The Wildlife Thrift Store

This is my favourite thrift shop! Neat, organised and stocked with a good variety of items, Wildlife is certainly a great place for thrifting. Take your time and enjoy the cool background music instead of rushing through all the clothing because you might miss out some great pieces. I really like that the clothing are organised according to sizes which makes shopping a little more pleasant and less chaotic. There are also furniture, accessories and appliances sold at the thrift shop so if you’re looking for cool knick knacks to decorate your new place, this is where you should be at!

This is by far my favourite thrift store. Its got a grandmas house kind of feel and I always feel like I’m treasure hunting. I often make an afternoon out of it by going for a long walk and then on my way home spending a good hour rummaging. I have found Frye boots, numerous articles of clothing, picture frames, cookware and purses here. The prices aren’t super cheap for a thrift store (similar to that of value village), but one thing I love about spending my money here is that they donate the money to local smaller organizations like the womens rape relief shelter and coast mental health resources.

I went a lot more when I worked on Burrard. Their prices are mid to high for a thrift store. They still have that rummage sales feel to them and you wont find something every time but like any thrift store the key to success is consistency And that’s where their problem lies. They are right downtown, parking is brutal! If you find something large or you have one of those, the planets are aligned days, where everywhere you look is something you need or could use you better not be on the bus! So its probably better suited for those living within walking distance who’s financial situation isn’t dependent on shopping at a thrift store. You know, what thrift stores were designed for!

This store was located in front of our hotel. Great little store! Bought a few books to take home and 2 Lululemon jackets for cheap. Friendly staff, you’ll find steals and deals left and right! :)

I’ve donated many times and bought a few things, but can’t find any information on where the proceeds from this charity go — anyone able to direct me to that info?

This thrift was bit tired & overpriced for not hip enough clothes. I am spoiled in Seattle with huge hip selection of clothes. (Our VALUE VILLAGES are old SAFEWAY GROCERY BUILDINGS!) BUT I did get 3 FABULOUS CHUNKY BRACELETS that I could squeeze to make smaller around my tiny wrist. 3 for $ 5! Can’t beat that. .and for those of us who still play CDS I found dozen I liked & bought 2 I HAD TO HAVE for $ 2 each.

Great place to look second hand cloth and accessories, especially for woman/​lady or casual look. Reasonable price and very organized display.

Came here today on our way home from strolling around downtown.
What an awesome place! If you don’t find something this time around, keep coming. You’ll eventually find what you’ve been looking for
They have any and everything. Clothes, furniture, books, kitchen ware, art and much much more.
This time around I found a Rachel Ray EVOO & vinegar set. The EVOO one alone is over $ 20 and I found the set, brand new for $ 14.00. Definitely a steal
We’ll be back anytime we’re in the area!

A great little shop with a little it of everything. I wasn’t really looking for anything in particular. I ended up buying a dress for $ 9.00 and some large fake roses for $ 4.95. My only issue is that some of the clothes were dirty so I wouldn’t try them on. Why can’t people throw clothes in the wash before donating them. The staff were very nice.

Small. Tons of clothing. Unimpressed. Was looking for more stuff/​nic-​nacs to go through

Maybe I need to give this place another try in another 2 months, however, this is not all that it is said to be. There is a selection, not the best to be honest, bland. Yes there is a charitable angle, however, nothing that anybody really wants, or at least I want. Prices are good and so is the customer service. I will admit that it is a far improvement from what it was 10 years ago.

I visited this thrift store a couple weeks ago even though it was a bit out of my usual ‘shopping range/​stomping grounds’ because I am really on board with the mission of the store.
However, the clothes were too pricey! H&M shirts should not cost more in thrift stores than they do at H&M. Also, there was a fat spider in the pile of bags I was sifting through. I am not arachnophobic and this did not bother me that much, but someone who is may want to steer clear of the bags.

Overcome the fear of pre-​worn clothing, I have, and Wildlife Thrift is even more inviting.
Since my last review, I’ve picked up a few items that caused both my wallet and I to surge with happiness. Of the clothing, books, records, and pretty much everything else, one must be a persistent picker to find the goodies amongst the garbage. That being said, once you find your gem, rest assured that the price will be within your budget.
Long black XS peacoat from Le Château — $ 10
Zing!
Pretty emerald cocktail dress — $ 10
Zing!
Copy of ‘Eat Pray Love’ — $ 2 (even though the price said $ 5)
Zing, zing, zing!
What’s even better, is that they took out the wall separating the furniture from the rest of the store. The strange art hallway is still there, but now the whole space is opened up.
This funny green emporium of cheap has quickly become one of my downtown daily-​dos.

Oh Wildlife Thrift Shop, how I adore thee! With it’s location on Granville St. in the Downtown area of Vancouver, close to the halfway house (beware there maybe sketchy characters who linger… but then again it’s Vancouver), the shop is close to other shopping outlets although more mainstream, the Wildlife Thrift is a breathe of fresh air. Well organized, quality second hand goods and cheerful prices fill the store. You’re bound to find one, two, or a dozen things you love ranging from clothes, to books, to furniture, to toaster ovens and everything in between! Check it!

BEDBUG ALERT!!!
A few weeks ago I purchased a beautiful old trunk from these guys and soon after discovered that I suddenly had a bedbug problem. I paid a specialist over $ 400 to take care of the issue and they were able to track the problem definitively back to the trunk where the primary nest was.
Feeling obligated I went back to the store to share my findings with the owner Gary who refused to listen to me and proceeded to insult my intelligence stating that there was no way the bugs came from his store. When I mentioned that he had an obligation to his customers to at least look in to the issue he told me to get out of his store and to never come back (I wont).
The issue of the bed bugs aside I am very upset that the owner treated me the way he did when I tried to share my findings with him. I was not seeking any kind of retribution for my expenses what so ever. Not even a refund on the trunk that I probably over paid for in the first place.
All I have to say is if you do plan on shopping here carefully inspect everything. if you absolutely need to buy something from here make sure you heat treat the item before bringing it home.

Oh Wildlife Thrift Store, how do I love you. Let me count the ways.
I love…
1) That the people who work there are so nice, and now actually greet me by name when I come in.
2) That your collection of shoes never disappoints — Seriously, You have fed by boot addiction in a way that should be unhealthy to my wallet, but instead has equalled the price of about one pair of boots
3) That you have furnished my house and made it look like a killer expensive downtown condo for a fraction of the price.
4) The GORGEOUS designer clothes I have managed to snag for seemingly nothing
5) Your wonderful assistance in my DIY wedding designs.
I’m not the biggest fan of the shady characters you’ll meet hanging out outside the store, or the occasional crazy customer who follows you around, or who you catch trying to shoplift… buuuuut I guess that’s what comes with being downtown, and is no fault of their own.
So thanks wildlife, i think y’all are the bees knees.

The selection here is vast and I’m sure there is something for everyone. They’ve got everything from books, houseware, clothes to odd junk. But be careful how they price things. I opted for a pair of battered looking fairy wings as a part of my Halloween costume. I went to the counter expecting to pay very little. The wings were falling apart, hole-​ridden and definitely not «gently» used. I was a little taken back when the cashier said they were $ 7. «Oh they could cost up to $ 15!» At retail value, maybe? But wow. In the end, I saw it as a charitable contribution to the store so I just paid and left.
Moral of the story, put down the item if you’re flabbergasted at the cost. Don’t be a sucker like me!

A big green store on the corner of Granville and Drake with such a hipster-​sounding name was a bit too suspicious for me. Granville strip = douche central (see: drunken girls fishing dropped cell phones out of sewers while faux-​Jersey muscle-​boys ogle said girl’s right cheek as it precariously pops out of her tiny dress), and Wildlife (see band names of late: Wolf Parade, Fleet Foxes, Grizzly Bear, Seabear, We Are Wolves, Deer Hunter, Animal Collective, et al).
My assumption: it will be pricey; it will be run by semi-​cute and highly apathetic skinny boys who haven’t washed their hair in days; and I will like most of what they have in stock.
The reality: 1 out of 3 are truths. Rad book selection, bad book selection, awesome men’s *and* women’s clothing (and shoes! if you’re into that kind of thing) that doesn’t smell too bad at all, a varying degree of pretty effing decent furniture (from über-​lame 80s mirrors to actual fer-​rill vintage pieces — appropriately priced, natch), all for *reeally* low prices. As in, a thrifty person can afford to shop here. Also: the requisite semi-​cute sometimes apathetic skinny boy *will* greet you from behind the counter.
A surprise on the Granville strip, a sometimes miss, but a must-​stop on the vintage tour.

Fantastic second hand shop. I don’t know what people expect from a thrift store but it really can not get much better than this. The stuff is priced dirt cheap and it gets almost all of the trendy stuff from Yaletown. I grabbed a beautiful bed from Pier 1 with a mattress and a boxspring for $ 120​.No bedbugs, no stains, no smells. It was all like new.
Favorite thing about this was that the staff were all super chill, friendly and professional.
You are not guaranteed a great find every time you go there but… its a second hand thrift store.
The store is huge and has everything:
books
cd’s
dvd’s
vhs
electronics
shoes
sports equipment
games
clothing
furniture*(best bet for it downtown)
art
and some other random stuff.
They also play really good music.
You can pull up with a truck and load up on stuff but if you want to park you have to do it on the street. I’ve parked for a short time behind the store and not had any problems but I think that if you left your car there for an hour you’d risk getting a ticket or tow.
Wildlife Thrift Store Vancouver hours: 10am-6:30pm

I spy with my little eye… A Thrift shop from our window where we are staying! So, I sit down, Unilocal it… and it sounds good.
This was the starting point for our aimless adventure today.
A welcoming arrival, two friendly people at counter — check :-)
Can we bring the dog inside? Yes ! –check :-)
Lot’s of racks of clothing, both men’s and womyns.
Also some shoes, then another room of furniture.
It sounds like there are some changes in store (no pun intended, te-​hee) –in the future. I’ll check back for the progress.
I love that a portion of each sale goes to help raise funds for a variety of charities around Vancouver. It used to be just animal rescue, but it’s more than that now.
After shopping, you can just wander up to the west end and grab a bite!