(Lisa Boone / Los Angeles Times)
Chairs for $30 and sofas for $80? We hit 11 L.A. thrift stores looking for deals
• You can inexpensively furnish your house by shopping at thrift stores. I checked out 15 thrift stores in Los Angeles, but only 11 made the cut.
• Thrift stores tend to get new donations every day. By going on the hunt, you might be able to score deals on furniture and get name-brand pieces for a lot less.
• Thrift stores tend to get new donations every day. By going on the hunt, you might be able to score deals on furniture and get name-brand pieces for a lot less.
Shopping for previously owned furnishings and accessories at Los Angeles thrift stores can feel like a never-ending hunt. But, as with thrifting for clothing, that’s part of the fun.
It’s true, you may not find anything suitable — but you might find a $200 Nespresso machine on sale for $19 (at the Goodwill in Encino, if you’re wondering). Furniture thrifting requires stamina, as many stores precariously stack tables upon desks upon dressers. A visit that results in nothing can be a disappointment, but hope springs eternal. With new items being donated to stores daily, if you don’t see something you like today, there’s always the chance that you will find what you are looking for tomorrow.
After we published a recent roundup of some of the best places to shop for second-hand furnishings in L.A., several readers complained about the high prices at some of the stores. We agree: It can be depressing shopping for second-hand furniture when prices are 10 times your rent. But Angelenos have many options: vintage and consignment stores, antique shops, estate sales and flea markets. Though it’s true you will find $24,000 Eames lounge chairs and $3,000 dining chairs at vintage stores, which often stock Midcentury Modern furnishings, it’s possible to score name-brand furnishings for a lot less at thrift stores.
Looking for an Eames lounge chair or a Danish modern credenza? Here’s a list of the 18 best places to shop for Midcentury Modern furniture in L.A.
In this roundup, we highlight affordable options from local thrift stores. (I checked out 15 L.A. thrift stores, but based on the individual store’s condition and merchandise quality, only 11 stores made the cut.) Also, keep in mind that many of these stores are nonprofits, which means your money will go toward helping others in addition to keeping materials out of landfills.
Los Angeles is a big city. If you have a favorite thrift store you’d be willing to share, let me know at lisa.boone@latimes.com. I may check it out and add it to our list.
Showing Places
(Lisa Boone / Los Angeles Times)
American Cancer Society Discovery Shop, Toluca Lake
Toluca Lake Thrift store
The American Cancer Society requests donations to its Discovery Shops to be “in good condition and ready for a loving home,” which is apparent when you walk into the Toluca Lake outpost. The sofas and chairs on a recent visit were of good quality, and that’s saying something at a thrift store, where items are often worn and stained. Some, such as a traditional three-seater sofa covered in 1970s-era brocade fabric, were priced at $285. Another, a mid-century-style couch and ottoman in a spotless turquoise tweed fabric, was priced at $195.
Located across the street from Trader Joe’s in a busy shopping district on Riverside Drive, the small shop is crammed with merchandise — lounge chairs are pushed up against pianos, coffee tables and end tables — forcing you to dig a bit to get a decent look at the furnishings. Other highlights included a French antique chair upholstered in contemporary cream suede ($65), a country-style dining room set, an elegant marble bar cart, walnut secretaries and a 20-piece set of Empress china dishware priced at $40.
All donations are tax-deductible and proceeds support the American Cancer Society. You must pick up items within four days of purchase. The Discovery Shop is not responsible for loading furniture.
Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.
Located across the street from Trader Joe’s in a busy shopping district on Riverside Drive, the small shop is crammed with merchandise — lounge chairs are pushed up against pianos, coffee tables and end tables — forcing you to dig a bit to get a decent look at the furnishings. Other highlights included a French antique chair upholstered in contemporary cream suede ($65), a country-style dining room set, an elegant marble bar cart, walnut secretaries and a 20-piece set of Empress china dishware priced at $40.
All donations are tax-deductible and proceeds support the American Cancer Society. You must pick up items within four days of purchase. The Discovery Shop is not responsible for loading furniture.
Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.
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(Lisa Boone / Los Angeles Times)
Deseret Industries Thrift Store and Donation Center
Boyle Heights Thrift store
The nonprofit Deseret Industries thrift store in Boyle Heights, owned and operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is easy to navigate thanks to its spacious two floors and carefully organized and identified inventory. Clothing is on the second floor as you enter, with electronics, accessories and housewares downstairs on the first floor. On the day I visited, the store had various low-cost furnishings, including upholstered armchairs for $30, end tables, desks and shelving, and a pair of foosball tables for $60 apiece. Like so many thrift stores, there was a terrific selection of frames, and there was even an organ on sale for $45. In addition to used furnishings, Deseret Industries also manufactures new furniture and mattresses, spanning $79 to $719, some of which are available at the store.
Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Wednesday through Saturday.
Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Wednesday through Saturday.
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(Lisa Boone / Los Angeles Times)
Habitat for Humanity, Pasadena ReStore
Pasadena Thrift store
The San Gabriel Valley nonprofit home improvement store and donation center offers new and gently used furniture, appliances and building materials, with proceeds benefiting families in need of affordable housing.
Shoppers can peruse two floors filled with an assortment of sofas, coffee tables, chairs, armoires and building materials such as doors and windows. (There is clothing too.) On the second floor, I spotted a white linen sofa ($275) and a blue midcentury-style tufted sofa ($225) in excellent condition. If you’re looking for office equipment, there is a room with a wide selection of desks (my favorite, a sleek white midcentury-style desk, was $75). Elsewhere, Frigidaire refrigerators were $400, handsome media centers with a few scratches were priced at $45 and bookshelves were $70. There was also an excellent selection of bed frames and stylish side chairs for $45. The store lists some of its inventory online, so you can shop from home.
ReStore offers local pickup only, but, like many thrift stores, it provides third-party referrals for delivery. The store also hosts a “Free Furniture Saturday” on the last Saturday of the month, allowing customers to take home two pieces from among select items. Items must be picked up and transported that day by customers.
Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Shoppers can peruse two floors filled with an assortment of sofas, coffee tables, chairs, armoires and building materials such as doors and windows. (There is clothing too.) On the second floor, I spotted a white linen sofa ($275) and a blue midcentury-style tufted sofa ($225) in excellent condition. If you’re looking for office equipment, there is a room with a wide selection of desks (my favorite, a sleek white midcentury-style desk, was $75). Elsewhere, Frigidaire refrigerators were $400, handsome media centers with a few scratches were priced at $45 and bookshelves were $70. There was also an excellent selection of bed frames and stylish side chairs for $45. The store lists some of its inventory online, so you can shop from home.
ReStore offers local pickup only, but, like many thrift stores, it provides third-party referrals for delivery. The store also hosts a “Free Furniture Saturday” on the last Saturday of the month, allowing customers to take home two pieces from among select items. Items must be picked up and transported that day by customers.
Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
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(Lisa Boone / Los Angeles Times)
Huntington Collection
Pasadena Thrift store
The Huntington Collection resale shop, which benefits Huntington Health’s Senior Care Network, straddles the line between a high-end antique store with its accompanying prices and an affordably priced thrift store.
You may find a pair of comfortable Sherrill Furniture down swivel chairs in a red and gold brocade fabric on sale for $150 apiece, for example, or an antique oak 19th-century dining table with eight chairs and six leaves for $1,650. (A mahogany dining room table with three leaves and six chairs was priced at $595.)
The store also stocks dressers, sofas, armchairs and accessories, including a contemporary Artemide Tolomeo floor lamp, which usually sells for more than $1,000 and was on sale for $450. A lovely Turkish wool rug from ABC Carpet & Home was priced at $799.99.
This store is a fun place to shop for affordable housewares, including glasses, barware and complete china sets from brands such as Lenox, Longchamp, Spode, Haviland and Dansk. There are also printouts attached to many of the products explaining their history and pricing, which is helpful for comparison shoppers.
Buyers must pick up items within two business days or the items will be subject to a $10-a-day storage fee. After two weeks, the items will be sold. The store does not offer delivery service but recommends a second party that it works with regularly.
Open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
You may find a pair of comfortable Sherrill Furniture down swivel chairs in a red and gold brocade fabric on sale for $150 apiece, for example, or an antique oak 19th-century dining table with eight chairs and six leaves for $1,650. (A mahogany dining room table with three leaves and six chairs was priced at $595.)
The store also stocks dressers, sofas, armchairs and accessories, including a contemporary Artemide Tolomeo floor lamp, which usually sells for more than $1,000 and was on sale for $450. A lovely Turkish wool rug from ABC Carpet & Home was priced at $799.99.
This store is a fun place to shop for affordable housewares, including glasses, barware and complete china sets from brands such as Lenox, Longchamp, Spode, Haviland and Dansk. There are also printouts attached to many of the products explaining their history and pricing, which is helpful for comparison shoppers.
Buyers must pick up items within two business days or the items will be subject to a $10-a-day storage fee. After two weeks, the items will be sold. The store does not offer delivery service but recommends a second party that it works with regularly.
Open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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(Lisa Boone / Los Angeles Times)
Out of the Closet Super Store
Glassell Park Thrift store
The Glassell Park Out of the Closet location is billed as a superstore, and that’s not surprising, given it offers a wide assortment of high-quality furnishings and home decor.
On a recent visit to the thrift store, which benefits AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s HIV services, I found a pristine Midcentury Modern-style sofa in ivory linen for $175 and several other sofas and chairs priced between $80 and $200.
There was a good selection of frames, and some unique display shelves and bookshelves, including a restaurant-style baker’s rack for $45. The store is organized well, which makes it easy to shop for housewares, including lamps, glasses and assorted china. This location is an excellent place to stock up if you need wine glasses or want to furnish your kitchen.
Open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
On a recent visit to the thrift store, which benefits AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s HIV services, I found a pristine Midcentury Modern-style sofa in ivory linen for $175 and several other sofas and chairs priced between $80 and $200.
There was a good selection of frames, and some unique display shelves and bookshelves, including a restaurant-style baker’s rack for $45. The store is organized well, which makes it easy to shop for housewares, including lamps, glasses and assorted china. This location is an excellent place to stock up if you need wine glasses or want to furnish your kitchen.
Open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
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(Lisa Boone / Los Angeles Times)
Pepe's Thrift Shop
Del Rey Thrift store
This longtime family-run thrift store, which opened 30 years ago, is an excellent place to find Midcentury-Modern furnishings such as nightstands, dressers and credenzas. On a recent visit, I spotted an Eames-style storage unit with a fun yellow pegboard and Formica top for $250, white tulip chairs for $95 apiece and custom shelves in walnut for $250. There was also a leather saddle for $250 if you are looking for western decor. There weren’t a lot of soft goods, but some leather chairs were in good condition, and an overstuffed chair in an Ikat print was an unexpected find amid all the midcentury dressers. Colorful Acapulco chairs also were unexpected, while modern Lucite chairs and antique oversize mirrors offered bold accent options.
Like other L.A. thrift stores, Pepe’s has an impressive selection of frames, in addition to lighting and chandeliers. All furnishings are marked with blue tape that includes dimensions and price. Midcentury-inspired custom furnishings also are available.
Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.
Like other L.A. thrift stores, Pepe’s has an impressive selection of frames, in addition to lighting and chandeliers. All furnishings are marked with blue tape that includes dimensions and price. Midcentury-inspired custom furnishings also are available.
Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday.
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(Lisa Boone / Los Angeles Times)
Revival Vintage Furniture
Cypress Park Vintage Store
The first thing you notice when you walk into Revival Vintage Furniture is the array of graphic textiles and rugs lining the walls, ranging from colorful kilims to handmade rugs from India and Guatemala. The small shop offers an excellent selection of well-priced vintage furnishings, such as an Ekornes chair for $100 and some stunning lighting for under $100. A few of my favorites included a midcentury side table for $80, a Formica and wood coffee table for $95, a multicolored standing lamp for $80 and a new 8-by-10-foot Lulu and Georgia wool rug for $295. There was also some unique costume jewelry for less than $10. The shop is cash only.
Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
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(Lisa Boone / Los Angeles Times)
Son of a Vet Thrift Shop
El Sereno Thrift store
I first stumbled upon Son of a Vet on Instagram, where it lists much of its inventory online. The El Sereno store is filled with estate sale finds spanning pianos to Playboys, and includes a fair amount of quality furnishings. Heavy rustic chairs from Mexico were priced at $15 apiece and a spotless sofa in gray linen was only $49.99. Some favorites from my recent visit include an adorable vanity painted a vibrant shade of pink ($150), a gorgeous maple headboard ($199.99) and a farmhouse-style coffee table in white ($24.99).
There was a wide selection of artwork and frames, including a stunning black-and-white photograph for $14.99. I purchased a brand-new 18x24 frame still wrapped in plastic from Aaron Brothers for $11.99. If I needed kitchen supplies, I’d head here, as the shelves are stocked with everything you might need — from toaster ovens to crockpots and china to wine glasses ($1.99).
The store does not handle delivery but has affordable third-party referrals.
Open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
There was a wide selection of artwork and frames, including a stunning black-and-white photograph for $14.99. I purchased a brand-new 18x24 frame still wrapped in plastic from Aaron Brothers for $11.99. If I needed kitchen supplies, I’d head here, as the shelves are stocked with everything you might need — from toaster ovens to crockpots and china to wine glasses ($1.99).
The store does not handle delivery but has affordable third-party referrals.
Open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
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(Lisa Boone / Los Angeles Times)
The Salvation Army Boutique Store, Santa Monica
Santa Monica Thrift store
The Salvation Army’s Santa Monica Boutique offers more upscale shopping choices than the Santa Monica Thrift Store next door, and that’s reflected in its prices. A shabby chic-style sofa in good shape, for instance, was priced at $549.99 and a pair of gray sofas, also in excellent condition, were priced at $342.99 and $279.99. A wood armoire was listed at $149.99. The store also stocks dressers, coffee tables, a nice selection of frames and modern lamps for under $30. And if you don’t find anything at the boutique, you can walk next door and peruse the thrift store, which also stocks furnishings for much less.
Open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
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(Lisa Boone / Los Angeles Times)
St. Vincent de Paul of Los Angeles
Lincoln Heights Thrift store
Be prepared to spend some time inside this 54,000-square foot thrift store, where you will encounter endless rows of sofas, chairs and other household goods. The furniture at St. Vincent de Paul, which helps the Catholic volunteer organization serve the needy, is organized by genre, which is helpful if you are looking for something in particular. Seeking bedside tables? They are grouped in one room. Need a mattress? There is an entire room devoted to them. Chairs — barstools, dining, side and office chairs — inhabit yet another room in the massive building. (I found a terrific midcentury side chair needing upholstery for $25.) There are also appliances, housewares, clothing and electrical goods.
Sofas were available in every style, from modern leather to Victorian-style seating in flowery fabrics. A three-seater in good condition was $99. Similar lounge chairs were priced between $79 and $99. But not everything is cheap. A pristine leather club chair was on sale for $299 and a minimalist three-seater sofa in cream-colored linen was $349. A chest of drawers that looked brand-new was $399. A red leather sectional was $800. My favorite item, a custom-built dining room table with hairpin legs, was $249.
One of the sales staff told me there was even more furniture than what was on the showroom floor.
Unfortunately, furniture dimensions are not listed with items, so bring a tape measure. Once you remove the receipt from an item, you have 15 minutes to purchase it. Otherwise, the item will be retagged and resold. All sales are final and sold as-is. Ample parking on site.
Open 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Also in Long Beach at 2750 E. Pacific Coast Hwy., (562) 494-9955.
Sofas were available in every style, from modern leather to Victorian-style seating in flowery fabrics. A three-seater in good condition was $99. Similar lounge chairs were priced between $79 and $99. But not everything is cheap. A pristine leather club chair was on sale for $299 and a minimalist three-seater sofa in cream-colored linen was $349. A chest of drawers that looked brand-new was $399. A red leather sectional was $800. My favorite item, a custom-built dining room table with hairpin legs, was $249.
One of the sales staff told me there was even more furniture than what was on the showroom floor.
Unfortunately, furniture dimensions are not listed with items, so bring a tape measure. Once you remove the receipt from an item, you have 15 minutes to purchase it. Otherwise, the item will be retagged and resold. All sales are final and sold as-is. Ample parking on site.
Open 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Also in Long Beach at 2750 E. Pacific Coast Hwy., (562) 494-9955.
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(Lisa Boone / Los Angeles Times)
Studio Hope Boutique
Burbank Thrift store
Lori Hartwell, who was diagnosed with kidney failure as a child and founded the Renal Support Network, recently opened Studio Hope Boutique in Burbank. The store, located in the former Sheridan Gardens Nursery, benefits kidney patients and Paws Fur Hope Pet Rescue. Studio Hope has a nice mix of furniture, including vintage nesting tables ($80), antique dressers and lamps and more contemporary pieces from brands such as West Elm. The store also stocks soft goods like pillows and accessories and jewelry. And there’s clothing too — I purchased a new Brooks Brothers dress shirt with tags for $20 — including some fun formal wear. Don’t miss the adorable pet portraits that line the walls.
Open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
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