Your home, each home, has a unique feel or tone to it. While life in Colorado has its ubiquitous customs, there are many subcultures in “Coloradan.” BOCO has many thrift, antique, used gear, and furniture stores, for example, and each store has its own uniquities. Some homes look better with antiques and classic rugs laid about, while others rock a more modern vibe. Similarly, certain styles of clothing match your house and luckily, there are plenty of different stores to fit each specific need and style. And on the cheap. Perhaps there are too many? Nahhhh. Thankfully there exists a comprehensible list and guide here in this article for you to get your thriftiquing on! Lucky you stumbled on it.

Common Threads

Common Threads is a consignment shop with locations in Boulder and Denver that was started by two sisters. Aside from providing local thrifting, they give you the ability to have a wishlist. So if you’re drooling over a specific item, let them know and they’ll get in touch as soon as they have something similar for you. Maybe they can even direct you to something they already have in store, or help you find other pieces that match your current wardrobe.

Or perhaps you want to host a social event: wine and hors d’oeuvres, or a fundraiser where people can shop and donate to an organization of your choice. Common Threads is a great co-host. You can also go out back to the Creative Lab, featuring mostly privately-organized classes (that anyone can join); there are lessons on sewing, make your own skirts or PJ’s. In fact, my sweats are a little beat, so it might be time to finally make that plaid and polka-dot pattern I’ve always wanted.

As a consignment shop, they also accept gently used, unwanted clothes and sell them for a portion of the profit. Here, it’s an entirely even split: 50/50. However, there is one potential challenge to offering up high end clothes: they only accept certain items at specific times. Only pieces that have been in stores within the past two years, clean, hole-free (except the ones where your arms and legs go, of course), and seasonal clothes are accepted.

Play It Again Sports

You can’t wear fine clothes when you go roughhousing, unless you want to ruin them (which means you can’t sell them at consignment later). Perhaps you’re looking to try your hand at a new sport but don’t have the gear. Or maybe you’ve retired from your rec league and want to clear out some space in the garage. Play It Again Sports in Boulder, Longmont, or Broomfield can help you solve either or both of those problems. You’ll be able to pick up a new baseball glove or drop off your old fitness bike in exchange for some cash. Depending on the quality of your gear, you can get about 30-50% of its new retail price. Cha-ching! If you don’t want cash or a check, you can also turn in your gear for store trade, so you basically have the power to turn your horseshoes into hockey sticks. If you go that route, you also receive a higher return rate (about 50-70%).

Each of these stores is individually owned and you have a week to return anything you purchase. If you time it right, and you sell your golf clubs at the start of the season, the normal retail price will go up and your return percent will also increase. PIAS also provides gear repair services: sharpen your skates, rent skis and snowshoes, restring your lacrosse stick, and more. Locally owned in Boulder for 25 years, the staff knows their way around gear and will help fill any need you have.

Greenwood Consignment

So now you have a new wardrobe and new gear, but why stop there? You should have a house that reflects your unique and interesting personality just as much as your clothes and sportswear do. If you like nature and wildlife, stop by the Greenwood Consignment. They sell high-quality home furnishings, jewelry, decor, and art, and all proceeds go to the Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.

Split by levels, the store has two major halves: the top (which displays furniture, furnishings, art, and jewelry), and the bottom (clothes, music, books, more furniture, and miscellany). You’ll be able to pick up a set of fine wine glasses, matching table settings, rugs in excellent condition, or lawn furniture, while also helping to making sure native Colorado wildlife gets the attention that it needs.

If you donate to the thrift store, you’ll be able to get a tax deductible receipt for the expected value of the items (much like donating books to the Lafayette Public Library). If you consign items in good condition (under the discretion of the manager), you will have a 60-day contract, after which, if your items have not sold, you will have three to four days to reclaim them or donate them to the store. If you forget about your items after that period, the store will take ownership of them. Like at other consignment shops, you will get a 50/50 split of the earnings. You bring your items to the store, pay a one-time $5 fee to create an account with them, get an appraisal, and then sign the contract. You can also volunteer with them if you feel like helping out some native birds and other critters.

Daniel’s Antiques

We know prices rise respective to elevation: the higher you go the more expensive things get… just look at Aspen. Often this is for kitsch (touristy?) items, but you can still get unique, high quality items there that you’ll be able to keep around for much longer than a plastic moose. Founded in 1978, Daniel’s Antiques in Aspen has some of the coolest items to put around your house. Old military binoculars, decanter sets, carved wooden tobacco jars, and old posters.

If Aspen is a bit far, you can also browse their online inventory. They will ship to purchasers anywhere in the world and specially package items based on size and weight. If it’s local, they will use their own delivery service to ensure the item arrives safely. Binoculars are guaranteed to have excellent lenses, old slot machines are sure to work, and other items are bought only at the highest quality they can find.

They also buy antiques, so if you want to bring them something to sell, feel free: they are happy to take a look and let you know if it’s something they are interested in. You can even send them an email with pictures and get a free estimate.

Living in Colorado has its benefits, and one is the wide selection of thrift stores, consignments, and antiquing. We call it thriftiquing. Colorado also has a wide variety of people, each with individual tastes, and you’ll be able to find something to cater to your needs, no matter what they are. This list is intentionally broad in scope, showcasing not just stores, but the idea that you can go out and find that one, peculiar item that’s been missing from your house or wardrobe.

Happy hunting!