Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Are there thrift stores like Goodwill/Salvation Army in PR for buying/donating used goods? Why are there not thrift stores in PR, such as the ones that are common in the states? These are the type of stores where you can donate items and find used items like clothes, household goods cheaply priced. They do not seem to exist much in PR. Why is that? They usually thrive in areas where people do not have much money. I would have expected thrift stores to be common in PR due to the high unemployment and low per capita wages.
Are there thrift stores like Goodwill/Salvation Army in PR for buying/donating used goods? Why are there not thrift stores in PR, such as the ones that are common in the states? These are the type of stores where you can donate items and find used items like clothes, household goods cheaply priced. They do not seem to exist much in PR. Why is that? They usually thrive in areas where people do not have much money. I would have expected thrift stores to be common in PR due to the high unemployment and low per capita wages.
There are Salvation Army stores in the metro area and beyond. There are also some that are not affiliated.
These are a practically new phenomenon in Puerto Rico, say the last 20 or so years. I think the absence of these stores were because Puerto Ricans, in general, were very picky at accepting clothes from others, maybe due to high TB rates at one time or it depicted your lower social class. Hand me downs were more common specially from the family, close friends, uppity employers, not from strangers.
Nonetheless those suffering extreme poverty did accept clothes, but it was a stigma and revealed your social class.
I too, am interested in where the best thrift stores on PR are located. I live in the US Virgin Islands and we only have a few thrift stores and they are extremely disappointing. I am headed to PR for a shopping trip soon and would love to know where to focus my efforts in finding the larger stores.
New clothing is relatively cheap here. It is also true, as mentioned above that people here like nice clothes and do not like hand-me-downs. I find it offensive to suggest that we are so poor here that we should nominally have more thrift.and used clothing shops. Notwithstanding the statistics which are often quoted to make us seem poor, I find that most of the places on this island compare favourably or better than many places on the mainland. The extreme poverty in US cities contrasts to the extreme wealth, and there are no lack of huge conglomerations if people living miserably. I made one trip to NYC, and I was so appalled by the living conditions, I never returned.
True, there are many small.homes here, some needing work, but this also reflects the refusal of many not to seek bank loans (to further impoverish) but to construct and repair.as one.has money. Fortunately, unlike most mainland cities, there is no.government ordering you to complete your construction in 6 months or tear it down, a policy only favourable to bankers.
Sunpup,
To be clear, I wasn't suggesting all Puerto Ricans should be shopping at thrift stores. It wasn't meant as a putdown. The point I was trying to make is that I feel there should be more thrift stores so that those who like finding treasures, recycling used goods, clothes, etc., AND saving money, are able to do so, whether they are rich or poor. I am high income, high net worth and I'm not "too good" to shop there. I have intelligent wealthy friends who drive to thrift stores in a Mercedes and Lexus. In addition, I like to support their causes like Goodwill, Salvation Army, but I will even go to the for profit ones.
I understand what you mean. There are not even that many yard or garage sales where one could hope some antique from bygone settlement days would.be lurking for an observant buyer.
We Puerto Ricans understand the donation of used clothes, and I daresay many of us are likely/willing to do so. What we (generally speaking) do not understand is the idea of buying used clothes. No matter its quality or how "gently used" they are. Heck, I think we feel awkward if we think about donating clothes to someone we know who is going through a hard time. I guess pride trumps being practical in this sense.
We Puerto Ricans understand the donation of used clothes, and I daresay many of us are likely/willing to do so. What we (generally speaking) do not understand is the idea of buying used clothes. No matter its quality or how "gently used" they are. Heck, I think we feel awkward if we think about donating clothes to someone we know who is going through a hard time. I guess pride trumps being practical in this sense.
The only things I buy used are electronics and small appliances. I don't like the idea of wearing somebody else's clothes
I also noticed there were very few "Thrift stores" when I came to live on the island. I'm not wealthy, and those thrift stores were what I furnished my mainland house with. My personal opinion is that Puerto Ricans simply don't waste many things. they are frugal and make use of things they have. They do a lot of bartering with items they don't need. They will repair items until they are no longer repairable. It used to be like on the mainland say, back during WWII. But then we began to get disposable items, and but a lot of things with money we did not have, and ended up with garages full of junk.
I had to buy all my house items new, with just a small part from the few "dollar stores" and believe me, a dollar is what they are worth.
Hi, I know this is an old thread, however, I am a part of a slowly growing community of thrift and vintage shops across the island that is worth mentioning. :-) Our store, Te Toca a Ti is located in Cabo Rojo, in the southwest. There is also one in Lajas (Lajas Vintage and Thrift) and a couple in Mayaguez, both neighboring towns. www.facebook.com/tetocaatipr
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
