For true aficionados, thrifting is more than a shopping strategy — it’s a way of life.
Kate Baumgartner, Portland resident and thrifting aficionado, was bitten by the bargain-hunting bug early. Her family still chuckles recollecting the 5-year-old girl shouting up the stairs, “Grandpa, get your wallet, there’s a garage sale down the street!”
In 2025 she pledged to buy only secondhand goods. “Most of what we want and need already exists,” she says, “so how can I take it upon myself to go find that thing?” Initially intending to try the experiment in the first quarter of the year, Baumgartner found it easier than expected. “I kind of rewired my brain to look different places, write down things that I need and think about them for a while, and stop scrolling and opening every sale email I got,” she says. Except for a few small exceptions on vacations, she finished the year having thrifted everything but food. Baumgartner’s still riding high on a $6 suede jacket — it fits her perfectly — and she’s excited about styling her 90-year-old house with finds that fit its historic vibe.
If this sounds familiar or strikes a new chord within, Portland’s the place for you. Values such as being creative, sustainable, individual and perhaps a touch rebellious dovetail nicely with a shopping trip. Here are some places to try for a fun and frugal adventure in the city and its neighboring communities in the Portland region.
Where to Shop for Bargains in Portland
Although there are plenty of larger chain outlets like Goodwill and Value Village, Portland’s offerings run from charity shops and consignment stores to vendor malls and resale operations.
Village Merchants in Southeast Portland is a hopping neighborhood consignment emporium with constantly new stock and reasonable prices. Besides shoes and clothes, you’ll also find very nice jewelry at good prices, along with tons of housewares, decorations and craft supplies. Find more resale shops four blocks west of here, including the popular Artifact. Crafters can access a glorious kaleidoscope of materials at SCRAP PDX, dedicated to creative re-use of materials like fabric, gift wrap, yarn, paintbrushes and endless bits and pieces.
Housed in a former car dealership, Hollywood Vintage is a giant multi-vendor market in Northeast Portland. Here you’ll find clothes of every aesthetic, from grunge T-shirts and flannel to authentic garments from as far back as the 1950s. It’s historically been a costume supply store, so you’ll also find new wigs, stockings, sunglasses and such. Be sure to go down every staircase you see. One of them leads to a separate business, The Market Downstairs, with a glitzier vibe and some super eye-catching, stage-grade old costumes once rented by the vintage shop upstairs.
At William Temple House, just northwest of downtown, every purchase helps provide resources for low-income local residents. It’s large, tidy and well organized, with a higher-priced boutique zone near the entrance. Plunge in deeper and you’ll find most clothes are under $10. Heavily discounted items are helpfully sorted onto separate racks by size. With dressing rooms, a bathroom, and a store tabby named Julio, it’s a great store for digging deep. In addition to attire, it has the usual housewares and furniture.
Find Values in Portland’s Neighborhood Thrift Destinations
Some of Portland’s neighborhoods are known as secondhand destinations, such as the Hawthorne district, where at least half a dozen independent shops share the neighborhood with consignment chains like Buffalo Exchange and Crossroads Trading. Red Light Clothing Exchange has a rich selection of vintage and party wear; House of Vintage is a giant vendor mall where prices and inventory range wildly; Alien Mermaid Cove has a wacky festival aesthetic where upcycled garments share the racks with vintage goodies.
Shirtzenpantz is a mini-chain of thrift stores. Check out the Hillsdale neighborhood location, 4 miles south of downtown Portland. The project of two brothers, Owen and Ethan Gail, it went viral for rock kicking (no joke, check the Instagram page). It fulfills the quirky promise posed by its social media presence, with poetry and grandma-made fiber art on the walls and free-cookie Fridays. Look for creative games or offers to get a discount when you check out. They have a new shop downtown and a third location in St. Johns, in far North Portland, with a $5 basement section.
Since 1975 The Mustard Seed Thrift Store & Book Nook has been a classic church-basement charity shop in Woodstock, 6 miles southeast of downtown. The clean, organized selection of clothes keeps me coming back, despite the limited hours. Just down the street are small vendor mall Red Fox Vintage and Piccolina Portland, featuring kids’ and maternity items.
The Montavilla neighborhood, about 6 miles east of downtown, has a bunch of fun resale stores. Groovy, psychedelic Wink Vintage has racks of legit 1960s and 1970s finds, priced like the rare collectibles they are. At the other end of the price spectrum is the PACS Thrift Store, about 2 miles farther east, a huge low-priced store with occasional gems. And don’t miss The Arc Thrift Boutique. Pleasantly small and well curated, you can survey it well in 10 minutes, but it rewards a closer look. Head north three miles to Rerun — repeatedly voted one of the best thrift stores in the city by readers of Willamette Week — where you’ll be delightfully overwhelmed by two stories of affordable consignment clothes, housewares and more.
Get Thrifty Elsewhere in the Portland Region
If you’re heading to the Oregon Coast or just looking for a day trip, communities west of Portland offer many thrifting adventures. Just 8 miles west of Portland, there’s Gung Ho Ministries, which raises funds for veterans. The shop sells a highly curated selection of top-condition garments in an 1880 house downtown. Expect a welcoming, boutique experience, with occasional pop-ups such as wine tasting and art sales. Bring clothes to donate for a 20% discount on your purchase. While you’re in the neighborhood, check out Assistance League of Portland for more high-caliber clothing; The Vault Vintage Clothing Boutique for gowns and fancy dresses; and Forager Vintage for a woodsy wardrobe mix and new jewelry, gifts and accessories. Pro tip: Nike and Columbia Sportswear are headquartered in Beaverton, so there’s often high-quality shoes and sporty wear.
Over a hundred vendors in 12,000 square feet at The Garage Sale Warehouse offer attire in every category along with collectibles, instruments, and even honey and plants. You’ll find the two-story vendor mall in Tigard, 11 miles south of Portland.
Fifteen miles east of downtown, Gresham’s Main City Fashion consignment store offers a broad selection of current fashions and costume jewelry at good prices. Stroll a couple blocks to side-by-side Twisted Treasures and Side Hustle Auctions & Thrift, both of which offer eclectic selections of preowned clothing, accessories and tchotchkes, along with collectibles and new gifts, handcrafts, and jewelry.
