Went today for the first time, definitely over hyped. They did have a lot of merchandise from clothing, shoes, household items, pillows, comforters, curtains, etc. However staff is very rude and prices are high for claiming to be large discount store. I did end up leaving with 3 items however they were cheap and seemed worth it. Many brands like free people, urban outfitters, PacSun, Anthropologie, Maurice's, Loft, Nike, champion however still overpriced. Many of the furniture was damaged and still overpriced. Definitely a one time visit spot for me. read more

Some nice things here. But quite a few items have issues...rips, stains, zippers etc. But the worst part is that nothing is priced. Things are hanging on racks or piled on a table with a price sign on it. But I found that many items I picked up from $24.99 racks rang up as $49.99. There is just no way to know what you will get charged. And it's not like they're scanning a barcode or anything to people upfront hold up the item and decide on a price. Many of the items are overpriced. I agree with what the others say that you're better off going to Marshalls in TJ Maxx. It's a frustrating experience read more

I agree with others a lot of hype surrounding this place. The prices are not super cheap but the items are good brands. Check your purchases there are no refunds, exchanges or returns. I think you can find one or two items at reasonable prices but you have to look and take your time. It's a cool place to waste time in the winter. Customer service was just okay. read more

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Make sure you have on comfy shoes and have a good chunk of time to sort through hundreds upon hundreds of racks, tables and boxes of a wide variety of clothes. Everything from sweaters and dresses to bathing suits and boxers. The furniture section was overpriced and the assortment not so exciting. I recognized a lot of clothing items from Urban Outfitters and Anthropology. Some great deals on clothes can be found - but you will earn it looking for them! read more

Wide selection of items new not used good price , hard to find sizes due to all items, very easy to find

I went today for my first time and I will say that I wasn't impressed. They had a massive selection on clothes, yes, but I didn't see great value when it comes to pricing. I feel there's better deals at most Marshalls and TJ Maxx stores. Even Nordstrom Rack has better deals. There wasn't any air conditioning, so it was stuffy as well. The staff was very friendly though. I was there for about an hour and walked out empty handed which is a rare occurrence on my end. I was told by the man that manage the door that it is best to go on Thursdays when they get their new inventory. Apparently, they completely refresh their clothes and shoes every week. I don't think I will return though. read more

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Fun place to look around in. Slowest cashiers/checkout lines I've ever been in. Feeling straight up suicidal by the time I get to the register. Last time i waited this long in a line, I got to ride Space Mountain after. I seriously dont understand how they make it take so long. Something has to be done. read more

I first went when they were at their Naugatuck location, it was very exciting to visit a vast warehouse full of discount Anthropologie clothing but the unfortunate reality was that everything was a total mess except for clothing that was extremely large sizes which was relatively untouched. Clothes flung all over the place, stretched out, tried on, hard to find the correct sizes and most of the leftover clothing is the stuff no one wanted in the retail stores to begin with. Pairs of shoes were separated from their mates, you'd find one potential shoe size and had to search for its mate, and the selection was just like the clothes, leftover styles no one really wants. Some of the furniture was damaged, missing knobs etc. and not well made. May look interesting and stylish on Anthro's website but in real life, cheap quality junk. My friend tried to buy a rug from a box that stated they were all $5. She went to pay and left the rug at the table because the cashier claimed it was $24.99. If you have nothing better to do and have never been, whether the old location or the newer one in Shelton, it's a good place to look around just to see what's out there, you might get lucky, but do pay attention to the prices, take photos of the items you want to buy and the price signage where the item is located so the cashier doesn't try to pul a fast one on you. read more

love this warehouse so much great merchandise to shift through. you will also find some outstanding prices on high end merchandise. carefully inspect all items you purchase. No returns or refunds. open limited days. read more

Crazy busy, but lots of cool stuff! I've been to this huge warehouse retail store a few times and it's also pretty crowded and messy! Bins and bins, and racks and racks and shelves and shelves of clothes, bags, and shoes! If you comes here, pack your patience because there's a lot to sift through! They carry name brands like Anthro, Free People, Maurice's, Madewell, etc. in the back there are home goods, housewares, and furniture. I bought several kimonos and tops, and my friend got a great deal on an Anthro mural wall hanging. The discounts are quite significant so the prices are a benefit for your purse! There are many folks here who load up huge rolling carts to the brim and re-sell the items online on eBay and Poshmark. read more

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Retail 101 in Shelton CT has tons of resellers filling up large carts with clothes and other items. There's not a lot of really good items left once they're finished. I didn't find anything that I liked, it looked like a lot of rejects from various stores. The prices aren"t that great either. read more

Well, having been to the previous location in Naugatuck a few times, I was expecting this new location to be a bigger, better version of that! Well, it is bigger and it does have more of a selection - especially of housewares, furniture, and Prom dresses. The issue is that the staff at the registers misrepresent and straight-up lie about the prices of their already *extremely* overpriced items as they go. The cashiers disregard marked prices on racks clearly marked with a price and say "No, that's because this is different...." and then basically dare you to argue. For example, on my first and only visit, there were about 10 Stanley to-go mugs on a table with like 25 different kinds of mugs. Sign on the table said "Mugs $5.99." I selected 1 Stanley. At the register, I was told the price for it was $24.99. I said no, brought the cashier to the table, showed her the sign, she said "Oh no because this is a Stanley. It's different." There was no sign to that effect, no sticker price on the mug, etc. We went back and forth for a few minutes and finally she made a magical phone call in Portuguese that I didn't understand. When she hung up, the price for the mug was the advertised price. Then we proceeded to do this with a pair of shorts, 2 shirts, and a dress. Mind you, I'd only selected 5 items. All 5 items were "different" despite having multiples of each item on the same rack. You get the picture. Be prepared to pay HANDSOMELY for items with some sort of flaw, stain, rip, and/or tear, dent, etc. You'll have to speak Portuguese & be prepared to stand up for yourself. I genuinely should have just bailed; I didn't *need* any of the items I'd selected but I'd spent like 2 hours wandering around the place and wanted something to show for it? I dunno. Okay, that's my dissertation. Don't bother. Xoxo read more

Loved this place. Scored an awesome Anthropologie rug that retails for over $1200 for just $275. The clothing section is a disorganized mess, you would need hours to comb through it all. But the furniture and home decor is great and you can go through everything in under an hour. Highly recommend. We came with a u-haul, but they will also hold items while you go rent a truck. read more

Saw an ad on Tiktok for this store location, nearby to my home I took a trip to check it out.....Well folks this has got to be one of the worst stores I've ever entered. From what is advertised for product selection is definitely not the case, was looking for workboots and everything seemed to be worn for quite some time showing extensive wear marks like someone has previously worn the item for months and then returned some how. Selection is trash, prices are very high for what you are getting, bathroom vanity's here were extensively damaged and all of the granite tops were broken straight down the middle or chunks of the countertop were completely broken off and missing while still asking hundreds of dollars. I would highly not recommend even wasting your time coming here to even browse as the selections are very odd taste of styles all while priced as brand new.Youre better off taking your chances on Facebook marketplace or just go to Goodwill store where prices are very cheap and can come across great deals. This place should honestly just close its doors because it is that bad and just a clear waste of your time even looking, but you can find that out on your own if you wish. Should be rated - stars and items should be given away for pennies! read more

I really don't understand the hype. Boxes of clothes that were not a good deal, which I don't really care about as much as the furniture which is why I went. The furniture looked old, dated, broken, some rusted, huge scratches or gouges, dents, not fixable or usable in anyway but not reasonably priced for the condition. We saw a few record players that I was interested in, all were broken (and a no return policy/final sale btw) We saw so many people here and I'm not sure what exactly it is that people are buying? Maybe we just went on a bad day? We went Monday which was a restock day we heard. It wasn't worth my time (40 min drive) or effort. It looked cool on Instagram, sounds cool, but definitely not for me. read more

I found great pieces for amazing prices to say the least. It's definitely a thrifters dream. The only negative thing is that they do not update the hours of operation on the website. I traveled from NJ and it was closed. I was very upset and no one could help. PLEASE UPDATE YOUR WEBSITE! read more

I have been going to Retail for years. It really use to have good deals and good sales. Now the finds are less desirable and overpriced. The prices use to be really great like shoes were not over 39.99. Now they are selling boots for 299.99 for the same ones that were 39.99. The selections use to be good, but now it's more like damaged junk. All seasons are mixed together along with ripped, missing buttons and merchandise with holes. They never have the 5.99, 9.99 or fill a bag sales anymore. Nothing gets marked down anymore. Definitely not the same. It use to be you couldn't get in the door, but now you're lucky if you see 20 ppl in there at a time. Now let's talk about the overpriced damaged furniture. If we want to pay 50% off so called MSP, we can go to TJ Maxx or Marshall's. The prices on that furniture, you might as well go to the furniture store and get a receipt, no damage, delivered and the option to return it. If you live far, don't waste your time. I use to walk out with hundreds of dollars worth of stuff, Now I walk out empty handed. Not my favorite place anymore. They got the 2 stars for all the great stuff I got in the past. read more

Pretty cool place. You need to spend some time and look around. We did and got some good deals

Great selection but very overwhelming. I didn't find anything but my sis in law found two shoes, and quite a bit of clothes. It's very much self service, you're on your own to dig around. If you can find something you like, the prices are great. read more

I love this place. I go once a month. I love thrifting. This place is for treasure hunters. Things are generally sorted by size (but things get tossed around.) Tbey have some house wares and shoes and a TON of clothes - these items are post retail from UO and Anthro or the mall, looks like Macy's sometimes - so they all have marks theough the tag. They could be surplus, overstock, returns or have a defect. If you know how to repull a snag mend a hem or replace a button you can save yourself 75% even when they aren't have a sale. read more

Read Zachary T's review and then you'll understand the reason for my 1 star rating/review update. While I don't know him personally, I agree with him 100%. I had luck once or twice at Retail 101, awhile back, but every visit since has been a waste of time and energy. All the clothes and accessories have been low quality, irregulars (stains, holes, loose threads etc) and out of date styles. They had some decent shoes but they were all in the $20-$35 range. I can buy a brand new pair for that price and get a style that I actually want. They recently moved to another warehouse, but the gritty, low budget feeling remains. I also "used" the bathroom at the new location today and there was no toilet paper, no paper towels, no soap and basically no running water. Gross! read more

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Store has moved to Stratford. Came today and was a huge Waste of time. Crappy clothes, dirty and old and cheap. Broken stained furniture ridiculously over priced. Got yelled at by a parking attendant for doing what he told me to do. Don't waste your time. read more

Read many reviews about this store that were 50/50. Didn't know which review to listen to so decided to go. Awful clothing in bins and shoved on racks! Managed to find a ceramic bowl from Anthropologie that was ok. Prices not the best. Let's put it this way...I felt itchy when I left there! Awful! read more

Saw this place on TikTok, and luckily it was only an hour and a half away from me, so I had to check it out! Please, please, please look on their website BEFORE going for their updated hours as it frequently changes (they send out weekly emails of their updated hours). I found a few good pieces for reasonable prices, but except to spend a lot of time searching through bins of potentially damaged products. If you are going for clothes, they have a wide selection of free people, urban, anthropology, and more if you take the time to look and inspect each piece, it's worth it! They separate the bins by size to make it easier; often, things get misplaced. They had a small selection of shoes and accessories, mainly in smaller sizes, when I was there. The furniture was AMAZING would definitely go back better prepared to transport furniture! Lots of beautiful pieces for a really good price! read more

I saw so many reviews about people showing up and it being closed and I honestly never thought that would be me. I tried SO hard to avoid that. I drove two hours to go to retail 101 on a day that it was stormy. The power was out when we got there and so there was a line waiting outside. We showed up in the early afternoon. The people outside were telling us that should be on around 3:30, and so we decided to wait for a bit. As we waited, the time kept getting pushed further and further so eventually, we just went home. I just wish someone had been able to update on their website as I checked before we headed over there to avoid this very situation. There's no phone you can call or updated information online, so you just have to wing it. If I'm ever in the area, I may go back, but it was honestly such an unpleasant experience, I probably won't go back. People in line that said they've been there before so that that stuff they have is OK, not the greatest not the worst. But any of the nicer things they had like Anthropologie, over urban outfitters was not as discounted those things like urban outfitters. Horrible luck but this seems very common according to all reviews. read more

Great prices on quality items (eg. Anthropologie). Clothing is a mishmash - have to dig!

Love this place. But definitely look at every button on every item. Check the zippers. A lot of items here are sold damaged / broken. And I've gotten home and realized everything I brought home was missing a button, or a strap was ripped, etc. I bought a pair of free people shoes that I wish I bought 3 of. Definitely some good finds, but in order to do that, it's an all day ordeal. read more

First of all-no photos because none are allowed within. That said, this is a bargain hunter's paradise. It is predominantly women's clothes, but there is a smattering of menswear. I was able to score some really nice Southern Tide sport shirts between $6-$16. They retail for around $100 so an amazing deal. My girlfriend could speak far better to the selection of women's clothes, but suffice it to say that the selection is huge. They have Anthropologie and Free People which are big in the cool set I believe. Obviously, as this place is mostly overstock and previous season's clothing, I'd you see something you like, buy it then. You may never see it again! read more

This place is quite the experience! If you like good quality clothes for cheap, and are willing to hunt, this is for you. CONS: no mirrors and very few dressing rooms. I'd advise wearing tight clothes and trying on over them. Have a friend take photos of you! It can be very crowded & there's no windows There's so many clothes it can be overwhelming. PROS: nearly all clothes are Anthropologie, Free People, and Urban Outfitters. The idea behind it is they send 'slightly damaged' clothes & backstock here. I'd say most clothes I see don't have any damages, or something so small; like a stain that can be fixed. They have a lot of very cute items, for a fraction of the price. For example, I got a gorgeous free people winter coat for $35 that retails for about $400. I drive 2 hours from here every few months and it's well worth it. Set aside 3ish hours to get through everything! read more

This was my first time there and we enjoyed the hunt for something cool. I got two pairs of anthropology Pants and a pretty sweater wish I liked more, but it was fun. My husband got a few things and he was excited. I got a pair of jeans that unpaid 100.00 for at anthropology and bought the same pair here for 11.99 pretty cool. I can see it being a hit and miss. But we enjoyed the hunt. read more

Retail 101 held a sale at the Har Bur Middle School in Burlington this weekend, so we wandered over to see what was shaking. The sale was in the gym where inventories and boxes of stuff were displayed on tables. Lots of men's, ladies' and children's clothing and a boatload of shoes and footwear. The stock was pretty well organized and the tables were neat. I saw a lot of staff members running around tidying up the place and keeping an eye on things. I scored a nice pair of American Eagle deck shoes for a rock bottom ten bucks. I guess sorting through all those tables in an un-air conditioned gym was worthwhile. read more

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Retail 101 is an experience! A friend told me about this place recently and I was shocked I never heard about it as it's right down the road from me. I went twice during the back to school sale 2020 and the first time I went it (Thursday, 8/13) was starting to get picked over but I loved the selection of brands (and sizes) like Free People, Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, and Lucky Brand! There are even items like curtains, comforters, phone cases, and wall art. These brands are normally pricey, and it felt good to buy these brands without worrying about my wallet. The second time I went was Saturday (8/15) and everything was 60% off of the insane markdowns so basically everything was $1-$10. However, it was very very picked over this time so my advice is to look in every box and rack no matter your size! I found some hidden gems stored away. Additionally, there was a huge checkout line and only two cashiers which took awhile to get through the line as everyone was buying LOADS of clothes. Overall, I loved everything I bought here like Free People flare jeans, a cute Free People jumpsuit, a Lisa Says Gah midi dress, and more! Happy Hunting :) COVID wise- social distancing is enforced with arrows (but the place is pretty big so it's easy to distance) and cashier staff sanitizes before each new customer! Masks are enforced. read more

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this place used to be a hidden secret before tik tok made it famous - now it is a haven for re salers- who now seem to be working with the workers to get the best of the goods - they show up in line and some how within minutes they have a full bin of premium items - when new items are re shelved they are allowed to grab up a bulk of the items leaving none for the regular shoppers- unless they regular shoppers fight fm for it - the resales are even helped and given bags to store items in to purchase later .... I guess a win win for the company, but for the regular shoppers who would like to have a chance - those days are long gone .... it only makes sense to now show up on the 40 pct off days to make it somewhat worth your while ... read more

Such a hidden gem! They have name brand clothes such as Anthropologie, free people, etc. for cheap! definitely recommend!

Great find! For best results you need to go on the first day when they open the doors. I heard some people even "camp out" the night before to get first in line, like a Black Friday approach. But I'm sure it pays off. They have lots of great items to choose from. Top brands at extreme savings. Like I said, get there early and you'll score big! This is where many Ebayers get their inventory I'm sure! Getting in line early on the consecutive days as well will prove to pay off. You'll learn the ropes pretty quick, just watch where all the early birds run to because they are pretty consistent on where they place the desired items. Happy hunting! read more

Always a disappointment. If you are someone who is poor and doesn't care about what they look like, go for it. I'm not knocking the less fortunate, but for anyone who thinks they'll save a lot of money and get good deals, not gonna happen. This place is mostly garbage off brand clothing and products that have cosmetic damage. Not to mention an environment that makes you feel more like mice in a maze than humans shopping. I've gone over 10 times and I'd say 8 of the 10 I've left with nothing but regret from making the drive. Won't get fooled again read more

I was really upset to drive 2 hours to Naugatuck CT only for it to be closed! Hours need to be updated on Google because I was extremely mislead read more

Decided to check this place out as I had heard good things. Checked their website before I left and saw a big banner that proclaimed "New Sales Starting Ever Wednesday. Checked their Facebook page and no new news. YAY the must be open! Spent an hour and twenty minutes driving here through rush hour/holiday traffic and a rainstorm. Pulled in the lot excited as they're were a bunch of cars. Saw a sign on the fron door that proclaimed "Sale to the right". Walked around a loading dock getting soaked trying locked door after locked door. WTF!!?? Finally went to the front door of the office and caught someone. Who told me no sales until next month! Grr it's fucking 2016. How hard is it to hire someone that knows how to update FB or a few lines of code to place on the website with kinda pertinent information. WTH!? And then to not even take the sales to the right sign taped to the door. Jesus hire an intern or something. I doubt I'll be back. As far as I'm concerned they owe me for gas and bronzer that washed off while I was fucking getting soaked walking around a dark loading dock. Screw this place! read more

Its totally worth it to check it out. You have to be in the mood to look through boxes but, we have gotten some great bargains of high end merchandise here. We have gotten chicos, urban outfitters and American eagle merchandise here, just to name a few. It looks like items are over stocks and items that have been returned. read more

Very hit or miss but when you score it's usually big! Have purchased vans and Birkenstock's here, lots of American apparel/ American eagle. If you love to shop for a while and really look through things this is the place for you! Houseware sales are a little pricey I think, but shoes and apparel are an absolute steal, be sure to check their website to verify location/what category sale it is that week. Staff is friendly! read more