Treasure Hunt
World Treasures is non-profit thrift shop that offers gently used clothing and household items and supports Holly Place Assisted Living and the Mennonite Central Committee.
Find your next treasure—or your next outfit—by exploring Washington County’s thrift shops
By April Bartel
It’s the thrill of the hunt. Whether stalking game for supper or the day’s best bargain, finding what you seek is always satisfying. While some folks insist only new things will do, others turn a savvy eye to second-hand shops for “new-to-me” treasures.
Washington County is prime territory for such excursions. Antique shops and seasonal yard sales aside (those are tales for another day), there are plentiful options within an easy drive of downtown Hagerstown. Some are chains. Others stand alone. Some support charities. Some run for profit. We explored a few readers’ favorites, learning about economics, fashion, recycling, and community service along the way.
Hub City Thrift offers great deals on clothes, shoes, knick-knacks, and home décor.
Variety is the operant word here. Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore is a boon for home rehabbers seeking salvaged building materials, from vintage doors and lighting fixtures to lengths of molding to tools and furniture or appliances.
The hulking 2nd & Charles bookstore is an outlet to buy, sell, or trade all sorts of “nerdy needs” and collectibles, while Booksavers touts their place as “new life for books—Hope for the world!” One relatively new option is Goodwill’s / re•find / in Smithsburg. It is a destination for curated antiques, unique home decor, designer shoes, accessories, and more.
We talked to Horizon Goodwill’s director of retail Lance Crossman, and Craig Foster, marketing and public relations manager. “Goodwill is one of the largest recyclers in the United States, if you count secondhand,” says Crossman, a self-avowed advocate for sustainability practices. “What you see in the store is the tip of the iceberg…The underwater piece is all the items that don’t make it to the sales floor.”
Donations are closely inspected to determine their ultimate value. Options may include up-cycling them into something fresh, extracting usable components, passing them to another nonprofit or traditional recycling. Crossman notes that Americans typically wear a piece of clothing seven times. “Then they’re done with it.”
“Up to 85 percent of clothing ends up in landfills, and it takes anywhere from 40 to 200 years for clothing to decompose. Producing one pair of jeans emits a similar amount of carbon as driving a car for 69 miles. ”
Closet turnover may be quick, but the second-hand category is growing, too. From 1993 to 2023, commercial retail grew 4.9 percent in the U.S. In that same time, thrift/secondhand retail grew 7.5 percent.
We hit Goodwill on Sunday when certain color tagged items are just $1. We grabbed Old Navy pants, a dress shirt by Weekender, and a bejeweled Notations sweater on sale, piled on top of a few classic board games, suede boots, and a sculpted vase, all for less than $10. Crossman proudly reports, “about 90 cents of every dollar we generate in store goes directly to supporting our missions and initiatives.” The organization also plans to open a low-priced (new) food market later this year.
The Overwatch in the Hagerstown Premium Outlets is a second-hand store that offers used and new items, including household goods and clothing.
Amber Mowry, owner of The Overwatch, follows the same thread. The Overwatch is a commercial endeavor with a strong charitable component. Her family also runs Hagerstown’s JDog Junk Removal & Hauling and the work is enlightening.
“The things people get rid of aren’t necessarily junk,” insists Mowry. They take donations and salvage the good stuff, channeling the benefits toward helping fellow veterans and military members. They host fundraisers and donate in-demand items, but shoppers can also find Black Rifle coffee on sale next to bins of Lego, cut crystal, electronics, small appliances, and lots of clothes. There’s an entire room dedicated to furniture and décor. In addition to rotating sales, spend $100 (over several trips) and get $10 off the next purchase.
“It is our job to watch out for our brothers and sisters in the military near and far, as well as our local community,” Mowry says, explaining her shop’s blended mission. “We are here to help and happy to serve.”
Hub City Thrift is also a family business. Owners Joe and Regina Calderon pride themselves on providing good values, especially in clothes and shoes. Joe says, “at the mall, if you’re lucky, a pair of jeans may cost $40. With half of that, you can get a whole outfit in this store.”
We found fashions by Liz Claiborne and Gloria Vanderbilt, LuLaRoe, Under Armour, and Chaps, plus great deals on puffer coats and leather jackets hanging next to plentiful kids’ wear and even a few wedding dresses. Donating items will get you 20 percent off a future purchase and Monday is 25 percent off everything for everyone.
World Treasures Thrift is a non-for-profit that benefits the Mennonite Central Committee charity works. Manager Wendy Dahler says the store’s mission is “to share God’s love and help people meet their basic needs.”
Donations and volunteers are always welcome. If you go, check out their monthly silent auctions. There are $.99 specials weekly and seasonal bag sales as well as a frequent buyer punch card. We snagged several dressy dresses, strappy platform heels, Clark’s sandals, silky pajamas, and a B. Moss suit for just $7 total.
Fans also call out Brooke’s House thrift store near their coffee and chocolate shop in the South End Shopping Center, Salvation Army, The Hope Center, and The Promise Animal League outlets for their selections and missions. So many choices make it easy to plot your own treasure map. And with spring cleaning on the horizon, it’s a great excuse to donate and restock in one trip.