Arizona Trading Company

The smell is interesting when you walk in kinda like good will which is to be expected however it caught me off guard. Otherwise, it’s great for recycled affordable clothing, purses, shoes, accessories. Can’t comment on customer service they never really interacted except at check out. Great for college kid’s wallets though.

This ATC location is definitely
a «hit or miss» and I can echo
the other girls who have experienced confusion especially when selling their clothing. I am no stranger to the rules of consignment and have many fond memories of buying and selling at my favorite Buffalo Exchanges back home in CA. I only ever bring in stuff that is in great condition, on-​trend or vintage and season-​worthy.
I will encounter certain buyers at this location (one in particular) who won’t take but maybe 10% of the stuff I bring in. The flip side is the times when I have brought in my closet purges (I have a bit of a shopping addiction) and different girls are buying. Lo and behold, I will leave with only 10% of what I brought in! It makes no sense. It’s bad when your husband even notices and suggests not selling when a certain associate is working.
Don’t get me wrong, there are friendly associates and great buyers that work there. But overall I feel that a consignment store should be buying for the benefit of the store and it’s shoppers. I want to support the Lawrence ATC but it makes me hesitant when the buying process isn’t consistent.
*Note* I took a recent haul that was turned down (3 large dept. store bags) and made a trip to the ATC in KC. They bought the majority leaving me with only a few pieces to drop at the Goodwill. Success!

I’ve made my way into Arizona trading company (ATC) several times, at first by accident but all other times by choice. Prior to my shopping experiences at ATC, I was never really into the thrift store/​consignment store scene. I had ventured into them but never really wanted to spend too much time in them. ATC is different in that it offers a warm, friendly environment. A testament to the nice staff, this makes it a destination to spend some time, rather than buy cheap clothes and leave. Well lit store, has mannequins dressed out as well as intriguing knick knacks around the store. Not too claustrophobic, as even on a busy day you can look around without feeling the need to gasp for air.
Men’s selection is smaller than the women’s of course, and is made up of primarily t shirts, jeans, and button up shirts. There’s also jackets, sneakers, etc. They buy clothes so what’s in stock is always changing. If you are one who is with friends that are still shopping there are comfortable couches and a nice bulletin board with information on local happenings around Lawrence. Lots I’ve missed but it is worth checking out if you’re downtown and wanting a nice experience!

See that ultra violet Manic Panic wig on the mannequin for the past 5 years? They bought that from me. I love it, and am happy to see it being put to good use.
It’s one of the few things they’ve actually bought from me… My experience at ATC over the years has really been hit or miss.
As far as buying, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to what they choose. I’ve sold a lot before, and nothing before. I sold a super cool designer blouse with the $ 100 tag still attached to them for just a couple dollars. (Cleaning out my closet…) And much cheaper, old, worn clothes for more than that blouse… Who knows? I don’t.
The only thing more hit or miss than their buying seems their customer service. I’ve never had an in-​between experience shopping there. (Does anyone remember the Victor Continental sketch about it?) On the plus side, the past few times I’ve been in recently, I’ve received good, pretense-​free service.
As far as what they carry, they go in cycles. Right now it’s a lot of loud colors, synthetic fabrics, and things only teenagers wear ironically. (Which is fine, teenagers need somewhere to get their gold lamé and holey rainbow cardigan fix.) They also have very limited sizes right now. But that could be the time of year (January). They’ve had better clothes in the past, and hopefully they’ll have better clothes in the near-​future. Also, things seem to be priced lower than they use to be, for better and worse.
A solid 3 stars for A-​Okay.

I don’t have any experience in selling clothes at this location, but it’s always been great for shopping.
The vibe is casual and cute, the staff are always well dressed and friendly, and they have great outfits put together on the mannequins (yes, I’m guilty of just buying the whole coordination.) There’s always a good selection and you can even find nice things in the $ 1 bin back by the dressing rooms.
This thrift store is great because it has a nice mens section as well, which some of the other vintage stores on Mass. Street lack. It makes my boyfriend more excited to come shopping with me when we can both try on new stuff!
Every time I’m downtown and I see that open door I end up going in at least to browse, and I’ve had so many great finds there I’ll probably keep coming in for a long time.
Bonus: Once I got an Armani jacket here for $ 22!

Great prices on good quality clothes! Some of the stuff is very ‘hipster’, but you can also get fun vintage-​y shirts for just a few bucks. My husband has also scored several pairs of gym/​basketball shorts for a few bucks as well.
Friendly people working there, good finds if you are willing to dig.

Compared to the ATC in Westport (KCMO), this place is a joke. I can’t really complain about their stock, since they are a consignment shop and their inventory is always changing. I can say, however, that their buying policies are totally inconsistent, and the girls working the counter are almost always pretentious and bitchy.
I shopped at the Kansas City ATC countless times when I lived downtown, and they were always friendly and more than happy to help you sift through things to find the perfect piece.
The employees at the Lawrence store don’t seem to give a lick whether you purchase an item, leave the store empty-​handed, or drop dead in the middle of the sales floor. They’re far too busy looking at one another over their Buddy Holly glasses and talking about bands nobody has ever heard of.

To define your hipster look, you shop at Arizona Trading Company. One of the best re-​sell your old look, for the new one stores in the area. The people who work here are super nice, always look good too (i didn’t mean that in a creepy way)
Any way, I was actually expecting it to be an Arizona jeans store (remember those?) – not that I would where it, but the window displays looked so intriguing. I thought, «hmm, maybe they’ve changed their image?» Only to walk in and find vintage and cheap thrift clothes, I was much more pleased than expected. Though on a particular clothes mission, I did have to splurge on something I wasn’t supposed to buy. it was just too awesome to pass up. Guess that happens right?

I know people who can pull off vintage style. I envy them. For $ 25 they can look better than people who shell out hundreds. And I bet a lot of them shop at Arizona Trading Company.
ATC is a senior among Mass Street’s growing class of vintage stores. I like ATC better than some of the new places, although that may be directly related to the fact that it’s next door to Creation Station and I’m already suffering from incense intoxication every time I walk in.
Nah, it’s not just the patchouli. ATC has a better selection, brighter colors, and sassier window displays. Maybe they inspire shoppers more! Maybe they put people more in touch with their inner accessorizer … it’s what separates us from animals, you know!
Whether you lean toward bowling shirt nerd chic or girly girl bangles and bows, at ATC you can probably find that certain «je né sais quoi» that will send you into the retro-​style stratosphere.

Just like any thrift store. Sometimes great and sometimes downright laudable. Definitely fun to sift through and kill some time!

I first heard about Arizona Trading Company when I first moved to Lawrence. I asked my roommate where she got her shirt and she said «Arizona.» I assumed she meant the state, but was soon corrected– it’s a thift store/​trading company where you bring your old clothes and trade them in for credit. I always get thrown off by stores named after places or states, but maybe that’s just me.
Arizona can be a goldmine of really unique and cool stuff or a total miss– it just depends on what they have around. The store itself is pretty cool– it’s obvious the employees had fun decorating with cutouts of magazines, etc.
As with most college towns, there are a few stores similar in town, but Arizona seems to have the widest selection and it’s always good for a laugh at some glittery gogo boots or snappy little polyester number with ruffles.