the type of place to visit when you can spend a little more cash than your typical thrift store. Over the past year or so, I’ve stocked my closet with quite a few items from the 14th Street location (they also have shops in Alexandria, Arlington, and Bethesda) —a wool winter coat, two leather bomber jackets, some leather ankle boots, denim pants, and a black lace dress, to name a few. I’ve found that I’m most successful in my search for threads when I leave my options open—so instead of going to find something for say, a specific event, I’ll get must-haves for the season. —Christina Sturdivant

Current Boutique’s four locations can be found here

The furniture spills out onto the sidewalk at Mom N’ Pops … a sure sign of a funky furniture shop. (Via Google Streetview)

MOM N’ POP ANTIQUES: Mom N’ Pop Antiques is more of a funky vintage shop than a fancy place your mom would go. Their hours vary but it’s full of interesting stuff from old record players and funky art to furniture and tchotchkes. It’s also right on the budding Georgia Avenue bar strip, so it can be a fun visit before or after a few weekend daytime drinks. Odds are you’ll find something reasonably priced too. —Andrew Wiseman, from a previous list

Mom N’ Pop Antiques is located at 3534 Georgia Avenue NW.

Bentley’s has been selling furniture and collectibles from this stuffed-full shop since 2008. (Courtesy of Bentley’s)

BENTLEY’S VINTAGE: Packed to the brim with items, Bentley’s Vintage is a little more upscale than Mom & Pop, but it’s a lot of fun to visit even if you aren’t buying. Everywhere you’ll look you’ll find something interesting. There’s also a fair amount of art from local artists. —Andrew Wiseman, from a previous list

Bentley’s is located at 810 Upshur Street NW