Have you ever walked into a second hand store and felt depressed?

I know what you’re talking about. I can sense a little of that but so much is donated by people who did so voluntarily and out of kindness.

I feel much worse about pawn shops.

Blueroses, never thought about pawn shops. Merchandise there that was pawned for a good reason, yet was never picked up and paid for. Each item tells a story.

I have donated a lot of stuff to Goodwill and I have brought back almost ¼ of that amount from there. It’s all good. Yeah the pawn shops, that’s where those feelings start to come out. Circumstances that forced people to sell off their nice things and the pawn brokers selling them for just short of what it costs to go to another store and get brand new. They are sort of scuzzy.

Well, sort of. I am one of those “sensitives” that can sometimes feel the “residue” left behind by people (and animals, for that matter). However, walking into Goodwill or other second hand shops don’t make me depressed any more than standing at bus stop.

I did, however, have the creepy experience of trying on a pair of pants at second hand store and having some very vivid impressions of a guy who (apparently) died in them. it was not cool.

People willing and able to donate their clothing and other items to Goodwill usually aren’t suffering as much as the people who desperately need their donations, so no, I’ve never really felt that way. People usually won’t donate things they really need for themselves.

Not like that. For me, it’s the presentation. The room looks like it houses the castoffs of other people, whereas large, expensive department stores do not. Department stores have eye-catching layouts designed to sell the clothes to you in the absence of any kind of sales staff. Goodwill knows that it doesn’t have to compete for your business, and so puts no effort into presentation.
Sorta like Aldi. Plunk down pallets of highly generic merch, dressed up so as to flirt with copyright disaster, and let people scrounge through them. No thought to the aesthetic appeal.

I moonlight in my local river thrift store, and no! The donations are not full of misery and pain! They are donations that come from a multitude of diversity!

I donate to my own shop and I live a very comfortable lifestyle!

Perhaps in an inner city environment one might sense more sadness, but, my little store is one big PARTY of fun and treasure seeking!

We carry used and new mechandise, everything from life jackets and rafting, river supplies, to hand forged gold pans by a local artist as well as all sorts of clothing, and we also sell new and used DVD’s, books and all sorts of fun stuff.

It’s a JOY to work in my store, I see all sorts of people, tourists, the local crowd that comes into browse and shop, the campers that drop in for all kinds of odds and ends.

It’s a GREAT place and a wonderful and very sought after community service!

We just had a big donation of belly dancing outfits, sarongs, gorgeous beaded tops and genie pants. I had a blast showcasing these items that go like hotcakes with our hippie kid crowd.

We are located next door to one of the local booming cafes and we do a great biz! I suppose our place is rather unique, given the tourist town I live in, but, there is nothing “sad” about it!

Meh, I must not be very sensitive because I live with a huge collection of antique books, photographs (including post-mortem cabinet photos), military uniforms, weapons (including a WWI bayonet with blood pitting on the blade), and so on and I’ve never felt any “vibes” or anything. I have felt a connection to the past, but that is purely a poetic construct I have made up myself, as a student of history.

I don’t believe that inanimate objects can hold on to the energy of people who have owned them. They are just artifacts to me. Your mileage may vary.

It’s never happened to me, nope. I wonder why no one picks up on the sense of relief or positive that comes from donating?

I do agree with @Nullo

Presentation and showcasing items is very important, and I see no reason that a thrift store should not do the same. I LOVE matching up outfits and hanging them around the store.

We have an awning on our porch, and I always find fun and colorful things to hang out there to attract customers.

Out building is a really cool old house with plank flooring and a big wood stove and stone hearth. It is so cozy in the winter and has a great old time feel to it.

We have a big, wrap around front porch and we put all sorts of stuff out there too!

Recently a family of campers went hiking and were caught in a thunderstorm, they ducked in for shelter and I gave them all their choice of a free book to take back to their RV in the big campground on the river next door. They were so happy! They had not carried any money with them on their hike.

We sell tons of books to the campers. It makes my day to do a nice little something and share in the happiness.
I had a girl in the other day and there was the cutest sundress I had just hung up, with a whopping $4 price tag. lol

It was MADE for her! I encouraged her to try it on it was a perfect fit!

She was BEAMING coming out of our bathroom/dressing room! Made my day! :-)

Whenever we find something cool at Goodwill or Salvation Army stores we have to have, it is such a score ,we can hardly contain ourselves. It’s like the lottery. My wife got a pocketbook with 6 bucks inside it. She wanted to give it back but I said hell no, it was left in there for a reason although I can’t see how it got past the receiving people. Score.

Not at all as most if not all the items were donated knowing they were going to help people out by providing clothes and household items for pennies on the dollar and the donators get a nice tax write off!! Win Win warm fuzzies all the way around!

An amendment to my previous post: Goodwill does not decorate. Their style is sterile and institutional, not warm and inviting. Neither does it have the junk store’s quiet mystery to tug at your curiosity.

@Neizvestnaya Because the people who tend to shop at Goodwill smack of poverty and want. Anyway, Goodwill is not supplied from a sense of philanthropy so much as a desire to be rid of excess stuff without throwing it away.

@Fiddle_Playing_Creole_Bastard The weight of history changes a thing from merely an old doodad into an antique. It is certainly, as you say, a construct, but nevertheless it lurks.

Coloma, my idea for my question deals strictly with family members donating clothing and other articles of their loved ones that have passed away. Yes, there are a lot of bargains to be found in these stores.

I do feel a sadness when walking into Goodwill. I think it comes from knowing there is a need for places like that in the first place.

@Nullo Some, myself included, tend to be of the mindset that is doesn’t really matter why someone chooses to donate. Whether they donate out of the goodness of their hearts or because they needed to get rid of a bunch of shit, doesn’t change whatsoever the fact that their belongings still reach and help people in need. That’s part of the positivity @Neizvestnaya is referring to.

I’m not that way, but I know a few people who are. They can look at an item and tell you about the person who owned it. We double checked, and they were right.

Fascinating.

Yes, I can sense that kind of thing.

No. I don’t see giving away clothing as correlating with “suffering and pain”.

@john65pennington I know exactly what you’re talking about. I used to shop a the goodwill a lot for several reasons and a lot of the stuff comes in in drips and drabs but I could usually tell if someone had died and their kids, e.g. had cleaned out the house and donated what they didn’t want to the Goodwill because a bunch of stuff would show up one day in housewares that just seemed like it all came from the same person. That would make me sad just because I’ve been through it and know what it feels like to dispose of the personal property of someone you loved.

Weird. I’ve shopped Goodwill and Salvation Army stores since I was a little kid and have never felt sad there. Over the years I’ve found treasures, household staples and work wardrobes when I was near homeless. Even in San Francisco with it’s great numbers of homeless, the feeling wasn’t somber.

There’s a really nice second-hand store here that focuses on putting together career-ready wardrobes for people. It’s priced like Goodwill (the service is free for a lot of people) but the volunteers have merchandised and decorated it like an upscale boutique. It has none of the cluttered or desperate feeling of a Salvation Army. The shoppers are made to feel like valued customers.

That’s not depression. That’s joy for people who would not otherwise be capable of purchasing some of the things they need and can barely afford for their families.

Not at all. From what I have noticed, most of the clothes donated to Goodwill are clothes and items from people who have money and are just cleaning out their closets. Many of the items there have never been worn. I shop at Goodwill often and am very thankful for those who buy a bunch of clothes they rarely wear then ship them off to Goodwill. It saves me money!

my favorite pair of jeans and workout pants came from Goodwill. They are still in great shape.

Do they look like this @jonsblond? Or maybe these?

My Mom’s friend would get depressed when they went to second-hand stores. But a stop at the Cadillac dealers showroom on the way home always made her feel better.

@Nullo

I have to disagree with you. There is a Goodwill in the capitol city about an hour from my zone. It is in an affluent area and the donations of clothing are very nice!

I used to go in there and find the cutest stuff ever!

I have lots of friends that make good money that enjoy the thrift store scene.

My house is a blend of nice and new, a lot of higher end furniture and various pieces, as well as a goodly amount of thrift store treasures.

My furniture is all Pier One and I have a vintage persian rug, an authentic temple gong, several carved asian screens, a huge expensive painting by a local artist and then, there is the ‘Pod’ lamp, various other very unique lamps I have a lamp & lighting fetish and all sorts of thrifty, but unique items.

Some of my best friends make well over 100k a year and love thrift store shopping!

There is nothing wrong with finding bargains and in this economy you don’t have to be on poverty’s doorstep to enjoy these stores.

@john65pennington

I understand what you’re saying. I never think that purchasing items come from deceased people, I just enjoy the treasures I find.

Funny enough, I always joke about a custom portrait I had done of my goose “Marwyn.”
It is a bust of him, a chinese goose, with bamboo in the background, the chinese characters for “goose”, rattan matting, in a black laquer asian design frame.

Cost a pretty penny, and I joke about Marwyn’s portrait ending up in a thrift store someday. haha
No one will ever guess the story behind a goose and his girl! ;-)

The GoodWill helped me pick up three new outfits that I just couldn’t seem to find anywhere else. Okay okay, you might get depressed if you saw me strutting down the street in one.

@RealEyesRealizeRealLies :P…..... Nope.

I get way-hay-hay more depressed at The People of Walmart than I do with anything at the GoodWill.

@RealEyesRealizeRealLies

Haha..true! lol

OK some of the fashion found there could be somewhat dated, but still.

Walmart…home of the fat, and the ugly

I think “Family Dolla” stores are depressing. All that cheap crap for a dollar and the patrons there think they are walkin away with the store. giggedy.

My family and I always donate all our used, cleaned clothing, shoes, and home items to all the goodwill stores. I teach my kids that they must learn to appreciate what they have, for there are children who struggle everyday just in want of one meal. Yes, when I go to donate our used items there, it’s always a humbling experience for me, my wife, and my kids, but I think it’s a good experience for all of us. It may be a little depressing, but it connects us with those less fortunate because we are all part of the human experience after all.

that was….beautiful

@woodcutter Walmart….lol. oh my. too funny.

@MRSHINYSHOES I shop there often. It’s a mixed blessing but one of the reasons to go are the “colorful” people there.

@woodcutter Me too. Don’t laugh, but it’s the only store where I buy my dress socks——George’s brand black “executive length” men’s nylon dress socks. Only George makes them, and I can’t find them anywhere else. :(

@MRSHINYSHOES You donate your old, gently used shiny shoes? :-)

To me, second-hand stores & thrift stores are like a treasure hunt, you can find almost anything in them. I love shopping in these stores, I do not find anything depressing about them.

@lillycoyote Yes I do. I have donated about 5 or 6 pairs in the last few years. Worn, but always shined before I donated them.

I shop at Walmart and Dollar General because it saves me tons of money for a one income family, and I ain’t no fat ugly duckling, thank you :P

Yes. I feel a little depressed for the people who can only afford to shop there, and never get to buy a brand new anything from a fabulous store that smells good and has helpful sales staff. I know some great things can be found at second hand stores, and some stores are much better than others.

When I lived in Raleigh there was a second hand baby store. They were very particular about what they brought into the store, they bought the items. Their clothing was crisp and clean (they had a washer and dryer in the back of the store, and washed everything before it went up for sale) and the environment of the store was very inviting, it was in a location that was very safe, and the owners were very helpful.

It’s somewhat sad. I saw a lot donating the clothes from a close person after their death. I don’t think thy will bother washing and making them look good. Doesn’t make very depressed or emotional but I find it sad. Browsing through clothes / shoes / or any other item can reveal a lot about who used them or how they ended up there.

I don’t feel that way at all. Look at the clothes. 80% are for women, 20% are for men. That means the vast majority of the clothes there are just donations from people looking to clean out the closets. Most likely they outgrew them or they were a different style that no longer flatters. Sure there are cases where you are getting Uncle Harry’s clothes. So what? You are giving them a second chance at life while helping an organization that helps others. It’s all good.
Finding the clothes and items in the trash would be depressing.
A pawn shop is another matter. Like foreclosed homes, every one is a story.

I don’t think Goodwill stores have a feeling of misery about them at all. The people donating are giving goods they no longer need in the hope that someone will use them. And not everyone who shops at these stores is destitute. I know a lot of people who are not short of cash who loves such stores. I used to date a doctor, who had plenty of money, but felt it was ridiculous to pay full tote for a designer shirt or something when he could go to the Op shop and buy the same designer label for a few dollars. Also, I think lots of people see these stores as a potential gold mine in terms of finding unusual or vintage items. They are a great option for the stylish.

I once entered with the specific intent of purchasing a prosthetic limb for my friend, imagine my disappointment.

Always.

I often donate unwanted items to second hand stores and there’s n sadness in it, so I don’t feel any sadness about other people’s donations either. The only time being in a second hand shop made me depressed was many years ago when I was living well below the poverty line, and I couldn’t afford anything.

I’ve felt a little sad looking at secondhand things; it’s just the idea that some of the stuff probably belonged to someone who died and their families gave it away, or were things that overstayed their welcome when the person who owned them grew out of it.

You know, you see old stuffed animals that look like they were probably some kid’s favourite thing growing up, and now they’re sitting on the shelf for 25 cents, coffee mugs from a pre-wedding party that everyone got tired of having sit in their cupboard, plaques with cheesy poems about sisters that someone most likely received for a birthday from a sibling but didn’t really take to heart and tossed it in the giveaway pile.

For the most part though, I just relish in getting things really cheap and end up leaving in a better mood than I arrived in.

After I divorced I took my wedding dress to a thrift store. I hoped it would be re-purposed as a Halloween costume.

After all, it was owned by the original bride of Frankenstein! lol

We have two “2nd had stores ” in our town. One is run but the hospital the other by Goodwill Industries. The hospital shop is a little dark but interesting like going into your grandmother’s attic. The clerks have fun and enjoy their job and work on presentation. I think presentation is a big important part of a retail business.

The Goodwill store is big and well lighted but kind of the way the old mall is big and well lighted so every flaw shows. Presentation could be classified as K-Mart classic. The clerks are nice but don’t seem to really be interested in the store. I found myself wishing that I could help but I don’t much about presentation either and I am sort of a color blind decorator.

But as for depress, no not really. I take some kind of morbid thrill when I buy work shirts there. I feel that I am wearing some dead guy’s clothes. I enjoy it, my wife hates the shirts I buy there.

What depresses me about it is when it’s the only places I can get clothes at cuz I’m too poor to buy anything new, and when I have to go pawn my DS because I’m broke.

I see what you’re saying though. The feel of a goodwill place is certainly different than a store. It’s not always a bad feeling, but it can be. Ghosts live there, so to speak.

Yes; In the poor areas, it becomes depressing to me, not only because the clothes are worn out and aren’t quality brands, but because the clientele who shop there are low-income families. The thrift stores in larger, wealthier cities have more decent clothes, although it’s a challenge for me to find professional clothes there, too, due to other women looking for the same brands that I am! (I look for higher-end brands because wearing better brands earns me more respect from other people. Otherwise, people mistake me for a teenager, and treat me disrepectfully.)

I now understand why some people are willing to pay retail prices. No offense, but it becomes frustrating, tiring, and depressing to shop around poor, senior citizens, or single parents with screaming, rowdy children all the time.

I envy people who shop at Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, etc. I wish I could. It must be nice to be surrounded by well-dressed and educated clientele.