Even though thrift stores can sometimes be hard to find, many college students choose thrift stores over highly priced brand-name stores.
Fortunately, Murfreesboro seems to be a local hub of thrift stores. Many carry similar items, but some stores have a better selection of certain items than others.
Salvation Army 1014 Mercury Blvd.
Murfreesboro's Salvation Army store, located in the shopping center at Tennessee and Memorial carries a large amount of used clothing and furniture, much of which is still in good condition.
The furniture includes beds, recliners, couches, dressers, desks and tables.
The store offers options other than buying brand-new furniture to furnish an apartment.
"We do not have a particular target, but we have lots of college students come in," Assistant Manager Mark Hanoum says.
"You can find unique, cheap clothing and accessories," says Alice Frazier, a junior psychology major.
"As far as pricing, you probably get better prices [than at other thrift stores in Murfreesboro], lots of household items, furniture, clothing and appliances," Hanoum says.
Profits from the Murfreesboro store go toward a men's adult rehabilitation center in Nashville.
Goodwill Superstore 1224 NW Broad St.
Murfreesboro's Goodwill Superstore is located on Broad Street in the Kmart shopping center.
Bargains can be found on clothing, shoes, dishes, books and miscellaneous items.
The Goodwill Superstore opened about eight years ago in August 1997.
"We don't target a specific group," manager Maryann Verdi says. "We go across the board."
The most prized bargains are usually found on vintage clothing.
"They have some really cool, old shirts for really cheap prices, and the best thing is that nobody else has them," says Marianna Rucker, a senior public relations major. "I also go there during the holidays to donate clothing."
"We are not for profit," Verdi says. "We help people who have barriers to employment gain employment. For example, we help with resumes, job searches and help people obtain a GED."
"We offer better deals and sales [than other thrift stores]," Verdi says. "All thrift stores, if nonprofit, work on donations, so we rely heavily on donations."
Phase II 1218 NW Broad St.
Also located in the KMart shopping center on Broad Street is another used clothing store called Phase II.
It offers new and used discounted merchandise, including brand-name clothing, purses, dress shirts and ties.
"We offer really great name brands like Abercrombie, Hollister and American Eagle," says Mami Wright, a Phase II sales associate.
"The junior line is our main target, so we mainly get lots of high school and college students in the store," manager Erin Christian says.
"The store opened August 1, 1988, but it really just got popular within the past 5 years," Christian says.
"We love college students," Wright says, "and we know that they don't have a lot of extra money, so we like to help out. We have items priced from a dollar up, and we actually included a coupon in the Coupon Mint."
"They have a lot of name-brand clothes that you might not be able to afford in other stores," says Jessica Zembeck, a sophomore nursing major. "Most of it is really cute stuff that has been in style during the past five years."
Phase II also offers services through which those who bring their clothing to sell receive half of the selling cost.
"People can sell their clothes and get half of the selling price and use consignment checks toward purchases," Christian says.
"It's basically like trading off clothes. We also have a clearance center, where prices range from $1.00 to $3.99," Christian says.
"We mainly offer good-quality brand-name items at a great price," Christian says.
All Things Possible Bargain Center 352 W Northfield Blvd.
All Things Possible Bargain Center is located on Northfield Boulevard.
This store offers a variety of items, including potentially the largest selection of used clothing in Murfreesboro. Other items include shoes, exercise equipment, a moderate selection of used furniture and miscellaneous items.
"We just opened in July of last year," manager Jo Shewmaker says.
"We'll take any [customers]. We do not target a certain group," Shewmaker says, "but we'd love to have more college students come in."
"We are the largest [thrift store] in the Murfreesboro area. You could probably fit 6 to 8 Goodwills in here," Shewmaker says. "We have more of everything: clothing, furniture, electronics, shoes and books."
"Lots of college students come in, especially for T-shirts," says Andrea Adams, a junior athletic training major and employee of the store. "A lot of guys come in for blazers, too. We are bigger and have a little more of everything."
The profits from the store benefit a Nashville program called Youth About Business.
It was founded by Sam Kirk as "a nonprofit educational organization that works with kids who are at risk," Shewmaker says. The program teaches students about different aspects of business, including leasing property.
"Most of [the kids] started out wanting to be the next Michael Jordan, but the organization teaches them other alternatives," Shewmaker says.
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