Navigating the San Antonio thrifting scene can be daunting. Fear not; experienced Trinity thrifters will tell you the best places near campus to thrift for clothes, luxury items and furniture — and how to navigate the racks to find your very own thrifted treasure.

Not all thrift stores cater to the same audience. Thrift stores price and collect their stock differently depending on the type of customer they want to attract. For a more traditional thrifting experience, Family Thrift Outlet, on Vance Jackson Road, and Buffalo Exchange Outlet and Boysville Thrift Store, both on Olmos Drive, are great thrift options close to campus. Each of these stores offer great merchandise at reasonable prices.

Thrifter Anna Heikes, junior earth and environmental geoscience major, notes that some of her favorite items come from thrift stores. Buffalo Exchange Outlet is a go-to for her when looking for hidden treasures.

“From Boysville, I got a blue plush bathrobe that I’ve had for years, and it’s amazing. I have found shoes at Boysville. … I think Buffalo [Exchange Outlet] is really good for price, especially if you shop during their half off or their sales,” Heikes said.

For those seeking luxury or name brand items on a budget, Otra Vez Couture Consignment on McCullough Avenue and Too Good To Be Threw on San Pedro Avenue cater towards high-end clothing thrifters. Notably, these stores are classified as “consignment” rather than “thrift stores” since they pay donors for their clothing and are more strict with what stock they accept. However, consignment stores still provide second hand clothing at a more reduced price compared to traditional clothing stores.

“I know they [Too Good to be Threw] have Lululemon, they have Adidas, they have really good name-brand stuff like that. Yes, you’re going to be paying more than you would at a regular thrifting store, but it is nice because you don’t have to look through it as much,” Heikes said.

Additionally, many thrift stores offer low- cost furniture. Antiques on Hildebrand, located on Hildebrand Avenue, is an affordable furniture option available close to campus — an option that only gets more affordable if you’re willing to haggle. Charlotte Sloan, junior English major, enjoys shopping at Antiques on Hildebrand for unique dorm decor.

“I decorated my dorm for like 24 bucks for the whole thing. The owner there does negotiations, except you don’t have to negotiate with her, she just marks down the price no matter what. It’s kind of funny,” Sloan said.

Once you have picked the desired store, the next obstacle is to learn how to shuffle through the stock to find something worthy of purchase. Lilah Wheat, junior environmental studies and anthropology double-major, expressed a more open-minded view of thrifting in her tips. She suggests letting interesting clothing speak for itself rather than looking for specific items.

“[Just look] through everything on the rack, if something’s interesting to you, even if you don’t know exactly how you’re gonna wear it — you’re interested in it for a reason. Pick it up,” Wheat said.

In that same sense, new thrifters shouldn’t be afraid to venture into the store’s various sections. Every rack should be fully examined, regardless of if it applies to you or your desired thrifting find.

“I will go look through the men’s section and look for pants. … Men’s pants are where it’s at,” Heikes said. “Another tip I would give: look at the return racks because those [have the] good stuff that people have already picked out.”

One final tip would be to shop small and local. Not only do smaller businesses price their merchandise more reasonably than larger chains, but the experience can also feel more welcoming.

“Honestly, I was kind of scared [of thrifting] at first. I’d start at a small place. … You really get to know [the employees] if you go often,” Sloan said. “The thrift store I grew up going to was really small, and [one of the employees there would] always welcome me in, she knew me by name, and she was just very helpful. I love those connections as well.”