Caroline Huffman: a sophomore in accounting, shops at The Mission Thrift Store near the mall. Kyle Cooper / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
Thrift stores and gently used clothing stores are creating alternate shopping choices for college students.
From Plato’s Closet to Goodwill stores, students can find a cheap alternative for nearly anything. They can create their own looks and get good deals on all kinds of clothes.
“In Auburn, downtown stores all have the same thing,” said Lauren Bragg, a senior in apparel merchandising. “Every girl you know will have the same outfit.”
Bragg said she sometimes shops downtown, but she likes expressing her individuality through what she wears.
“The experience is so much fun,” Bragg said. “You get excited when you have something that no one else has or that is really cheap.”
Goodwill in Auburn has just closed, but there are thrift stores in Valley and Phenix City that offer the same clothes and bargains.
“We do get a lot of college students in our store,” said Chuck Amos, a sales clerk at the Valley Goodwill. “Our store picks up a lot of stuff from estate sales.”
Amos said a lot of the stuff has a vintage look, from the jewelry to the clothes.