Finders Keepers

People who work at (and own) thrift stores have the ability to add or subtract to the shopping experience of their customers. After all, we go for the thrill of finding and yes, keeping, something unique and special. I’ve been twice and experienced underlying negativity from the owner. She was on the phone with a personal call and looked annoyed when I interrupted with a question about a sweater. If you want to see real warmth and absolute customer connectedness go to Auntie TE’s in Annandale.

This was a great find! I went in to peruse furniture, but realized it is more of a clothing and accessories shop. I ended up coming out with some great finds.
Yes, the prices and type of items are more consignment-​oriented than thrift store-​oriented, but that’s okay because they really do have nice things and it’s certainly still cheaper than buying items at retail. IE you won’t find a lot of vintage clothing here, nor basement prices. It’s more brand name, lightly used-​type clothing.
The store is nicely-​kept and pleasant. The clothing was well-​organized and I was easily able to find my size. I found the staff to be polite and I appreciated that they do not hover or try to push things on you. In a store like this I just want to explore and have fun, and I got to do just that (and spent way more than intended.)
I wish they would build out their furniture selection a bit more, but it seems that the adjoining section of the store is under construction and may be a bit more furniture-​oriented.
Looking forward to going back!

Not worth the prices at all. I saw clothing that I could have bought at the stores at almost the same price, brand new. Also, there was an item from Target, original tag, and it was priced as the original cost. That completely defeats the purpose of being thrifty. It was also horribly organized. I guess it was cool having a kids section. It was a joke all around. Too pricey, just go next door to It’s All Good. Better prices and brands.

Most of the collection is just ordinary, run of the mill clothing (which you may be looking for!) and I saw no unique gems. The few nice things I found were 15 $-30 $ and I deemed them not worth it. Customer service was nice enough though and the store is well organized.

My rating is related to consigning. I took in a jacket which was subsequently lost. They have you sign a contract stating that its not their responsibility if its lost which I did sign and understand. However, after the period in which my item hadn’t sold, I contacted the store to come and pick up my item per the contract agreement. When I arrived I was in line with a few others who were picking up their unsold items as well. ALL OF THEM WERE TOLD IT WAS LOST!!! Every person in front of me at least 4, were told that their item couldn’t be found and their information was taken in case it was found. I also did this. I have emailed since then checking in and have received no answers. I don’t want to say they are running a scam since it seems like a nice store, however, if they are claiming these items aren’t sold, then losing them when the previous owner comes to pick them up, no payout is required. It would be easy to sell them, keep the entire profit, and just state they are lost. I will not be shopping, recommending, or dealing with them ever again.

For a thrift shop, this place is a little pricey and the merch. is lacking. I wanted to find something to buy to support local small businesses but I couldn’t really find anything and when I thought I did I checked the price tag and changed my mind.
As for the comments on the employees I agree with the reviews about the rude workers here, and at It’s all good their sister shop two stores down, I’ve seen it myself. They are short with customers and have a snarky attitude.
I won’t be going back.

I consigned a number of items recently. Only a few of them sold during the requisite consignment period. When I went in to collect the items that didn’t sell, I was told that two of the items couldn’t be found. When I asked about being reimbursed for the «lost» items, I was firmly reminded that under the terms of the consignment contract, the consignee assumes full responsibility for lost, stolen or damaged items. She then assured me that the two missing items had probably been misplaced and I would be contacted when they were found. Nearly two months have passed and I haven’t heard another word from them.

This review is for the secondhand furniture section only –
I have been to this store a few time now and have found a treasure on every occasion. First round was a beautiful locking raised cedar chest, second visit was a few pots for my garden (totaling less than $ 10), third was a matching gothic table and mirror… You get the idea.
They’re prices are reasonable for their merchandise and if you’re short $ 50 on a piece or two they are more than willing to work with you.
Highly recommended for home furnishings.

This is a nice store owned by husband and wife team. They are good people; I want this store to succeed, and it appears to be doing so. One day I witnessed the co-​owner dealing with a difficult customer and she handled the situation perfectly! Consignments are by appointment with one exception – you may bring in up to 5 items on Wednesday any time the shop is open.
They also own a shop a couple of doors down named «It’s All Good.» That shop is for girls, from early teen to college age. It has trendy stuff. Please note that Finders Keepers now sells only women’s clothing and household items. No more men’s clothing.

I’m done with this place. I just cannot understand how people with such poor taste, in a store that’s nearly empty every time I’ve gone in, can be so snotty. The older ladies who work there seem totally, completely unable to comprehend that the many, many people who have jobs can’t make appointments for, say, 2pm on a weekday. I’ve tried to drop in a couple of times when I was in the neighborhood on a (rare) day off, and even if there are employees sitting around with nothing to do but gossip, they absolutely will not take 2 minutes look at your consignment. If they were super busy I would understand, but I have never seen that be the case. It certainly wasn’t today, there were two employees, NO shoppers looking at clothes, and they gave me all kinds of attitude because I’d brought in 3 things since I’d just had an errand next door. They said it was because they «had appointments» coming in that day. Ok… but there weren’t any at that moment, and they were just sitting on their bums. And the stuff I’m bringing in is certainly much nicer than stretched out Target brands and faded Ann Taylor Loft knits. Even on their «walk in» Tuesdays, the hours cannot reasonably accommodate people who have to work for a living. I hope this place goes out of business purely because these people need a serious attitude adjustment, and maybe that would wake them up.

The store sells women’s clothing on one side of the store, mostly of the Ann Taylor/Talbot’s/department store label persuasion. The selection is strong in professional and traditional styles, with fewer bold or trendy pieces. There’s also another room full of old furniture and household goods.
For the clothing, there’s a great rack full of tops, blouses, and sweaters. The selection of accessories, shoes, or jewelry was not anything special. Consignment prices started around $ 10 an item (most were around $ 10 – 15, but could be higher like $ 35 – 50). I was lucky to get items that were an additional 20% off because they’d been in the store for over a month, a sheer floral top and a lace cardigan.
Discounts: they apply discounts based on the date on the tag. For example, if the date on the tag says ⁶⁄₂₁ and the discount is for anything older than 6/​22, you have yourself a deal! Make sure to ask the cashier about whether or not the items are discounted so she can double check the date and discount for you. If I hadn’t asked, she would have rung up my items wrong.
The major drawback to this store is that it is not super well organized. It’s certainly not a junk heap but be prepared to squeeze into some tight aisles and pick through stuff a little bit. I do give them props for organizing the tops by color. The other minor drawback is that there are no mirrors near the clothes, and the only dressing room is by the furniture.
I’d check this out if you are looking for a business casual wardrobe or tend to dress more conservatively. if you prefer trendier or weekend styles, check out their sister shop, It’s All Good, instead.

The staff here was extremely helpful and friendly. I also happened to go on a day when they were having a sale. I thought the selection of vintage clothing was very good. Everything in the store was clean and well organized. The tags all have the prices, as well as the date the item came in. To give you an idea of what the merchandise is like, I bought an 80s style beaded dress and 60s style houndstooth jacket. They had furniture and housewares too, but I didn’t look much in that area.

This is one of my preferred thrift stores in the area. I usually have great luck here.
Huge selection of clothes, hats, accessories, etc., although that’s not what I come here for. There is a whole room of home wares and I always find something I’ve needed there.
I have been several times and the saleswomen were very polite and helpful.

I have been shopper and a consignor at Finder’s Keepers. There are alot of great finds and the staff/​owner are really helpful. If you sign up for their email notices of sales, you will get coupons for further reductions. Nice if you happen to like some of the finer jewelry or antiques that are consigned there!

*Update 5÷27÷2011: I was informed by the shop owner that, due to original review below, she had taken the opportunity to have a mandatory all staff meeting regarding customer service. Since I do not live in the area, it is unfortunately impossible for me to revisit the shop and provide a proper updated review.
_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​
Unbelievably rude.
They close at 6pm. We arrived at 5:45 and husband was trying to be considerate in letting them know we realized we had only 10 minutes. Rude Jude glared and replied dryly, «You have 5.» Husband and I exchanged glance but determined to keep good spirit and not be offended. After all, we did drive 20 minutes to be there and weren’t coming back because we were leaving town.
Anyway…
Right away I found a pair of shoes in my size and some dresses. Prices were definitely not thrift but consignment. The shoes I grabbed were $ 38 and dresses were similarly priced and up. I was solidly on a shopping rush high and grabbed about 7 – 8 things quickly with prices ranging from $ 20 to $ 70 and was ready (after she once again sternly reminded us, «You now have 3 minutes.»)
The clothing side was smallish (we didn’t even peek the furniture side), and I’m a very fast, and I’d like to think, considerate shopper. Obviously, they wanted to close on time so I wasn’t trying anything on. Anyway, we were now at the register, husband and I discussed 1 single piece we weren’t sure about. Mind you, it’s been 5 (maybe 6???) whole minutes since we stepped our foot in, and we were at the register ready to pay almost $ 300.
Piped up the rude person (who had been monitoring us and breathing down our necks the whole time) saying, «We are closed now.» By this point, I was over it and told my husband I would not be buying anything and put everything back in its place and left. The younger clerk (who had been stand off-​ish but at least not rude) either was embarrassed or felt bad. She told us to come back again, reciting their hours, and I just had to chuckle in disbelief.
If I were a consignor, I would feel foolish working with a shop that treats their customers so rudely. With the amount of money we were attempting to spend in such a short amount of time, I can’t imagine how they treat browsers or casual shoppers.
Parking was difficult. They are in a strip mall with a shared lot which was full despite their store being totally empty (possibly from them chasing everyone out with superb customer service?) When we came out, we had to walk down the side street to our car. When we drove off, it was 7 minutes before 6pm.

This thrift store is a treasure trove! Lots of great pieces of furniture, lots of antique plates, glasses, china, etc. Loved their vintage jewelry too.

Small, slightly off-​the-​radar thrift stores are totally my bag. Stock is not only of better quality (as they are more discerning as to what they take in, due to limited shop space) but you will probably have more luck finding something you actually want to buy.
Westover Thrift (now called Finders Keepers) is a hidden gem in suburban Arlington. There are two parts to it: one side has furniture and the other has apparel and accessories. First off, the furniture side is a bit cramped and does NOT, I repeat, does NOT have air conditioning! When I visited, it was 102degrees out so I spent all but 10 minutes in that section. What I found were awesome chests of dressers, a slim selection of vinyl (nothing of worth except for Diana Ross’ Greatest Hits album), a vintage hinged doctor’s bag (would make a great work bag) and a vintage women’s Schwinn bike. Yup, all great finds. The only downer was that some things were pricey. For example, I would’ve walked out with the Schwinn bike, had it not been $ 175. When I strike it rich with the lottery (or perhaps when next week’s paycheck rolls through), I’d love to buy that bike.
Apparel-​wise, it was slim pickin’s. I found a really cute vintage tie-​neck blouse but it was way too big (alterations would have cost more than the shirt, which was conveniently priced at about $ 8). What they do have a great stock of, are purses. Be sure to sneak a peek at what’s held behind the counter– they hold have a decent stock of newer brands and high-​end vintage purses there. I found a leather handbag back there but I was also able to find a leather saddlebag on the sales floor too (the former being $ 90, the latter a mere $ 14).
While shopping in vintage, consignment and thrift shops can be a bit tedious at times and may require multiple visits, stock changes so often that you’re sure to find something one-​of-​a-​kind that you’ll love. That being said, this definitely merits another trip to Westover Thrift sometime in the near future.

This used to be called Westover Thrift Shop.
This place is very cute but also crammed as most thrift stores are. There are a ton of nice things there particularly in home (beautiful dishes, furnishings, art, etc.). Most of it is in good quality and reasonably priced. One downside is that there isn’t really much for guys there (just a small corner). One good thing is that it is in the Westover Shopping area in Arlington, so you can go to lots of places after you’re done.

This place is now called Finders Keepers.
This little place is fun to browse around in, it’s nicer than a Goodwill with some quality things. One side is furniture and the other is clothing and accessories. I was looking for an interesting piece of accent furniture but didn’t find anything this time. They did have this lovely wooden side table with a mosaic pattern that I almost got. Here and there they have some awesome vintage pieces, e.g. fur hat and stole, embroidered caplet. I would’ve liked to give it 3.5 stars but since we can’t, I rounded down because the clerk was kind of a grumpy old lady, both in person and over the phone.
I’ll definitely stop in here when I am decorating my new house.

This has become a new favorite of mine.
The other day I traveled out to Westover Thrift with the intention of just browsing. My girlfriend and I have been looking for a dining room table for a long time now, so we drove out in a Zipcar pickup just in case we found something.
Westover Thrift did not disappoint! After browsing a while, we found a beautiful dining table at a really good price. We also picked up some knick-​knacks, all for very cheap. There was a sale going on at the time, so we ended up getting 50% off a few of the items.
The great thing about Westover is mostly the prices! Compared to places in D.C. proper, Westover is a bargain. The table we purchased was $ 145, but I know it would retail for at least $ 300 at a place like Ms. Pixies in D.C.
Westover has a good selection of furniture and other assorted goods. I noticed they have a decent collection of jewelry, as well as clothing. I did not have a chance to peruse the clothing, so I am unsure whether they have both men’s and women’s.
The staff is very nice and talkative, which is a big plus in my book. I highly recommend this place if you are looking for some good quality furniture at a decent price. It’s much better to spend a little more for something that will last… than to spend $ 30 at Ikea and have it fall apart the first time you move it.