Thrifting is more popular than ever before, with prospective shoppers flocking to secondhand stores in search of hidden treasures or the perfect piece to complete an outfit.
From handbags to furniture, there’s no limit to the kind of gently used items you can find at consignment shops. Here are four locally owned thrift shops in the Montgomery County area to start off your search.
Style Me Sue Consignments
9890 Main St., Damascus, MD 20872
Owner: Sue Shepard worked as a freelance stylist for several years but wanted to do something different. She found the retail scene in Damascus to be lacking and wanted to give locals more options for clothing shopping without having to leave town.
“I knew I could change and grow our downtown,” Shepard explains. “I also knew that [at the time] there were no stores like mine in Montgomery County or in the neighboring areas.”
Vibe: Shepard describes Style Me Sue as being “not thrift and not high-end, but perfectly nested in the middle.” They offer everything from casual clothes to formal wear, and a lot of what’s in stock depends on what people have come in to sell. They often have seasonal items as well.
On the Racks: Common brands include J.Crew, Lilly Pulitzer, lululemon, Tory Burch, The North Face, and more.
Typical Customer: Primarily women and teenage girls, often interested in advice on the fit and style of certain clothing.
Killer Find: “Several years ago, we had an amazing Sherri Hill prom dress come in a little late in the season,” Shepard recalls. “It was magical! Women of all ages fell in love with that dress while it stood boldly in the window. We’ve had more expensive items, but nothing more magical than that dress. And a lucky person was able to purchase it for a third of the original cost.”
The Find Consign
11791 Fingerboard Rd., Monrovia, MD 21770
Owners: Married couple Sheila and Ike Buffington opened The Find Consign in November 2023 after several years spent working in the construction industry and recently celebrated the business’s first anniversary. With five children, finding and repurposing secondhand items was often a necessity for the Buffingtons.
“The cost of clothing is so expensive, and [we try] to save and repurpose clothing that still has so much left in them,” Sheila Buffington says. “Throughout the years, clothes have always gotten more expensive. We wanted to create a space where others could enjoy discovering hidden treasures and where sustainability and affordability were prioritized.”
Vibe: A wide variety of secondhand clothing for men, women and children, as well as gently used furniture, toys and games.
On the Racks: Kate Spade, Chico’s, J.Jill, Coach, among other brands.
Typical Customer: Sheila and Ike Buffington refer to their regular customers as “Findies,” and many different kinds of people come in to search for gifts or deals.
Memorable Moment: The Find Consign has always supported local charities, including Helping Hands and Caring Hearts, Frederick Rescue Mission and Mount Airy Net. In September 2024, they started gathering funds to support people in North Carolina who had been affected by Hurricane Helene.
“It felt incredibly rewarding to know that our contributions were making a real difference in the community and beyond,” Sheila Buffington adds. “Seeing the smiles and gratitude from those who benefited was truly heartwarming and reinforced the importance of giving back.”
Closet Adventure
13220 Wisteria Dr. N-13, Germantown, MD 20874
Owner: While Ana Cajina Everhart is the current owner of Closet Adventure, the store was actually founded by her mother. Her family had immigrated from Nicaragua, where Everhart’s mother had been a store manager for many years.
The family’s first store, Frugalista, is in Washington, D.C., but they opened Closet Adventure as a sister store shortly after.
“Germantown was missing a secondhand store, so we decided to open this store to help the environment a little by recycling,” Everhart says.
On the Racks: Athletic clothing from lululemon, Nike and Under Armour and designer clothes from Michael Kors, Versace and Prada.
Typical Customer: Everhart describes Closet Adventure’s clientele as being very diverse, with everyone from teenagers to seniors coming in to browse their wares.
“It is very interesting to talk and deal with all ages,” she adds.
Killer Find: Everhart says that some of the most memorable items to come into Closet Adventure have included a Chanel blazer, a Burberry coat, and purses from Fendi, Stella McCartney, and Celine.
instagram.com/closetadventuregtown/
Reddz Trading
7801 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda, MD 20814
Owner: Wendy Red has worked in fashion for over 25 years and had owned clothing stores prior to opening Reddz Trading. She reached out to a friend in Pittsburgh who owned several resale stores about his model and decided she wanted to give it a try.
Now, Reddz Trading has locations in Bethesda and Georgetown, D.C. Red says they’ve been described as a “treasure chest for value-conscious men and women.”
Vibe: “I would describe the vibe at Reddz Trading as modern, stylish and trendy, as we try to select items that have been purchased by the sellers within the last two to three years,” Red says. “We carry both men’s and women’s clothing and try very hard to keep our sales floor organized by size and category and sometimes by color.”
On the Racks: Diane von Furstenberg, St. John, Max Mara, Theory, Dior, Chanel
Typical Customer: Fashion-conscious shoppers of all ages who keep up with and research current trends.
Killer Find: A mini Birkin bag, which sold within five minutes of coming into the store.
