I will preface this review by saying I am a difficult convert to thrift stores for clothing…read more(excepting rare vtg fashion), and even moreso when it comes to clothing or gear for my baby. But I admire people who can make use of thrifting for clothes, especially if they are saving money over what they'd pay elsewhere (I love saving money)!!!
I bought all of our baby gear + 0-6m clothes new b/c I was paranoid of germs. That said, once 6m hit, my son went into a growth spurt that lasted 2 months, and grew him into 2T clothes! That was when I decided second hand was not such a bad thing. (I could not even get things through the wash before he grew out of them.) Until today, I'd never shopped at a kids' thrift store, I bought items a la carte on ebay (REI, LLBean, Carter's PJ's, etc).
So I ended up at As They Grow in Berwyn b/c I called ahead about a second hand convertible tricycle/stroller. They had a Kettler model for $50 ($170 new). There are a ton of these ride-ons on the market, and my son is only 9mos, so I had been eyeing a version made for younger babies. The As They Grow proprietress (she didn't give her name) encouraged me to visit and take a look, in case it might work. Great.
When we got to the store, the Kettler trike was right out front. There was more wear to it than I was expecting for $50 at a thrift shop. (Percent off retail is great for sales on new items, but it doesn't apply to the world of used. Garage sale prices apply.) Still, we took a look, discussed it as optimistically as we could, but it just did not seem safe for our son. The proprietress then came out to join us, and she agreed, he is too young.
I decided to take a look inside since we made the trip. If you like high-end Nordy names for kids clothes (Mini Boden, Tea Collection, etc.) and filler with more middling preppy standards (Baby Gap, Polo, etc.) this is the place. Girls on the right, boys on the left. Clothes on racks, shoes lined along the wall on the floor. Tons of fancy preppy clothing in loud ginghams, rugby stripes, florals, etc. Bold bright prints, that will make cute photos, but are so noticeable, that your kid can't really wear them more than once or twice, b/c the statement is so memorable.
I did not spend hours picking through everything, but I easily got a feel for the vibe, which was Derby race attire. Lilly and V. Vines galore! And don't take me for a knocker of these styles; I have plenty of V. Vines, and Lilly dresses (I sold half on ebay and still have a dozen of 'em), but I can't wear that stuff all the time. My son is crawling, and wants to get dirty, and I want to allow that growth to happen for him. I need practical, durable clothes for him, in dark or earthy colors (like the REI and LLBean mentioned above). I didn't see those labels here. They could exist in other seasons, or perhaps as consignments come in, but again, the vibe, was Devon Horse Show, not walk in the park. So for me, it was a wasted trip. I'd call these "vacation clothes," or "dress up clothes," or "family photo clothes," but not "everyday clothes." I attend storytime at Radnor Library every week, and none of the other babies wear these kinds of clothes on the daily either. Just providing my input for other shoppers, who will have varying needs.
As They Grow was running a 50% off sale on all tags of certain colors (orange and green this time), so they work to move inventory by consignment age. However, the prices for used clothing were high. I saw some cute Janie & Jack boys' loafers, but the price was $20 used (and used looking)! I searched these on ebay and they're $8 there, in better condition (plus shipping, but that is a wash with my gas and time to lug a baby to the store). A no name brand was $7 for boys' pull-on print shorts. I can get these items brand new on sale for the same price (and this year's latest inventory). I can get them on ebay for half the price with shipping.
I also have to say, when I visited in my "uniform" of yoga pants and VS tee, I was looked up and down. (I wear this outfit everywhere else I make Yelp reviews, and I never before noted that I've been looked up and down, except Devon WF.) I felt like I should have been dressed to the nines to visit a thrift store. Excuse me. I don't think the woman meant anything by it, and it is probably just her nature, but in a retail setting, toward a customer, it's not appropriate.
I've shopped plenty of thrift stores for vintage furniture and home goods. I have donated tons to local thrift stores, as well. People at Bryn Mawr Hosp Thrift are super gracious and sweet, on the shopper end as well as the donor end. That is the kind of attitude that welcomes me back. It's a shame that I did not have a better experience at this place because I was on the fence about trying a local kid/baby thrift store, and this visit sent me right back to ebay, where I just bought my brand new Joovy Tricycoo for only $15 more than the used Kettler.
