The items I brought to the counter did not have a price which seems to be a common thread in reviews. I didn't really need them, but I could have bought them if I felt comfortable with spur of the moment pricing practices. It didn't feel right so I said I would pass. Then, the man behind the counter who instantly got irritated with me said: " Well, put it back then!" ??????????????????????????? Seriously?????? read more

This place is awesome! I was able to buy some good books for $1 each! Will definitely go back for more!

This place is ridiculous. They have a ton of furniture left on the curb, with no price tag on it. Apparently they need a "license to put prices on items outside". Most of the items in the store do not have prices either so they are just lazy. Incompetent and rude employees. Not even a note on the furniture outside to inquire about prices at the register. Don't give your money to this business, they just assume everyone is stealing and take your bags as soon as you walk into the store. read more

The owner is very kind, has a dry personality but treats customers respectfully. The other employees are very warm, kind enough to wrap your purchases and even offer boxes and bags to carry things home. It takes patience to go through the sections of the store and decide on what you'd like to purchase, but the staff is friendly if you have any questions (they often even know the status of electronics for sale). The employees deal with a lot of BS, people come in haggling, playing games with the employees to strike a deal, loitering and I'm sure it's tough. I'll continue to shop here. read more

None of the employees were wearing masks, and the ones that had face shields rarely kept them over their faces. None of them were moving "heavy furniture" as previous comments have said- they were simply organizing CDs and folding things. It wasn't particularly hot in the store either, so there are really no excuses for this behavior. Furthermore, one of the employees at the register appeared to be a ~12 year old child?? Do not shop here if you care about your health and safety. The store is filthy and the owners clearly don't care about public health. EDIT: per the response I received (which was very rude), this was my first time in the store so I'm not sure why the owner is claiming to know who I am... super weird dude read more

Went beyond my expectations. I always pass this place thinking they must have expensive vintage furniture, but upon entering, they had endless amounts of kitchenware, clothes, decorations, electronics, furniture, and so much more for incredible prices. The staff was very very friendly and attentive, and I will definitely be visiting quite often. Would recommend to anyone that loves thrifting or wants to get into it. Also, they are constantly cleaning and require masks, no exceptions. The staff members also wore face shields. 12/10 read more

I have been here in about a year or two, but I always find something I kikevthat doesn't cost a million dollars. I bought a beautiful white wooden cabinet that the guy said came from a 100 year old house. I said, " that's perfect because my house was built in 1910! This cabinet found its forever home right here. read more

So we went here previously and thought it was terrible. Didn't think I'd visit again, but we had been at the ever-wonderful Edgewater Antique mall and had some time so hubby talked me into trying it again. It's still crammed with stuff but seemed slightly better organized than previously. I have a secret Santa to shop for, and my goodness were they crammed with Christmas items. Prices were great. Even scored a couple real antique ornaments for yard sale prices. Service was good too. We'll be back. But--as with so many of these places--bring your hand sanitizer! :) read more

This is the only place I could find that would pick up furniture during the Covid crisis. They did a great job, were very thorough, efficient, and nice to work with. read more

Lots of junk that they get a ton for free. Basically it's from people moving and they even charge the people to come get their junk. They don't price anything and like someone said, they price based on how they feel. You would think that Bill, the manager was the owner because he is stingy as heck with pricing. I stopped going here because every time I'd leave annoyed. read more

Today I bought a chair and ottoman combo and am extremely happy with the delivery service!! Very quick and helpful! Highly recommend!

Truly a thrift store. Poorly organized, lots of miscellaneous items and absolutely no organization. It was a bit on the dirty side but the items offered are on the cheap side. Furniture was less than desirable - most of it, I wouldn't touch. This was a one-time stop for me. read more

Buyers Beware!!Beware of this store especially when buying jewelry.Mine is a cautionary tale that cost me a loss $300 Even with all the Judge Judy, Judge Mathis and People's Court episodes I've watched,I feelI was conned by an employee named Bill. This robbery caught me without reserving or insisting upon a receipt, , which if you read other reviews,is a common practice at this store.Not issuing receipts is also a common characteristic among thieves who bypass money from store registers to their own pockets, not Thad I witnessed that happening.But when I can attest to is that I was sold a gold piece of jewelry for $300 that was not gold. Wen I was refused a refund, and tried to reason with Bill, he threatened to call the police which he did Bill was rude to them which made them sympathetic to me.Sadly, the police could do little for me based on the cleverness of this swindler.Bill had admit he sold me the jewelry ,But refused the police's re guest to perform a gold test on the idea.The police advised I should hire a lawyer. I'm sure the store will Lennon its many "no refunds" signs to defend itself,however this was a case of misrepresentation.Selling gold is a crime in my opinion and I'm sure the opinion of the public.It's a same because a store like this does have value to the community, but that value is diminished by such a rude man,like Bill and by ripping people off as in my case. Hi doesn't have to be that way. I'm sure Bill knows that Court lawyers are expensive and not an option for me, bat there are lawyers who can advise how to file a complaint with the State Attorney's Office and small claims for a nominal fee a lawyer will also show me how a501 C3 charity would have unacceptable accounting practices by not issuing cash .Could one of this readers of this review be one of the lawyers? read more

The windows displays are deceiving. This place smells moldy, is dingy, poorly lit and most items are not priced correctly. So, if you look like you have the money to spend, your price might be higher than someone dressed tattered and poorly. Price tags are missing on many items. Ask for the price one day, come in tomorrow ask again, might be a cheaper price! It's just a bunch of nothing in here. Old clothes. Stinky books and used and haggard everything. Not one of the best vintage stores, I've been in. You might get lucky and find something you really want if you can stop sneezing. Happy Hunting! Not only does this place smell moldy and stink, the owner berates reviewers that are not to his liking. Not a very good way to run a business. Downgraded from two to one (1) star. Awful place! read more

Green Element is such a great little spot for the Edgewater and Roger's Park community. I love having a place close by that readily accents my donations when I decide to Marie Kondo my apartment for the 10th time. This place has so many hidden gems towards the back as well, so it makes for a wonderful spot to score a great deal on accent furniture. read more

Really nice resale shop! I was able to get a cardigan, crew beck sweatshirt, wool blazer, and plaid ralph lauren blazer for $44. Not organized at all but you can truly find some gems in here if you are willing to look. great book section and coats for everyone. read more

Green Element Resale - Thrift Stores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Thanks for still being there. I remember this place from 10 years ago, but didn't imagine it could improve so much. Not only have they greatly improved the interior, but the inventory has taken a step up and the prices have remained at levels only slightly above FREE(!). read more

Friendly, quick and great bargains! Love my 1920's dresser, they even had delivery. Thanks so much! read more

Green Element Resale - Early model waterfall dresser. 1918-1929 - Thrift Stores Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Been going for years - and they've made some amazing progress with organization recently. If you are looking for an old school thrift this is the spot. All the negative reviews sound like ppl expecting some trendy resale shop but this is a through and through THRIFT. It's teeming with treasures but so overstocked it can be overwhelming for customers AND the staff (especially since good deal are volunteers i believe). Some of my absolute favorite glassware, jewelry, decor, blanket(s) and clothes have been from this shop. 12/10 read more

A trifecta of 1 part junk yard, 1 part thrift store and 1 part your gay best friend died and you inherited his stuff. Mishmashed mid-century furniture mixed with 1970's zodiac sign scotch glasses. Of which I almost bought but resisted. (What I don't drink scotch anymore....shoot me.) The employees are very sweet and helpful. Genuinely interested in your finds and willing to help you find MORE! Love the upsell, guys! There are some lovely gems mixed in with some riff raff but the atmosphere is genuine and a true thrift store which I love but my friend really couldn't stand the dust around. Occupational hazard, I say.... Obviously, the items are always changing and you have to dig a little but it is cheaper than the chain thrift store and it is a non-profit with all proceeds going to a charity. A little wiggle room with the prices, but they are a business. Not a garage sale, a cute little sign told me that. I agree.....don't try to get something for free. They have overhead costs too, people! Of course I will be back, had a great time shopping. I like digging for gems and then finding them! 2 pairs of shoes, 1 from the 50's, 1 from the 80's, a lovely tunic PJ pants set, and an army jacket...$25. Not bad. Not bad at all. Richard is a lovely man, he checked us out, not sure if he is the owner...seemed to be. He was very sweet and from my home state of Iowa so shout out to us thrifty Iowans! We know how to find the good stuff! read more

PLEASE READ (sorry so long!) I still have a bitter taste in my mouth. Please can we change the hours for this resale shop on Yelp? Does this place close at 7 or 8? Yelp says 8pm and the sign in front of the store says 8pm as well. I've been going to this resale shop since I started school at loyola in 2012 and I have had nothing but good things to say. But after today, I will never step foot in this store ever again. My sister and I love thrifting, vintage shopping, and looking for random things. We got to the store around 6:30pm and my sister went to the table/bin of photos and spent a good 30minutes digging through to find some vintage photos she really liked. I reminded her that they will not charge anything on a card under $10 which is understandable. When we went to pay at 7:15pm (mind you we were the only customers left in the store and we understood the store was closing), the older gentlemen told us our total was $2.20 for 10 small photos. We did not have cash so my sister dug through her coin purse and had $1.50. When she asked to see which photos she wanted to put back, he replied, "Sorry Its 7:15, I can't ring you out. We're closed. You can come back tomorrow and buy them." And then we awkwardly just walked out in shock. So my sister dug through the piles of photos (that no one probably wants) all for nothing. I understand that they closed at 7 and we were there til 7:15, but he could not take the 20 seconds for my sister to put the ones she didn't want back? Where's the customer service? Very rude. Thanks for nothing. Will tell everyone that asks about this shop to never walk in. Just loss some customers. (We are pretty tolerable people when it comes to bad customer service, but this definitely ruined our saturday night) read more

Looking for a disorganized junk store with surly, unhelpful staff and questionable business practices? Then look no further; this is your place! I stumbled upon the store a few months back and got some shorts for the summer. It was an okay experience, although I found the staff rather unfriendly. A few weeks later I saw a mirror in the front window I liked, and I stopped in to check the price. Much to my surprise, there was no price on it, nor on any mirror in the store. The staff person who helped me seemed to make up prices as I looked at different mirrors through out the store, all of them incredibly high. Then a few weeks ago I stopped in just to browse and found a replacement bowl for my ice cream maker. It was on a shelf by itself with a lid on it. No price again. As I didn't have any cash on me, i left it. I went back today to see if it was still there. It was, so I brought it to the front to buy. The guy at the front desk (I believe the owner) literally ripped the bowl out of my hand and said he couldn't sell it to me. He said it had gotten separated from the unit that's supposed to house it and he couldn't sell it like this. It didn't matter that it had been sitting on its own for several weeks. And he made no attempt to see if I'd like to buy the entire unit. He just said he wouldn't sell it to me. And now he'll never have to worry about selling me anything again. read more

This is a true resale "junking" store. Well organized and chaotic at the same time; which suits it just fine. Excellent staff - super friendly and helpful. All of the prices are very fair. I bought a box of potting pot and utensils, gloves, a few black and white pictures and several books and the cost was about $16.00. This also included two large, brass wall planter hangers. Those along would have been at least $10.00 each in a big name or retail priced store. All of the glass and pottery were well wrapped and boxed for me. I am a big fan and plan to go back soon. read more

They have now priced the items which is helpful. Staff are very friendly and they have improved their organization so there is no need to hunt for treasures. My only issue is their dressing room. They only have one and it's cramped and not very private as it's cover with a knee length curtain. I'd buy more clothes if I could try them on. read more

I was so excited about this place opening in our hood. We have quite a few great antique markets but we really need a junk store. Make no mistake, this place is filled with crap. There are piles of things in disrepair all over the space...and that is absolutely fine. If you're like me and love going through piles of crap and finding something that you can fix up or put some love and time into, this is your store. But the owner is charging ridiculous prices. I've given them three shots. Each time I've gone in with the intent of buying something and supporting a new business in my hood but the owner insists on calling broken pictures "vintage" and marking them at prices found across the street at the antique market. I can't imagine he can ever sell the furniture he has in the back...absurd prices. I'm not going to be bitchy and give one star because I really hope that he can hear what's being said and turn the business plan around. I understand that you want to support a charity, but it is your charity of choice, not the customers...we aren't prepared to overpay because you have a charity in mind. I think Green Element can be a real addition to our area and a great counterpart to the antique markets...just, please, please stop confusing old and worn with 'vintage chic' and start thinking of it as a junk shop. read more

Stopped in here today with some friends looking for a desk and left with something even better. CLOTHES! They had a pair of neon shorts for 2 bucks, the type you would find at forever 21 but better and with the 50% off all clothing, purses, and kitchen wear it was only a dollar! Whatttt? Not to mention this nice vintage running jacket for only 2 bucks! All in all $3.30 for a pair of shorts and a jacket, and my items were bagged in a reusable drawstring bag. Talk about awesome! First class service for sure. They have everything from vintage board games to chandeliers and everything else in between, just be prepared to dig. read more

It's convenient and close and has a great selection of books, shoes, dvds, clothes, furniture, you name it! Unfortunately, it's only slightly less expensive than Target. I bought a sweater there once - simple sweater- and the guy said for a single Sweater it was seven dollars because it was 'mossimo.' Mossimo is a brand you can buy at Target and that exact sweater, brand new, was only ten bucks if I had bought it from the supplier. There was a couch with a hole they wanted 300 bucks for. Perhaps most memorable was a rolling clothes rack with rust I was asked to pay thirty dollars for. I got the exact same one brand new for twenty bucks later that day. Is this a resale shop or an antique store? Also, reading responses to the reviews it's a little aggravating that the owner only sees criticisms as personal and not constructive. Additionally, I know you're worried about theft, but it stinks buying clothes blindly because I can't try them on in the changing room where the curtain barely reaches my knees and my silhouette is visible. As a woman, that's a terrifying scenario. Even a blackout curtain that's eight inches closer to the floor would be an improvement. I know the owner is going to respond saying that they're a small business and theft kills them, which is fair. However, people not buying things kills business as well and I, as well as my other women friend are terrified to use your changing room, sir. I recommend purchasing shoes, movies and books from Green Element. Everything else is severely overpriced. Also, for a place that doesn't claim to be Walmart or Target in their online summary, why do your prices resemble them? read more

Green Element Resale is what a resale store should be: a resale store. I don't get all the fights about the pricing in the other reviews below, this place is super cheap for most items. Sometimes I'll grab a few items to make sure that I'm over the $10 credit card minimum, and they'll tell me that my handfulls of stuff still don't total over ten bucks. Well, alrighty then- I can go grab some more! I've found very good clothing here, including a number of blazers and a suit or two that- after a quick tailoring job elsewhere- are worth a few hundred apiece. One of my best finds was a leather bag that would've cost me around $250 new, for maybe $6 here? I love how huge the place is too, and Richard is always super friendly to me when I'm there. The one complaint is that there's no dressing room. There IS a space in the back with a mirror that's sort of private that I can usually try on dress shirts, but it's still open, so I can't exactly try on pants or dresses. But I think they have plans to fix this, if they haven't already. That'd be great! read more

An interesting hodge podge of items. They have every possibility of things you do not need but may want. Quite abit of furniture and lamps. Priced expensively? Not sure but not a steal. Forgot to look through clothes. Many books. Helpful staff. Do not expect it to have a Goodwill/Village look to it. They do get 4 stars for all they have. You may find that one thing you have been looking for. read more

It is very easy to get lost in here; there are so many things to look at. I love coming here when I want to clear my head or buy little things that i need. Green Element has a good number of books, clothing, furniture, vintage things, etc. You would be amazed, but you can also find post cards! Great local thrift store for us that live in Edgewater neighborhood. read more

I live far away, but saw an ad in the Reader, thinking it might be an interesting new adventure. The site listed had nothing to do with the store. I found it by looking up the name of GER...still looked like it was worth a stop...WRONG!!! What a craphole. I am a frequent shopper of thrifts, garage, and estate sales where everything has a price on it. Not so in this store...the man behind the register told me that they make up a price when you bring an item to the register...seriously??? I have bargained with the Turks in the markets of Istanbul... even they have a starting price from which to begin the bargaining process. I hate it when prices are made up by judging the way a person looks; thinking, how much the person will pay. This is a lousy way to do business. I can only imagine a busy Saturday with people lined up just to find out what something costs. Plus most of the bric-a-brac, dinnerware, and decorative items were filthy and/or broken. At least, most of the furniture in the back section had prices on masking tape...but some of the furniture was beyond restoration. Then there are the unpriced containers of broken parts of broken things that are nothing but garbage. This is absolutely the worst thrift store I have ever entered in my 59 years of life. Needless to say, I will never return. read more

If you are looking for clothes, shoes, vhs tapes, or books, this is the place! Kind of small layout in the front of the store. The clothes racks were very close together. But, it was interesting to look around. They also have a few glass pieces, random knick nacks, and furniture in the back. read more

It's a little dirty and cluttered but cheap. I sneezed when looking at dusty cards, but also they have so so many books for such a great price. The furniture seems overpriced, or at least, they quoted me a super high price for a tiny little foot stool. Maybe because I look like a white college student whose parents pay everything like a lot of people at Loyola? Unknown. Prices aren't on things but they have some signs for general items. $10 min. on cards, which I guess they have on signs but there are SO many signs everywhere. The items, they have literally everything you could need here. read more

Had this company lined up to come empty my house. They told me to bag and box everything, which I did when guys got here on scheduled day they took NOTHING told me it was to much and they didn't have room. Very poor customer service wouldn't recommend to anyone for anything. Driver told me they were doing me a favor coming out. read more

Here is the most important thing I learned when I started visiting Green Element: they get new stuff in every day they are open. Fortunately it's only a few blocks from my place (and just steps off the Granville Red LIne CTA stop) so I drop by now and then to see what kinds of things I can find. I've pretty much outfitted my place with stuff from here. Today I purchased a large rectangular vase with colored pebbles which -- between the vase and the pebbles -- would easily have cost me more than $50-$60 at Bed, Bath and Beyond. $15. The place is huge and packed with stuff, but if you are into exploring you'll be walking around and suddenly see this one thing that would be great in your place, whether it be furniture (from a few dollars for a lamp to estate furniture pieces) knick-knacks or framed pics you can't believe someone threw away. I also got some end-of-summer name brand polo shirts in my size for a buck each. And it's all for charity, which is a plus. Rummaging through thrift stores is favorite pastime of mine, and this THE place in Edgewater to do so. read more

This place is heaven for me. I turn to green element for gifts, tableware and mugs, candles, art and picture frames, pillows, antique pictures, and even clothes. this place has it all! my only complaint is that the furniture can be overpriced - sometimes you get lucky though! if you are spending less than 10 dollars, you need to pay in cash - keep that in mind! read more

The Green Element Resale is a great local business that offers something for everyone. Their stock of unique items constantly changes, so stop in weekly and you will be sure to find everything and anything. The staff are all knowledgeable and friendly and always willing to help you find that special gift or item. I have heard they have a back room (upstairs) where they sell dogs and cats, but you need to ask the staff for access. Green Element Resale is what makes Edgewater a special place. Recently I purchased a mattress, box spring, dishes and steak knives for use at my condo. Most of my furniture is from Green Element, including my armoire. read more

An absolutely awful experience happened today that I feel most should take into account before shopping at this store. While shopping this afternoon at Green Element, I witnessed the manager yelling at a customer. The customer had been negotiating with him about a price for a lamp, and was asking if he could also lower the price for another piece of merchandise. He proceeded to shout at her in front of other customers, yelling about how "What she was doing wasn't funny," and that "any item under $25 was non-negotiable." There are multiple issues with his statements. Very few of the items in the store are actually marked with a price, which makes it difficult to know how much anything actually costs at the store. Along with this, I have never seen a sign saying that any item under $25 is non-negotiable. If there is a sign saying this, he's assuming that it's in a place easy to find (it isn't- nothing in the store is) and that everyone reading it speaks/reads English, which is an unfair assumption. While I don't know this woman's story or much about her, I know that the way she was treated was absolutely unacceptable. It seemed to me that this woman was in a place financially where it was necessary to negotiate her items to a price that was as low as possible, and while it may be store policy to have any price under $25 final, the way he treated her was completely unfair, insincere, and hurtful. This incident isn't only harmful to the woman he was shouting at, it was making every other customer in the store visibly uncomfortable because of his actions. I feel extremely claustrophobic in this store (something I'll get to later), and his shouting only worked to make me feel more anxious and unsettled in this store. I know I've said it before, but it's really important to emphasize that absolutely nothing that he did was anywhere NEAR appropriate behavior for a manager. This isn't the only issue I've had with him. I've come to purchase items at the store three times, and each time I've had an unpleasant encounter. The store has developed photos for sale, three for a dollar, and I would come to purchase these for a semester-long project I was working on. Each time I'd do this, he'd be aggressive and ask me why I was buying them, and said that "he doesn't understand why people keep buying them," and "doesn't know why I'm getting these if I don't know anyone in the photos." If you don't want people to buy these photos, don't put them up for sale. While this isn't my primary concern about the business, it's led to upsetting and anxiety-filled shopping experiences. The store itself is not kept neatly. It's hard to find a lot of things, and while the aisles itself are fairly clear, the items on the shelves seem to look like they're organized at random. Like I said earlier, if there was any sign stating their $25 rule, it wasn't clear to see, because the moment you enter the store the shelves are stacked so thickly that it's difficult to know where to look. The store is extremely overwhelming, and seems to be somewhat unmanageable for the staff they have. Obviously, I know this place is a non-profit. I know that this can make it difficult to manage a business. Had the employees and owner been more approachable, willing to help, and seemed to actually enjoy their jobs, I would be able to look past the issue of the store's upkeep. Normally, I try to avoid the store and go other places that I feel that myself and other customers are more welcomed, but today it was my last resort. After the experience today, I don't know the likelihood of coming back, and I'd recommend others rethink before shopping here, too. read more

I was here looking for some furniture on a whim a couple nights ago, and I thought it was great! I got a toaster oven for $5 (WHAT A DEAL), and we also picked up a mahogany dresser for $40 (WHAT A DEAL). There's some really excellent furniture here - they had a four-piece dresser set that looked brand new and so beautiful - and there's also some excellent deals, as I've proven. I'm going to come back and paw through the mirrors at some point - they have a huge selection of really large mirrors in all shapes and frames in the back, and I can't wait to get my hands on one of them! read more

I have been driving past this little gem and had no idea that it was there, shame on me! I dragged my father in with me and we had a hoot in the store! I work rescue and found a very large crate in mint condition for $25. yeah! more dogs to save! I can't wait to donate goods to the store. I take issue with the salvation army so this will be a nice replacement for me. I did find a great dresser, but the price was a bit out there for me. Other than that, its a fantastic little treasure for the neighborhood. I hope to continue shopping and finding more fun items for my home! read more