Where to thrift with a dollar, a dream and some time

Few things are more self-indulgent or therapeutic than wasting away a Saturday going thrifting. Bozeman, while still considered by many a “small town,” has quite a wide array of thrift-style stores and vintage stores, all of which deserve exploration. The thing with thrift or vintage stores (or I guess any store) is that stock is very hit or miss, and depends on what kind of donations they’re getting, so it’s awfully difficult to quantifiably rate the best second hand stores. But it is my responsibility to the dedicated readers of the Exponent to try my best. So without further ado, here are my picks for some of the best second hand stores in Bozeman.

Cash 4 Clothes - Best Selection

119 N 7th Ave, Bozeman, MT 59718

11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday

Cash 4 Clothes, which has resided in several different locations around town over the years, is my pick for best selection. This store occupies the first floor of what appears to have been some sort of office space, and every inch of this five-ish room space is filled with racks of clothes. While there is such an abundance of stock, it’s not all gold. The six double racks of t-shirts is probably 60% out of business Bozeman merch, David Archuletta merch, or overstock Target graphic tees. Despite this bloat, there’s always some treasure to be found in these racks. There’s a huge selection of denim in many sizes, a large selection of vintage dresses, a whole room full of shoes, and another whole room full of hats, bags, and belts. There’s so much stuff here, I would be shocked if someone couldn’t find one single thing they loved. The prices aren’t exactly “thrifty” — the lowest price for a t-shirt being $15 — but other items, like Frye boots in perfect condition for $90 (originally $500!), are very fairly priced. This is a great spot to spend an afternoon sifting through the racks.

Rare Bird - Best Vintage

131 W Babcock St, Bozeman, MT 59715

11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday

Rare Bird is a teeny little store on Babcock that many people may not be aware of. Despite its size (seriously, it’s like a converted detached golf cart garage or something) there are so many awesome things to be found in this shop.

It is operated by a mother and daughter duo, Deb and Olivia, who curate every item in the store. This is, in my opinion, the best place in town for unique true vintage clothing. The selection rotates out pretty frequently, and it’s always on season. The size selection here isn’t super great, mostly catering to small to mid-sized folks, but I can understand that sourcing larger-sized vintage clothes can be difficult. Rare Bird primarily carries women’s clothes, but a large percentage is technically unisex, so this really is a store for everyone. Once again, prices aren’t exactly thrifty, but in my opinion Rare Bird is fairly priced for the care that goes into curation and the quality of the items. Swing by Rare Bird on your next downtown outing to find a vintage gem.

Sacks - Best Price

138 W Mendenhall St, Bozeman, MT 59715

9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday

At this point in Bozeman’s rapid expansion, Sacks is probably the last bastion of true thrift stores in town. You truly never know what you’ll find when you walk in, but you can count on it being a great price.

Pentax point-and-shoot 35mm camera with a bag in perfect working condition? $5. Fluevog Supervogs, a shoe originally priced at $199? $2.50. Sacks is especially hit and miss because they are completely sustained by donated merchandise. Sacks is a nonprofit that supports local Help Center Programs like the 24-Hour Crisis Line (406-586-3333), Suicide Prevention & Intervention, and the Sexual Assault Counseling Center. Sacks is also a great place for stuff a person would need when moving into their first apartment, like dishes and pots and pans. Sacks is a true thrift store, and the prices reflect this. Go in with zero expectations and you’ll find something amazing.