Save The World For Cheap With These 10 Charity Shops in Houston!
Yes, we know that charity shops are hit-or-miss if you want to buy some previously-loved goodies. If you’re lucky, you might find some Abidos shoes or shirts that say Stark Wars, and this is a stretch, but probably the Ark of the Covenant as well.
That’s what makes charity shops unique – you never know what you can get, and you’re doing it to save the world your way. Some charity shops directly support charities, or even if they don’t, you’re recycling pre-loved goods so you’re also helping nature heal.
Do you also want some cheap finds in Texas’ most expensive city? Then we got you – Houston is the city of shopping, and we got you covered on the city’s best charity shops where you can get pre-loved thingamajigs for cheap – and help someone in the process!
1. The Cottage Shop
Address: 811 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77006
Phone Number: 713-526-4663
Hours:
- Monday – Wednesday, Friday – Saturday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Thursday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Sunday: Closed
Started in 1971 as a thrift shop to help The Women’s Home, what was once a small thrift shop in Montrose called The Cottage Shop has now become one of the most prolific charity shops in Houston with several branches all over the city!
The Cottage Shop mainly offers vintage clothes and handbags, with some jewelry and home furnishings scattered here and there. The shop itself is easy to navigate, but you will have to do a bit of searching to find the home furnishings, so patience is key!
A little something from us? Visit them on Fridays and Saturdays since The Cottage Shop will run a 25% discount on all of their products, which is the cherry on top! But visiting them on Mondays will net you a 50% discount on clothes and accessories.
Pro Tips:
- Though The Cottage Shop has a good selection of products to choose from, their products are for women only. That’s why if you’re looking for a gift for the man in your life, you’re better off going elsewhere.
2. AGC Resale Boutique
Address: 5007 Bissonnet St, Bellaire, TX 77401
Phone Number: 832-491-1016
Hours: Sunday – Monday: Closed
Tuesday – Saturday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
With all of their proceeds going to Amazing Grace Charities to provide a better life for Houstonians, AGC Resale Boutique lets you shop for some nice antique goods for a fraction of the price! Best of all, you’re doing it to help the people in need – a win-win!
If you look hard enough, you can get some vintage Versace pieces that retail for less than half of their original market price – if you look hard enough, that is. These might look like knockoffs, but I have an eye for fashion and can tell that these are the real deal.
You can also get 50% off on your purchase every time you donate any of your goods to AGC Resale Boutique! It also applies to every product they have, which makes donating your pre-loved goods feel much more special.
Pro Tips:
- Since most of the products at AGC Resale Boutique are antiques, we suggest being extra careful handling their products – especially the couture clothes! You will be paying for those, even if you accidentally break them.
Out of The Closet
Address: 1435 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77006
Phone Number: 713-391-8990
Hours: Monday – Sunday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
The fight for AIDS is a continuous one – and if you want to help fight the battle against AIDS and look stunning, then Out of The Closet will be your best pick! They boast a stylish collection of chic, pre-loved clothes and shoes that you can buy for cheap!
Yes, some of the jackets Out of The Closet has on display are a bit… Mafia Wife-y, if you get what we mean. But hey, an outlandish leather jacket for $55? That’s a steal. Plus, we even spotted a pair of Michael Kors shoes there that look relatively brand-new!
But what makes Out of The Closet unique is that ladies aren’t the only ones who can shop here – if you look hard enough, there are also some men’s clothes available there. We even saw some nice, slightly used Ralph Lauren men’s sweatshirts, which is a steal!
Pro Tips:
- We strongly suggest double-checking the clothes at Out of The Closet before buying them. Some clothes have the original price tag on them and they sell it for a more expensive price, so being doubly cautious will do you good!
4. Buffalo Exchange
Address: 2901 S Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77098
Phone Number: 713-523-8701
Hours: Monday – Sunday: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
If you’re looking for trendier, mall-bought clothes without spending mall money, then Buffalo Exchange will be your best pick, Though they don’t help charities with their proceeds, they still help pre-loved items find a new home. That can be considered a charity.
One of the things that we like the most about Buffalo Exchange is the variety of their goods. Yes, most of the things that they have for sale are items from the Y2K to 2010s era – but if you know what you’re looking for you can get some pieces from the 80s!
We do have to point out that Buffalo Exchange’s display section looks more like the typical thrift store you’d find in LA or other more popular areas. You’ll have to scour the entirety of their displays, but it’s more than worth it if you find a rare gem!
Pro Tips:
- The Buffalo Exchange’s fitting rooms are on the smaller side, to the point where just one will be a tight fit. We strongly suggest bringing less than 4 items when fitting to make sure everything fits!
5. Couture Blowout
Address: 2419 S Shepherd Dr, Houston, TX 77019
Phone Number: 713-533-9888
Hours:
- Monday – Friday: 11:00 AM – 5:30 PM
- Saturday: 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Sunday: Closed
Did you know that “couture” means “custom-made clothing” in French? That’s why couture pieces from something like Versace will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars! That’s why we like Couture Blowout so much – they offer H&M prices for expensive clothes!
This is because Couture Blowout is a consignment store – which means that it’s like, as Gen Z-ers say it, a “yassified” thrift store, aka you can rent out some of their products. But we suggest buying them since items like the Christian Louboutin shoes are worth it!
Yes, you might notice that Couture Blowout doesn’t sponsor any charities at all, which kind of defeats the point of a charity shop. But what they lack in charity, they make up for in making you feel like royalty when you rent their couture goodies, even for a day!
Pro Tips:
- Couture Blowout regularly updates its inventory every month, which is rare for a consignment store! We strongly suggest visiting their website or their location every 15th of the month to see what has changed!
6. The Blue Bird Circle
Address: 615 W Alabama St, Houston, TX 77006
Phone Number: 713-528-0470
Hours: Sunday – Monday: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
We’d like to think of The Blue Bird Circle (Antique Stores Houston) as something like a Goodwill, but most of their proceeds go to funding the medical advancement in research for children’s neurological issues. They’ve made good money, with most of their goodies being nice pieces!
You’ll find some rare goodies you won’t find in any other charity shops or thrift shops in Houston at The Blue Bird Circle. For instance, on our visit, we found a Victorian-era loveseat and a couture Versace runway! It’s a knockoff, but the quality is impeccable!
You can find all of these deluxe goodies in a well-lit, light store. Light in the sense that there’s ample lighting and the space is designed so you won’t bump into anything while you’re looking for all the luxury goods that they have in store.
Pro Tips:
- The Blue Bird Circle only has a single restroom available on its property. Thus, we strongly suggest “emptying the tank”, so to speak, either at home or at a nearby gas station
7. Flamingos Vintage Pound
Address: 2814 Shepherd Dr. S Houston, TX 77098
Phone Number: 281-881-4885
Hours: Monday – Saturday: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
If you’re ever built like George Cooper Sr., then you’re looking at Flamingos Vintage Pound! They’re well-known around Houston for being the go-to for cheap clothes that look like it’s bought straight from the mall!
Yes, most of the goodies they have in stock are straight from the mall from the 90s and early 2000s – it’s surplus clothes, after all. That means that most of the clothes they have are cheap – they even offer $12.99 per pound of clothes, which makes it a steal!
Yes, Flamingos Vintage Pound doesn’t support any charity. But nowadays, recycling used clothes is now the more environmentally friendly option. You’re not just doing yourself a favor by saving money – you’re saving the world one piece of clothing at a time!
Pro Tips:
- Some of the items that you can buy at Flamingos Vintage Pound have little bits of damage on them, which can be incredibly hard to spot. Remember to double-check the clothes before buying them!
8. Goodwill
Address: 2030 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77019
Phone Number: 713-699-6393
Hours: Monday – Sunday: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
You know a list of charity shops in Houston won’t be complete after mentioning Goodwill! This is because Goodwill isn’t just a place where TikTokers make money – Goodwill also helps plenty of charity organizations behind their well-known facade!
Yes, Goodwill doesn’t just provide stable jobs for the community. They help organizations like Habitat for Humanity and Feeding America among many others, which is always a good thing in today’s economy.
That being said since most products at Goodwill are completely random. You can find pretty much anything there – from old video games, to old family heirlooms, and clothes, and we might not be sure, but we think that the Holy Grail can be found there, Maybe.
Pro Tips:
- If you do manage to buy some things from Goodwill, we strongly urge you to deep-clean them once you get home. You don’t know where they came from, and nowadays it’s better to be safe than sorry.
9. MAM Resale Store & Boutique
Address: 1625 Blalock Rd, Houston, TX 77080
Phone Number: 713-491-4330
Hours: Monday – Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: Closed
With 14,000 square feet of shopping space, MAM Resale Store & Boutique is perhaps one of, if not THE biggest charity shops in Houston. They’re that big because they have everything – from clothes, old paintings, furniture – you name it, they (probably) have it!
MAM Resale Store & Boutique also supports a good cause! They provide a stable job for the community along with providing useful advice to immigrants plus advocating for mental health plans for both their workers and the community.
Pro Tips:
- We strongly suggest bringing a face mask with you if you’re allergic to dust. MAM Resale Store & Boutique’s displays can be a bit dusty, which can trigger some allergies. We also suggest bringing some non-drowsy allergy meds!
10. Leopard Lounge
Address: 1639 Westheimer Rd, Houston, TX 77006
Phone Number: 713-526-5100
Hours: Monday – Sunday: 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
With retro clothing coming back into the trends, Leopard Lounge is the perfect space to look for some of those rare vintage clothes! They even go so far as to have a retro aesthetic in their shop, so you know they’re the real deal!
Most of the clothes Leopard Lounge has to offer looks straight from the time capsules. By that, we mean clothes that look like they were made of burlap, jumpsuits that Even Knievel would be caught dead wearing, to outfits that would suit the 2010s aesthetic!
There’s everything for everyone at Leopard Lounge – you can even make money with your old clothes! Yes, unlike other charity shops, Leopard Lounge buys your used clothes. And with their neon lighting? Let’s just say we’re “sold” on the idea!
Pro Tips:
- Unlike other charity shops in Houston, Leopard Lounge’s goodies aren’t organized per category, which makes finding the clothes that you want more difficult. We strongly suggest you exercise patience – plenty of one, at that.
