Whether you need inexpensive furniture for your first apartment this summer or you’re a cheap college student tired of paying 20 bucks for used jeans, the thrift store is an important resource. You must veer a bit off the beaten path to find these places, but a little time and patience will reward you with unique finds and great prices.

As far as St. Louis thrifting goes, Value Village is an institution. It’s been around for years, and all signs point to it continuing far into the future. Over the last year, the store moved from its former location to a larger venue a few hundred feet away. Sanela, the store’s manager, said that it moved to this larger storefront to accommodate the immense volume of goods. “We stock 2,500 to 3,000 new pieces every day,” she noted. Think about that number. The typical Goodwill has an interesting and diverse selection of cheap wares, but Value Village raises that to the next power.

The store offers pretty much anything you could need: silverware, plates, electronics, books, furniture and even a few kitchen appliances. Among the miscellany lurks a number of unexpected and unusual finds. If you need a mug shaped like the Tasmanian devil or a singing catfish to adorn your wall, Value Village probably has it. In its version of grab bag, Value Village hangs plastic bags on the back wall. It packages related items together and sell them as a group. For example, one bag contained a series of romantic novels––another, CDs from Britney Spears, N*SYNC and A-Teens. The use of grab bags is a clever idea and more organized than the mess of books or CDs found at the backs of some thrift stores.

Value Village really shines, however, with its endless rows of clothing. Both the men’s and the women’s sides of the store boast an extensive selection of garments for all occasions. Within each section, clothes are divided into formal and casual, then into pants, shorts, shirts and t-shirts. Everything is sorted by color, creating a nice rainbow across each aisle. Within these rows, you can find name brands, generic clothes, ironic t-shirts and lots of denim. Perusing the t-shirts, I even found a little slice of Wash. U., a Residential College t-shirt from William Greenleaf Eliot ‘08-‘09 that proclaimed, “It’s easy being green!”

Basically, if you know what you want and are willing to spend the time searching, you can probably find it at Value Village. The only problem with its clothing section is the color-based organization, which, though intuitive, can make it hard to find the right size. Fortunately, the store has four dressing rooms with mirrors, so you can try something on if you’re unsure.

Value Village is relatively easy to access by public transit if you’re comfortable with navigating the bus system. Take the blue line train west to Shrewsbury and then transfer to the 21 (to Meramec College). Ride for about 10 minutes and you’ll see it on your right. A one-way trip, including walking from the South 40, takes about 45 minutes. But, given the wide selection and unbeatable prices, it’s easily worth the time.