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The Charity Shop Treasure Trail
Mapping out the mecca that is Glasgow's charity shop scene...they're worth the journey!
- 203
- 1185
20 Places
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Em’s 5-star review: YES. I would leave it at that but I'll elaborate. Bloody cool charity shop like the thrift stores of old. In the Magpie's Nest you can expect to stumble upon a wall full of chintzy tea pots (please don't stumble into it and break them!), old cushions, vinyl, granny jumpers and basically anything that has survived over 30 years of household use. And it's all in great condition. And it's all in the region of £2 per item. Have always managed to find some splendid (read: hideous) top that no one would wear unless they've got my craving for tacky 80s fashion throwbacks. Which, to be fair, a lot of people do, which is why vintaj shops in the west end charge £20 a pop. Do yourselves a favour, get your ass down here and binge your vintage heart out on their glorious array of bargains. Or buy some of their fabric and get involved in the Make Do and Mend creative subculture that Glasgow seems to be all about at the mo. -
Em’s 4-star review: With furniture spread out around tables and televisions in here, when you walk in you feel as though you are visiting someone's house! For a charity shop, this branch of Maxie Richards appears to have acquired a grand collection of old, elegant furniture and household appliances. For that reason, some of the items are higher priced than you may have imagined, but the ornate mahogany cabinets are arguably timeless so the price is justified. This place made me want to time travel back to the 1950s in all honesty. The pieces were absolutely gorgeous and a hideous, stapled together leather bound sofa was nowhere to be seen in here. Although there was a smattering of modern goods, the majority seemed to have been plucked out of another time entirely. With paintings lining the walls and crockery or old books lining the shelves, you feel as though you are visiting a homage to antiquarianism rather than a charity establishment. But if you are looking to recreate an elegant look in your home or business, there are plenty of rare and enduring wares to be had in here. Including an utterly gorgeous coffee table, complete with tiled surface, for 15 pounds! If I ever open up a retro clothes shop, I'll come back here for furniture.
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Em’s 4-star review: This charity shop is unusual compared to the mass amount on Dumbarton Road because it looks more like a clothes shop! Clothing and accessories seem to be its strongest area - perhaps people associate this charity shop over the others as an apparel donation point for all the clothes it sells. The staff certainly do well in laying them out - while the volunteers don't at any point paint it as a vintage stop off, the staff seem to calmly get on with sorting their stock into appropriate areas. It's fun raiding the rails and coming out with a designer brand. There's scores of high quality knitted jumpers and designers for guys such as Jaeger to keep everyone happy. The stock is all priced reasonably considering the area it's situated in, and it's difficult to come out of here empty handed!
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Em’s 3-star review: This charity shop is hit or miss anytime I visit - although with it being so near to the shining lights of the massive Sally Army five minutes along the road, I'm usually spent by the time I arrive here! Judging by the other reviews, I think where this charity shop may go awry is in its layout - the Byres Road branch of St Margaret's Hospice market themselves as a vintage store, so you can often forget you're still in a thrift store. However, if you root around long enough here you may come across something you like. Stand out displays from this shop are undoubtedly their book collection....sometimes when I go in they have some sewing resources and wool, too. Some of the stock in here is cheaply enough priced you could recycle the fashion items even if they're not to your tastes. But everytime you visit there'll be different donations anyways, so one day you might strike it rich. One particularly lucky expedition ended in here, where I managed to acquire a classy clam-shaped compact mirror and a gorgeous dress. Just depends on when you stop by, but since it's wedged on a prime route for thrift looting, I'd suggest you still try your luck.
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Em’s 3-star review: St Margaret's Hospice shops seem to be running the show in Glasgow at the moment - there's one cropping up on what appears to be a weekly basis! It's all for a good cause though: I say carry on! This branch of the charity branch is small and tastefully stocked. Easter fever seems to be gripping this area of Glasgow as the staff in here were frantically blowing balloons up for easter! So I felt as though I was disrupting the carnival atmosphere by just having a browse for a new jacket. I know they were busy but I get the impression this is a close knit area since the staff weren't the most accomodating. They seemed bubbly enough but I felt like a bit of an intruder. It's a generalisation but I didn't feel local enough - ludicrous since I stay a bit down the road and used to frequent this area from time to time. Saying that, you don't visit charity shops for the chat - it's bargain time - and there's a large selection of clothes in here. They also appeared to have the largest collection of jackets I've ever seen - just goes to show Glasgow's weather is reflected in what ends up in second hand stores. There was a book section but due to the size of the shop it wasn't easily reached, and when a local eyeballed me enroute to the books and created a blockade in the small corridor, I fled the awkward situation. A decent enough store but I felt a bit like I was trespassing!
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Em’s 3-star review: Like the Barnardos across the road from this Cancer Research outlet, this charity shop is evidently in an austere catchment area for collecting second hand clothing. Most of the clothing in here would suit older generations, with high quality V neck knits and a copious amount of lilac skirts and shirts! All were well priced and kept in really good condition - an easy outfit option for fancy parties! There was also an amiable selection of clothes for gents, including a large supply of jackets. The volunteers were hard at work keeping this place clean and orderly when I entered, and were notably in high spirits which is always nice on a rainy day! They were hard at work on an Easter display - gotta love a charity shop with seasonal themes. They had broken out the Easter bunnies from the back for this special occasion, and I must admit I did giggle when I heard one of the ladies comment on how one of the toys was "nice, but glaikit lookin'". What a greatly underappreciated Scots word, and to great comic effect - for those of you not from these parts it means you look a bit morose and downtrodden. Seeing people happy in their job is a rarity these days and it was pleasant to see these ladies getting into the Spring spirit of things. -
Em’s 3-star review: Situated in the sleepy yet smog ridden end of Great Western Road, this Barnardos seems to pick up on all the expensive suburban swag. How can a charity shop's selection be classified suburban? Good question: it's my definition of stocking a lot of knock off designer labels received from middle class trendy Wendy's in their 40s, and lots of childrens clothing donations. I didn't find this Barnardos paricularly exciting but there was a decent seletion of everything, and a couple of really nice dresses from Topshop. It is nestled in a family minded area so a lot of the clothing for younger generations would most likely suit teenagers - I can imagine that mums have been questioning their daughters about whether they really have to own more than 10 dresses, and that's why some of these items have ended up in here. But a lesson in giving to charity can't be half bad for anyone. As for consumers, they will benefit from these hidden gems. Just off the congested Great Western Road, this Barnardos has a laid back approach that is fitting with the surrounding airy and elegant flats.
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Em’s 4-star review: Byres Road's charity shops are the leading contenders if you want to find some quality second hand treasures. Cancer Research at the top of Byres Road near Gt Western Road, marks the start of the alluring charity shop trail in this area. And it's a mighty good marker at that. They always seem to have a healthy supply of everything and it's kept very clean and orderly by the management! I would hazard a guess that most donations aer from austere older ladies and gents - there is always ample supply of smart work suits and sequinned tops for dinner parties - but there's also a supply if you're looking for something a bit more casual. Most items of clothing are sectioned off by colour so it's easier to peruse if you've got something particular in mind. Not a shop renowned for its ecclectic vinyl collection but there are an exstensive collection of film cameras available here at the moment, and all for under a pound! "snap" (geddit?) them up before someone else does...gosh, my jokes are corny. If you were looking for a word to describe them, you could say "cheese!" I shouldn't give up on the day job. Have a gander in here at your leisure. you'll no doubt find something - last time I was in I bought a crocheted peacock in a frame. It's rather majestic, in a gradma's attic kinda way. -
Em’s 4-star review: This Shelter is always my first port of call when I'm trawling charity shops way out west, and has remained a firm favourite of mine since my teens. There's a large variety of stock and it's been supervised by the same ridiculously cool girl for years - she'd fit in in Camden, for sure! I'd hazard a guess she helps with the window displays because they're always targeted at the snappy dresser. Despite the fact this shop gets trendy, well conditioned clothing in on a weekly basis, the prices are never bumped up to match the high quality of the items. Expect to find some high street brands such as H&M and Dotty P's, but on a good day (namely a quiet Tuesday) you may be lucky enough to bag yourself a designer label. Towards the back of the store they usually have a selection of denim shirts and leather jackets for guys; and vampy dresses for the ladies but this shop has yet to cash in on the cxurrent trend for charity vintage sections. I mean really, charity shops on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh have started charging 20 quid for this kind of stock, so thank God for Shelter's modesty! (Disclaimer: I don't grudge giving to charity, but I dislike being mislead about certain items. If your gran knitted a wooly sweater a year ago for your Christmas it doesn't quite quality as retro just yet). There's a rail in here dedicated to donations from various high street designers, usually of faulty stock but most wear and tear looks easily mended with somethread and a button or two. What's more, there are usuallya largerange of books in here, from crime to modern kids fiction and last year's uni textbooks - thank you, Glasgow Uni students. You will definitely be thanking them when you find a textbook for 2 pounds in here that would cost you 40 quid otherwise! For a shop that's not very large there are always winning finds to be found within these walls. As the last review says it's always worth popping your head in for a wee look, even if you do walk out with nothing....which you probably won't. -
Em’s 4-star review: It's mighty hard to write reviews on charity shops because the stock is unpredictable and forever changing! But that's a reason why we find ourselves wandering back to them, and a reason why we love them. This one, I have noticed, has a consistently large crockery collection. I stop by whenever I can if I need my weekly teapot fix, and sometimes throw in the odd cup or six. They quite often acquire those long, lanky 70s teapots, usually a brown hue which stand tall like proud soldiers next to mugs of tea. Like Chris said, they always seem to stock a mass of old vinyl records, in particular folk and 50s compilations. Additionally, they have of late gained a juicy loot of rings and bracelets. There's something in that swag basket for everyone, from rose rings to faux diamond studded silver jewellery. In the room adjoined to the vinyl paradise there is normally a vast arrangement of furniture at affordable prices. If it leans towards expensive, it's usually because it's in mint condition and you're giving to charity after all, so suck it up! I go back for the tea collection everytime (I'm going back tomorrow for a teapot) but this store is certainly big enough to hold something suited to everyone's tastes!
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Em’s 4-star review: As with most charity shops on Byres Road, Oxfam Books transports you away from thrift shopping and is laid out like any other book store. It's fantastically organised and very resourceful for students. You can bet your bottom dollar they will receive an abundence of old textbooks every summer, offered up by students who want to dispose of anything that reminds them of exams. Which is handy, since you will only have to shell out a quarter of the going price for some vital study material if you snap it up in here. At least a quarter of their store is dedicated to fiction, and the books they display are always in near mint condition. They also have a great selection of international novels, maps, textbooks, cookery anthologies....just about everything. Their exensive Scottish literature collection was very useful to me when I was at uni, and now that I get to read for fun again I love picking up nearly new books from here. It may be marginally expensive for what is essentially a charity shop, but your money is going to a good cause, and compared to the high street these bargains are a steal! Superb variety, good times. -
Em’s 4-star review: It's a small Shelter, but I always seem to have luck getting something out of here. It doesn't usually get many donations in the way of ornaments and such, but sometimes you can score some cool ornaments out of here. They have a couple of rails for guys but as Chris explained to his dismay, it is mainly girls' donations they appear to receive. They have a lot in the way of old H&M sdtock, enough to note that it's a recurring theme! It's handy if you want to pick up something still in fashion, and I'm always impressed by their jumpers. They keep prices low so consequently you end up buying more - low prices in charity shops are rare in the west end, so it's refreshing. Saying that, I don't mind paying a bit extra since it's for a good cause, so long as shop assistants aren't taking the piss (take note, Byres Road Oxfam...sorry, it had to be said). So to conclude, some cool swags to be found in this branch of Shelter, and Cat is right - the volunteers are really friendly and cool! The girl who has been in these past few times is really nice to chat to, and yesterday she showed me her new tattoo which was lovely. It was on her shoulder by the way, where did your mind go?!
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Clydebank, West Dunbartonshire
Em’s 5-star review: WIN! I've been all grannied out with charity shops as of late - think it's because I've overloaded my house full of rag and bone merchant tatt. I wouldn't have it any other way, but it can be exhausting. Then I came to the Biritsh Heart Foundation in the Clydebank Shopping Centre, and found the best teapot in the world! It cost a tenner, but if I took that bad boy to the Antiques Roadshow I'm sure I'd come back a millionaire. It looks amazing - it's even got Henry VIII on it! But I gave it to my mum because I knew she'd love it - all together now, AWWW. But aside from my ramblings about how ace this British Heart is, the shop itself is exceptionally well oerganised, packed full of cheeky bargains and usually very busy indeed. They normally have some gorgeous clothes and occasionally you can pick up some designer knock off's in here for under a fiver. The volunteer was so friendly and good at his job. And it shows because this outlet of the British Heart Foundation does its charity proud! -
Em’s 4-star review: I'm always a fan of charity shops - bargain hunting with a good cause - this one ticks all the boxes. Even though charity shops never have consistent stock, what I have noticed from my years of trawling them is that they each seem to have a special niche. This one frequently houses good quality furniture at very affordable prices and an intersting vinyl collection. On the last occasion I jingled the bell on the front door of Maryhill's Maxie Richards, they were on the hunt for new furniture and it was looking a bit barren. That isn't usually the case, however, and if anything the notice in the window will further encourage a spring clean on the locals' part - tis the season for a tidy, after all. They did however have a pleasing assortment of 70s ornaments, and I purchased a few despite the cashier letting out a wee chuckle at my choice. It was all in good humour though, and I mean I did buy an owl ashtray for 50p! I don't even smoke but I've started storing charm bracelets in it - it's ugly but I like it. And I like this shop, which is always well organised and the staff are very accomodating. Get your spring clean sorted so I can buy yer old junk! -
Em’s 3-star review: Although this charity shop is small, they fair manage to pack an enormous amount of stock out onto their display rails! As Katie said, there's not really much hidden treasure in here ever. I always frequent this British Heart Foundation branch when I'm in town and I don't know if it's to do with the catchment area for people donating or its location on the high street, but most of the clothes are fairly new second hand clothes from the stores. This can be like gold dust if you had your eye on something in the shops for a while and it fell out your grasp, as most lines are nearly new in here (that goes for the condition of the stock, too). Nevertheless, I am a second hand bounty hunter that looks for something to be completely unfashionable and, on occasion, hideous, and nothing in here has ever really been "out there" in terms of fashion. If you're browsing for clothes you can hope to find a lot of office clothes, including a neverending supply of pinstripe trousers. This trend has been going on in this shop for years and can be really handy if you're looking for clothes for work! Their ornaments and jewellery is generally unexciting. They have a sparse supply of kids toys and clothes, some videos sometimes and some British Heart Foundation branded stock. Their book collection is super handy, especially for uni students since a lot of them are last year's textbooks, dumped here as soon as the students can afford to forget the hours they spent pouring over them. A woman came in today and said "I'm looking for Sherlock Holmes" - I was tempted to tell her she was as well ringing Baker St but I declined on the basis of my joke being terrible! The best thing about the Heart Foundation is that on Valentine's Day you can donate a pound and leave a message on a heart shaped card in the window for a loved one! It's a nice exaggerated romantic gesture if you're bored giving out corny Valentine's cards every year. -
Em’s 4-star review: I like this charity shop a lot! Not only is it fronting an imperative cause, but on a more superficial level this shop has a lot of quality goods to offer! Most of the clothes are well spaced out throughout the store and in really good nick. There are some high street brands to be had, but also clothes to suit an older generation. To keep the tea lady inside me happy, there's always ample supply of crockery to be discovered in these parts (the people who donate in Victoria Road obviously have good taste), including some rather beautiful, chintzy tea pots and fireplace figurines. They still sell videos, they seem to frequently be supplied with old Playstation games (which are fastly becoming a rarity with the speed technology evolves), and a shelf dedicated to books. I'm usually successful at finding something I like in this shop and it seems to be a regular haunt for the locals too, from mums who've just picked their kids up from school to a meeting ground for retired ladies looking for a new jacket. The staff seem helpful enough and it's so clean everytime I visit someone is hoovering! On my most satisfying journey to this place I came out with a 30pence book full of Sweater Knits from the 80s. There are some absolutely howling patterns in there so this review will be getting updated when I eventually get round to knitting the sweater with the knitted adder winding its way up to form a polo neck...I kid you not. Watch this space, but more importantly keep your eyes peeled for bargains in this shop!
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Em’s 4-star review: Like the majority of the charity shops in this area, this Cancer Research UK outlet has a lot to offer the locals. There are often some secret designer brands to be found in here, a large collection of books, including 90s collections of Disney hardbacks, a Stack n Store box filled with framed art prints of wildly varying images and a handsome collection of mugs and spoons. But what makes this place really homely is the extremely helpful, earnest staff who will not hesitate to give you a hand while you browse, or indeed in assistance trying to lift something off the shelves! I like the way that the woman in charge your choices as you go to pay - gives the place a cosy feel. The nice environment and commitment from the staff members show in the way they efficiently organise their shop, and with their warm manner and down to earth courtesy there's a feeling of the older, compassionate Glasgow spirit in here. I was last in yesterday and enjoyed having a look around while old 50s records played in the background, but what struck me was the way a man siting by the door went out of his way to help me out as I shuffled along with a heavy load. Sadly manners are becoming a long-forgotten art, so it really stands out when a group of people extend a helping hand. I'll continue to be a regular of the charity shops in this neck of the woods.
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Em’s 4-star review: This is a very exciting charity shop indeed because, for the first time ever, I found a charity shop selling off SNES games! This charity shop seemed to be crammed full of clothes, ornaments, electrical goods, Playstations, the aforementioned SNES and just about everything in the planet! But what was really unusual was the large colection of sahri's and headscarfs - great sicne I rarely come across them in charity shops. There was also a large, gorgeous collection of Indian jewellery, including endless lines of bangles displayed on racks. The most exciting thing for me was buying Mario Allstars for £2 but as far as charity shops go, this is definitely worth taking a look around! It's full of everything you never knew you needed. -
Em’s 3-star review: I was enticed into this establishment by the tacky Persian cat ornament batting its eyelashes at me from the window. Since it was a ceramic cat wearing a pink hat I just had to go in. Once inside I couldn't really move - there was a narrow foot passage excavated by the owners but I couldn't really concentrate on looking at any particular section since everything was strewn all over the place. Now I like clutter and I'm not neurotic about mess but even for me there wasn't much space to browse. This can be fun if you've got half an hour to spare but to find something good in here would be like finding a needle in a haystack. I accidently wandered behind the cash desk because I thought it was a video and jewellery stand! I wouldn't bypass it - sometimes I like digging for gold in places like this because you feel a real sense of achievement when you eventually find something you like - but it's a bit unmanageable! I'm sorely tempted to volunteer in here not only for the cause, but for the gross undertaking of doing a Kim and Aggie number and cleaning this place up. You would get such an overwhelming sense of achievement and hopefully it would help them further shift their stock! -
Em’s 5-star review: It's no secret that the Partick Cross Sally Army is the mother of all Glaswegian charity shops. Not only is it MASSIVE, but it is bursting with bargains of all shapes and sizes, like you wouldn't believe! It's the only charity shop where you could buy a three piece suite along with a granny jumper, and it would still only come to a fiver. Without exaggeration, I have seen suites in here for 15 quid, marked down because one of their cushions was a tad ripped. If you can get last season's Ikea in here for that price because of one minor detail, just buy a throw (they probably have crocheted ones hiding in the quilt section, anyhow). Their clothes are all super cheap and they have a ton of books. It's almost like the Barras in miniature, or a well organised flea market. But the best feature of this Sally Army has got to be the window displays. I don't know who donates some of this stuff but it looks like it belongs in a museum rather than in a charity shop. I've seen old gramophones, signed football strips and Victorian lacrosse bats turn up in my time, and it's always worth a look as they usually sell that stuff on Saturdays. You just need to make sure you go first thing so you can swipe it up before anyone else does. The legend that is Sally Army is passed from generation to generation and is a good stop off spot for surrounding students. They have more recently begun hosting vintage afternoons where they dig out their most retro duds and sell them off in scores. With the biggest gravitational pull of second hand stuff in the city, you're unlikely to emerge from this place empty handed.
