We travel to Providence monthly from eastern CT to eat out, get boba, shop, buy pastries from Euro-style bakeries, and visit ethnic markets for ingredients to cook with at home. Usually we travel up 95N, so passing through Warwick and Cranston as well.

Looking for some better thrift shops, beyond Savers and Goodwill. We are usually thrifting for glassware, kitchen items, and fashion dolls, not necessarily old or vintage items.

Any suggestions?

Edit: Thanks! So we stopped at the standard Goodwill and Savers in Warwick, then at Mike's Estate Services in West Warwick. Headed to East Providence to hit another Savers and our favorite (technically in Seekonk,) Four Echos. Then we tried the Rhode Island Antique Mall. Finally on the swing home, we hit the Savers in Providence and went to Nostalgia. Our thoughts:

Goodwill and Savers: run-of-the-mill thrifting, some excellent bargains to be found in knick knacks and DVDs. Gotta do a little digging, and sometimes there are *ahem* smells to deal with, but got a fantastically cheap vintage glass compote, cast iron that needs some restoration love but the price was right, a small wicker duck basket, and some small clothing items for my teen. Best thrifting prices, but it really can be unpredictable and sometimes disorganized. We can usually be in and out of these stores in 15-30 minutes each.

Mike's Estate Services: If only I were rich and had a truck! Beautiful, sturdy, and fairly-priced (but too rich for my blood) furniture, loved the upstairs with the lamps and the housewares section. This, however, is end-of-the-line pricing, not really thrifting. These were fairly priced for final collectors, but not prices we would consider bargains, they know exactly what they are selling. Some of the large wall art is divine. Need about 60 minutes to visit.

Four Echos: Perfect. Clean, well lit, a little chilly at times. Some incredible bargains to be found on small housewares and vintage glassware, lots of small knick knack items and decor, plan on spending time poking in each vendor booth. Last visited in December, and the turnover is fairly good and refreshed. Need about 60 minutes to get through both floors. Important: good bathrooms!

RI Antiques Mall: Cluttered and filled with hipsters, and these vendors are selling at collector prices-they know the max price they can get. I bought a vintage glass Avon bath oil bottle for $3 at Savers, and saw the same one for $25 here. Bought a blue glass decanter with matching stopper for $5.50 at Four Echos, and found the same one in green here for $38. Lots to see, most locked in cases. Worth the trip at least once, need 90 minutes to see both floors.

Nostalgia: Tight squeeze to get around, but some super charming things to see here. Certainly some higher prices to be found, but also a few small bargains. Last visited in December, and the turnover is a little slower here due to pricing, but always happy to return because the vibe is so chill.

Comments

waninggib t1_j9wl5vc wrote on February 25, 2023 at 2:00 AM

eemz53 t1_j9yj30k wrote on February 25, 2023 at 2:38 PM

I 2nd nostalgia, sounds right up your alley and there are 3 floors of stuff!!

anchovy_bucatini t1_j9y3td8 wrote on February 25, 2023 at 12:10 PM

Rhode Island Antiques Mall in Pawtucket could be worth checking out

fluorescent-grey t1_j9wiuub wrote on February 25, 2023 at 1:42 AM

Vintage Feather Finds in East Providence has a lot of kitchen and glassware. The whole store is very well curated with mid-century items and is VERY fairly priced. The Rhode Island antiques mall in Pawtucket is also absolutely worth stopping at - tons of of vendor booths selling pretty much anything you can think of

Maleficent_Weird8613 t1_j9xj07u wrote on February 25, 2023 at 7:22 AM

It says that Vintage Feather Finds is closed until the spring.

Italiangrinder43 t1_j9xp1z7 wrote on February 25, 2023 at 8:42 AM

There’s a place called Nothern Thrift in Coventry. It’s a lot like a savers in size and the type of items

the_hypochondriack t1_j9y3nze wrote on February 25, 2023 at 12:08 PM

It's more like an antique store than a thrift store, but Pop sounds like a place you guys would like.

mhb t1_j9yh2e4 wrote on February 25, 2023 at 2:21 PM

The Thrifty Goose

nodumbunny t1_ja2u0x9 wrote on February 26, 2023 at 12:46 PM

Check out Mike's Estate Services on your way in or out of town. It's in West Warwick a bit of a detour off the highway, but worth it. The smaller items like glassware and art are upstairs, and first floor is mostly furniture.