By: Emilia Moberg

For those who enjoy thrifting, the Twin Cities is a great area to shop in. Throughout the cities, there are countless stores, each with unique features that make them a must-visit. However, the copious amount of stores can feeling daunting, so here’s my curated list of a few of the best thrift stores in St. Paul and Minneapolis.

Best women’s clothing: Encore Consignment Boutique

Encore is my pick for the best women’s thrift store in St. Paul/Minneapolis, because of its wide selection of brands and reasonable prices. Encore uses the consignment selling model, which means you give them your clothing, and get a partial profit back when the clothes are sold. At a regular thrift store, clothing can be only donated. Consignment and other more curated stores ensure that you will be looking through quality clothing.

Encore sells an array of pants, dresses, shoes and accessories, and features jewelry from local artists. I personally like Encore because they feature items from a variety of higher-end brands such as Ambercrombie and Kate Spade, as well as good-quality items for 10-20 dollars. They even have a bin of mostly vintage, graphic t-shirts for 2 dollars each. At Encore, I’ve found some of my favorite dresses and sweaters that I consider staples in my closet.

Best vintage: Time Bomb Vintage

Time Bomb is the place to go if you’re looking for quality, vintage items. They have a significant selection of t-shirts, dresses and pants, as well as vintage games, toys and records. The prices at Time Bomb can be higher compared to other places, ranging from 25 to 150+ dollars. However, when I do purchase an item, it is something I love and know is a quality piece. Similarly to Encore, the selection at Time Bomb is curated and they specialize in vintage items.

Best bargain: Salvation Army Bins

Sometimes when you’re out thrifting, you just want to buy a lot of items for cheap. If this sounds like you, try out the Salvation Army Bins. The clothes are presented in large bins and the prices are done by weight. While you have to spend time digging through piles of clothing, at the Salvation Army in North Loop, the price for a pound of clothing is slightly under 2 dollars! While the selection is not curated, I have found high-quality and oftentimes brand name items in good condition.