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| - This thrift store has changed drastically since I started going over a dozen years ago. Originally it was in Oakland, then it moved to Uptown (near Chatham Center); now it's in a Swissvale strip mall.
The so-called "finds" used to be put aside for the annual Designer Dress Days, held in November, but you could still find some decent stuff. They had a "Designer Days Boutique" section of the store where you could find some desirable items even if it wasn't November. I remember loading up on cashmere sweaters and nice silk ties. I also remember buying an attractive camel hair jacket there.
I was there about a month ago, and thought it was just an off day. Based on today's visit, though, I've come to the conclusion that there's really no reason to ever go back. The men's apparel is sorted by color, not an efficient way to find anything you want in your size. I saw three cotton pique shirts I thought would be fun for summer, but each one--each one--had something wrong with it: a food stain, a snag or an ink mark. In my opinion, the damaged apparel should be sold in a separate area of the store with special pricing.
The brands included Merona and St. Johns Bay (proprietary brands of Target and JC Penney, respectively); along with Old Navy, Jos. A. Bank, and Van Heusen. Certainly nothing "designer" or high end.
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