What We Think: Thrifting in Verm Town

Americans throw away nearly 10.5 million tons of clothes every year. Those thrown-away clothes can sit in landfills for hundreds of years, if not forever. You may not think about it often, but the way we handle clothes can make a huge impact on each of our carbon footprints. That’s why thrifting is not only a good option for your wallet but also the planet. 

Vermillion alone has three thrift and second-hand stores to choose from. The Verve team set out to find the best deals at each place so you can shop greener without leaving town.

The Civic Council

The Civic Council, which is right next door to Leo’s and across the street from Cafe Brule, has the cheapest finds in town. From clothes and books to dishes and knick-knacks, there’s a lot to choose from at “The Civ.” We found that the best options were the shoes! We found at least three pairs that we would want to strut around in. Don’t worry, though, we only bought one of the pairs, so head over to the Civ to cop the other pairs for yourself! 

The Treasure Trove

The Treasure Trove is home to basically all the furniture, knick-knacks and even candy that would make any vintage-loving heart erupt. Take it from Verve team member, Lauren Soulek, who wanted to buy literally the entire store.

From a vintage drink cart and cute ottomans to so many Coca-Cola products and wall decor, we clutched our wallets tightly to avoid spending all of our money. However, Lauren did end up taking a gorgeous vintage green chair. Although it barely fit in her car, she spent only $50 on it, a steal compared to first-hand stories that sell similar furniture. 

New to You

New to You is basically Vermillion’s version of Goodwill with the largest selection of any of the second-hand stores in town, most notably the clothes section. Whether you’re looking for a specific, “vintage” look, or you genuinely need some new clothes to spice up your closet, New to You is a good option. Bonus: the items in the store were already fairly cheap, but they offered sales as well! 

Buying second-hand clothes reduces the amount of waste in landfills, preserves resources from going to waste and shifts the flow of money from a polluted shopping industry to local businesses. Although thrifting won’t fix all of the world’s environmental problems, it’s a good start to decrease your individual carbon footprint. The Verve team encourages you to hit up Vermillion’s thrift stores to save some money and help the planet!