Like many eBay sellers, I’ll sell whatever I think will bring in a few bucks: books, magazines, knick-knacks, toys, games, dinnerware, cookware, etc., etc. But it wasn’t until I started reselling clothes that my sales – and profits – took off (thank you, My Dear Trash).
Reselling clothes, however, would not work out for me if I didn’t have the right source at the right price for my inventory. Wouldn’t it be great to have a one-stop source where you can pick up most of your inventory for the week? Well, I have found just that place! It’s the Salvation Army Thrift Store in Perris, CA.
Believe it or not, there is a thrift store behind all those trees! You can see from these pictures that this store is not located in a busy shopping strip but is actually located next to the railroad tracks in nowhere-land. It’s about a 40-45 minute drive, through the back roads to get there (or take the freeway for a longer drive).
Daily Auctions 7:00 AM
This is actually a Salvation Army complex that includes not only a rehabilitation center and warehouse but also vehicle and merchandise auctions. Donated vehicles are auctioned off at this location. I also see folks loading BINS & BINS of stuff onto their trucks. So I suspect this location receives overstock from the area stores; and what doesn’t sell in the store gets auctioned off here. Something I REALLY need to look into!
Of course, they also have the “family store” – and it’s huge! The picture above shows just a small section of the store.
An entire wall of dresses for $2 each! There are also racks and racks of women’s pants/slacks/jeans, blouses, sweaters, skirts and jackets, etc. Oh, and more racks of men’s shirts, slacks/jeans, sweaters, etc., although not as many as the women’s section. There’s also a wall of shoes; and the other half of the store includes sections for dishes, knick-knacks, furniture, lamps, etc.
Every Monday is “Rag Day”, although what’s on sale varies. ALL dresses and blouses are always on sale for $2. Two-piece outfits are $5. Usually sweaters and skirts are on sale for $2, but not always. Slacks/pants are always on sale, usually for $1 each; but sometimes 2 for $1. Men’s shirts and slacks are usually $2. A couple times they had $2-Days where ALL clothing was $2; and a few times they had all jackets/coats for $3!
Since all the clothes are on sale, there’s a greater selection. I can easily spend 4-5 hours in the store. Sometimes I get tired before I get to all the racks. I usually walk out with 30-60 items a week, depending on the selection. And I’m not the only one: I see many of the same faces every Monday, and most of them are filling cartloads with clothes to resell.
On this same day, they also have their books on sale: 10 for $1. So, you also have booksellers with cartloads of books. I don’t usually get to the books because I run out of time and energy, but on occasion I have bought a few books. At 10-cents a book, you just can’t go wrong!
They also have everything at 40% off on Tuesdays; and on Thursdays, children’s clothes are 50% off. Plus they have 50% off everything on the 1st and 3rd Friday/Saturday of the month.
So there you have it – my “secret” source for clothing. With one-stop, one-day convenience, this has become my main source for clothes. Of course, garage/yard sales are always the best way to pick up inventory at great prices!
Believe in yourself and prosper!
Happy saling and selling!
