By Erik Reed

Are you looking to revamp your style? If so, then it’s time to bid adieu to the same old clothing you’ve been wearing from retail giants across the nation, and say hello to the wonderful world of thrifting! Thrifting is a great alternative to traditional shopping methods and has risen greatly in popularity over recent years. Thrift shops are not much different from your everyday conventional retailer. However, they reap numerous benefits for the environment, your sense of fashion, and most importantly for your wallet, something most common retailers are inadequately capable of achieving.

Here’s what I consider to be the best thrift stores in Tampa, and why I think so:

1.)   Sunshine’s Thrift

Voted Tampa’s best thrift store, Sunshine’s Thrift is an all-time fan favorite for thrifting connoisseurs like myself. The environment in Sunshine’s is vibrant, inviting, and more importantly: full of opportunity to upgrade your wardrobe!  There are 3 distinct locations in Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Bradenton, offering exclusive deals, and over 30,000 different retail items stocked up each week. This is my personal favorite thrift store, as it has an endless variety of clothes curated for all body types, shapes, and sizes. Sunshine’s is open 7 days a week and 362 days out of the year. The store is designed to enhance your unique shopping experience, each section being categorized by size, gender, and more.

2.)   Avalon Exchange

If you haven’t been to Avalon Exchange, then you are missing out on one of Tampa’s most prestigious thrift stores! This trendy retailer located on South MacDill Avenue is hard to miss. It’s a perfect combination of retro and contemporary styles, giving you a multifaceted wardrobe that all your peers will envy. My favorite part of Avalon Exchange is their select variety of sunglasses, rings, and other vital accessories. If there’s one thing I learned through my fashion journey, it’s that accessorizing your outfits gives them more layers that are both visually appealing and stylish. You aren’t a true thrift expert if you haven’t been to Avalon Exchange: I highly recommend that you go check it out!

3.)   Label Swap Thrift Store

The English language cannot describe my tremendous love for this thrift store! Label Swap is one of the most notable thrift stores in Tampa Bay. What do I love most about Label Swap? Their eco-conscious mindset, low-cost designer items (yes, you heard me correctly!), and one-of-a-kind clearance rack with prices as low as $3-4 dollars! I recently learned that Label Swap even has its own scent, partnered with local Tampa business, Candle Pour. If you would like to trade in some of your clothes, Label Swap offers 30% of the resale value in cash, or 50% which can be used towards store credit. If you’re anything like me, I always love to stay up to date with emerging fashion trends, news, and so much more. Label Swap’s online blog informs you about store updates, trends, and everything you need to know to feel and look your best.  

4.)   The Vine Thrift Store

This hidden gem of a thrift store on Dale Mabry Hwy has been faithfully devoted to giving back to the community since what transpired during the 2020 COVID pandemic. Frank and Tina Cruz, Long-term residents of Tampa Bay, opened this thrift store in 2020 to restore their faith and take their lives in a new direction. I am inspired by this couple’s exponential success, and ability to defy all odds when faced with unprecedented adversity, which is why more than ever, I encourage you to support their business! Today, their store offers an impressive display of furniture, common household items, clothes, accessories, and more! During the month of October, The Vine Thrift Store is offering 50% discounts on clothes, crafts and fabrics, jewelry, accessory shoes and purses, linens, and so much more. To see when these sales are happening during the month, check out their website so you can capitalize on this limited-time-only sale!

By reading this, I hope that I’ve inspired you to immerse yourself in the world of thrifting. Your unwavering support for a community-minded form of shopping is what can make a tremendous difference in the world, and that starts with checking out these Tampa-based thrift stores! Next time I’m thrifting, I hope to see you there!