Best Thrift Stores in Houston: Resale, Vintage and the Bins
Date Published
Houston thrifting has a great piece of trivia baked into it. Goodwill Houston opened in 1945 at 201 San Jacinto, and six years later moved to the corner of Smith and Prairie, the spot where the Alley Theatre stands today. The city's secondhand habit is older than most of its skyline.
Today you can pay for clothes by the pound on the Sam Houston Tollway, trade last season's jacket for store credit on Westheimer, and furnish a whole living room from a church-run consignment shop in Montrose. This is the shortlist we'd hand a friend who asks where to thrift in Houston, organized by part of town so you can build a Saturday around it.
The quick list
- For designer finds with a cause: The Guild Shop on Dunlavy.
- To sell your closet for cash or credit: Buffalo Exchange on Westheimer.
- For furniture and vintage housewares: the Houston Junior Forum Resale Shop in the Heights.
- For the thrill of the hunt, priced by weight: the Goodwill Houston outlets.
- For a big, everything-store Saturday: the MAM Resale Store on Blalock in Spring Branch.
- For renovation and home projects: the Habitat for Humanity ReStore on the South Loop.
- For used books and records: Kaboom Books and Sig's Lagoon.
How we chose
We picked shops with a clear reason to make the trip: a nonprofit mission, a curated boutique section, a good buy-and-trade program, or prices that make the hunt worth it. Every shop on this list showed current hours or an active storefront on its own official website as of October 2026.
We left out shops we couldn't confirm. Houston's independent vintage boutiques, especially along West 19th Street and lower Westheimer, open, move and close often, and many keep only a social media page. If a shop didn't publish current details on an official site, it isn't on this list. Treat every schedule below as "typically" and check the shop's site the day you go.
Montrose and Westheimer
The Guild Shop
Montrose, 2009 Dunlavy St · consignment and donations · closed Sundays
The Guild Shop has been in the resale business for more than 60 years. It has six departments: art, clothing, designer clothing and accessories, jewelry, household goods, and furniture and rugs. Inventory changes daily, so regulars come often.
Proceeds support partner organizations that help elderly Houstonians in need, and the shop says it has given more than $5 million to the community. Hours are typically Monday to Saturday, 9:30am to 3:30pm. Park on the south side of the shop on Dunlavy or across Welch Street on the north side.
Insider tip: designer clothing consignments are taken only on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, so those are good days to see fresh designer stock hit the floor.
Buffalo Exchange
Montrose, 1222 Westheimer Rd · buy, sell and trade · open daily
The Westheimer location of this national buy-sell-trade chain sits between Commonwealth Street and Waughcrest Drive, right in the middle of the Montrose shopping strip. Hours are typically 11am to 8pm every day.
The draw is the selling counter. You can sell clothing and accessories any time the store is open, no appointment needed: scan the QR code when you arrive and the store texts you when it's your turn. Bring a government-issued ID. On the day you sell, Buffalo Exchange pays 25% of its selling price in cash or 50% in store credit, and the trade card never expires.
Best for: turning a closet clean-out into a new outfit the same afternoon.
Pair it with the rest of the strip in our guide to Montrose shopping and the Montrose area page.
The Heights and north of downtown
Houston Junior Forum Resale Shop
The Heights, 1815 Rutland St · furniture, vintage and housewares · Monday to Saturday
Houston Junior Forum has run a resale shop since 1969, and the current shop on Rutland opened in 1987. It's strongest on furniture, from living and dining room sets to classic pieces, plus vintage items, home decor, collectibles, jewelry and clothing for men and women. Hours are typically Monday to Saturday, 10am to 3pm.
Proceeds support the forum's college scholarships and community grants. Seniors 62 and older get 10% off on Wednesdays, and every customer gets 10% off on the first Saturday of the month (red-tag items excluded).
Insider tip: if you consign here, the shop pays you 60% of the sale price. Call for pre-approval and email photos of furniture first.
MAM Resale Boutique, Heights
Near Woodland Heights, 1015 E 11th St · curated boutique · closed Sundays
Memorial Assistance Ministries runs a smaller, boutique-style store across from Hogg Middle School. Expect a tight edit of name-brand clothing, shoes, accessories, small housewares, books and pop culture finds, including vinyl records. Hours are typically weekdays 10am to 6pm (until 8pm Thursdays) and Saturdays 9am to 5pm.
Kaboom Books
Woodland Heights, 3116 Houston Ave · used books · open daily
Not a thrift store, but every thrifter needs one stop for secondhand books. Kaboom is a general used bookstore whose owners ran bookshops in New Orleans for more than 30 years before opening in Houston. It's typically open every day from noon to 6pm. Browse by subject, and give yourself more time than you think you need.
Where to find West 19th Street vintage
West 19th Street in the Heights is the city's best-known strip for vintage clothing, antiques and boutiques. The individual shops change often, so start with our guide to shopping in the Heights and the Heights area page, then walk the street and see who's open.
Midtown
Sig's Lagoon
Mid Main, 3622 Main St, Suite E · new and used vinyl · open daily
A Midtown record shop on Main Street with new releases and used vinyl. Store hours typically run 10am to 9pm Monday to Wednesday, 10am to 10pm Thursday to Saturday, and 10am to 8pm on Sunday.
Insider tip: Sig's buys used vinyl records and 7-inch singles for cash or store credit, typically 10am to 2pm Thursday through Tuesday. Bring an ID. It takes vinyl only.
Spring Branch and west Houston
MAM Resale Store, Spring Branch
Spring Branch, 1625 Blalock Rd · big thrift store with a boutique section · closed Sundays
The flagship Memorial Assistance Ministries store covers 14,000 square feet, with clothing, furniture, electronics, toys, books and household goods arriving every day. Inside is the MAM Resale Boutique, a section for upscale clothing, designer handbags, shoes and accessories, often with new items still carrying their original tags. Hours are typically 10am to 6pm Monday to Saturday, with Thursdays open until 8pm.
Proceeds fund MAM's financial coaching and family stability programs. Make a day of it with our guide to things to do in Spring Branch.
Traders Village Houston
Northwest Houston, 7979 N Eldridge Rd · weekend flea market · Saturdays and Sundays
The wildcard. Traders Village is a weekend market with more than 1,500 vendors, some selling new goods and some running what amounts to a giant garage sale. Best shopping hours are typically 10am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday. Parking is $6, and pets and firearms aren't allowed. Go early, wear comfortable shoes, and bring some cash for smaller vendors.
Citywide and south
Goodwill Houston Outlets
Three outlets: Highway 6 N, S Sam Houston Pkwy W and Telephone Rd · priced by the pound · open daily
This is thrifting as a sport. Goodwill Houston's outlet stores sell most goods by weight rather than by the piece. Clothing, shoes and linens are typically $2.49 a pound for the first 50 pounds and $1.99 a pound after that, glassware and electronics are $1.19 a pound, and books are 50 cents each or three for $1. Hours are typically 8am to 9pm every day.
All outlet sales are final and everything is sold as-is, so check zippers and seams before you buy. If you'd rather shop racks than bins, Goodwill Houston also runs regular thrift stores across the metro; find the nearest on its store locator.
Best for: resellers, costume hunters and anyone who enjoys the dig.
Salvation Army Family Stores
Washington Ave, Bissonnet and Pearland · clothing and household goods
The Salvation Army runs several Houston-area family stores, including 2208 Washington Avenue, 6150 Bissonnet and 3260 E. Broadway in Pearland, and promotes designer clothing at up to 90% off. The Salvation Army says every purchase helps rebuild lives. Store hours aren't clearly listed online, so call the store before you go.
Habitat for Humanity ReStore
South Loop East, 6161 S Loop E · furniture, appliances and building materials · closed Sundays
Renovating? Start here. Houston Habitat for Humanity's ReStore sells new and gently used furniture, appliances, flooring, cabinetry, home accessories and building materials, and profits help Habitat build and repair homes for Houston families. Hours are typically Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm.
Second Mile Opportunity Shop
Missouri City, 1135 Hwy 90A · clothing and home goods · closed Sundays
A nonprofit resale shop in Fort Bend County, with clothing, shoes, accessories and home goods priced low on purpose. Proceeds go back into the community through Second Mile's Equip2Grow program. Hours are typically 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 2pm Saturday.
Insider tip: don't follow your phone. Second Mile's own directions warn that map apps route you over Texas Parkway with no safe way to reach the entrance. Exit Texas Parkway, take the feeder road, and look for the turn right after the tire shop. Missed it? Turn right on Dream Ct.
How to donate (so your stuff actually gets sold)
- Clean it first. The Guild Shop, HJF and Habitat all ask for clean items in good repair, and soiled or broken things may be thrown away.
- Check the no-thanks list. Goodwill Houston doesn't take mattresses, box springs, bed pillows, large appliances, cribs, car seats, strollers, tube TVs, paint or chemicals.
- Send big pieces to the right place. Habitat's ReStore is built for furniture, appliances and building materials, and it takes new flooring only in lots of 100 square feet or more.
- Photo your furniture. The Guild Shop and HJF both want photos before they'll pick up or consign furniture.
- Go during donation hours. HJF takes donations Monday to Saturday, 10am to 3pm, and MAM's Heights store accepts them Wednesday to Saturday, 11am to 4pm. The Guild Shop's loading dock is on Welch Street; ring the doorbell.
- Ask for a receipt. Nonprofit shops like the Guild Shop provide tax receipts for accepted donations.
Save this: a one-day thrift route
- 9:30am, Spring Branch: start big at the MAM Resale Store on Blalock, then grab a coffee from our coffee shop guide.
- 11:30am, Montrose: hit The Guild Shop on Dunlavy before it closes at 3:30pm.
- 1:30pm, the Heights: browse furniture at the HJF Resale Shop on Rutland, then walk West 19th Street.
- 3:30pm, Westheimer: finish at Buffalo Exchange, where you can sell the bag of clothes in your trunk and walk out with store credit.
- Evening: refuel cheaply with our cheap eats in Houston list.
Before you go: check each shop's hours that morning, bring cash and a card, carry an ID if you plan to sell, and pack a tote and a tape measure for furniture.
More shopping in Houston
Like the hunt but want something new too? See our Houston shopping hub and our tour of Houston's shopping districts.
Last verified: October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Where are the Goodwill outlets in Houston?
Goodwill Houston lists three outlets: 9320 Highway 6 N, 4660 S Sam Houston Pkwy W and 11217 Telephone Rd. They're typically open 8am to 9pm daily.
How much do things cost at the Goodwill outlet?
Most goods are sold by weight. Clothing, shoes and linens are typically $2.49 a pound up to 50 pounds and $1.99 a pound after that; glassware and electronics are $1.19 a pound; books are 50 cents each or three for $1. Check Goodwill Houston's site for current prices.
Where can I sell clothes for cash in Houston?
Buffalo Exchange at 1222 Westheimer buys clothing and accessories any time it's open, no appointment needed. It pays 25% of its selling price in cash or 50% in store credit. Bring a government-issued ID.
Which Houston thrift stores support charities?
The Guild Shop supports organizations serving elderly Houstonians, the Houston Junior Forum Resale Shop funds scholarships and grants, MAM's resale stores fund family stability programs, and Habitat's ReStore helps build and repair homes.
Where is the vintage shopping in Houston?
West 19th Street in the Heights and lower Westheimer in Montrose are the best-known strips for vintage clothing and antiques. Individual shops change often, so check before you go.
What can't I donate to Goodwill in Houston?
Goodwill Houston doesn't accept mattresses, box springs, large appliances, cribs, car seats, strollers, tube TVs, air conditioners, paint or other chemicals, among other items.