Burlington, NC thrifts

[i zimbra]

Hi everybody.  If you live in the Research Triangle (Chapel Hill, Raleigh, and Durham), Burlington is not that far away.  It is about 20 minutes west of Carrboro on 40 and there is even a scenic route via 54.  I have come to enjoy thrifting in Burlington.  It's not great, but it's better than Chapel Hill.  The only problem is, I never know where to eat there.  Let me know if you recommend a place.

Anyway, here are four thrifts in Burlington that I know about.  There are
two Goodwills, one Salvation Army, and one good religious one called the Good Samaritan Super Thrift.  There are other little fly-by-night type of ones and I'm sure some others that I don't know about.  Feel free to append.

Okay:
This one is a quick fix if you're on 40, plan to continue on, but need a
little break.  But it's a great start to a Burlington thrift trip as well.
It's right off of 40 (exit 145, take the right at the end of the ramp, and it's
after (?) the Waffle House on the right).  It used to be good - lots of
housewares (jumper cables, 8mm Brownie projectors) but now it's
overwhelmed by baskets.  Yes, baskets.  I hate baskets.  I can never find
any clothing there.  It's so weird.  They have SO much, but so little.  It's worth a stop though.

Goodwill Industries
2320 Maple Avenue, Burlington, NC 27215
(336) 228-0635
CLOSED WED and ONLY OPEN UNTIL 2 p.m. on SATURDAY

If you know Burlington, you probably know how to get to Church St.  I did
not so this is a good one to Mapquest or Google map.  It's on the left - look for the cute signs with a washing machine and other items on it.  And remember to swear outside because there's NO SWEARING inside.  Extra bonus points for finding the sign that reminds you that god hates shoplifters.

Good Samaritan Super Thrift
1636 North Church Street, Burlington, NC 27217
(336) 229-4900

This next one is sucky but it has TONS of women's shirts.  That's
their claim to fame.  The housewares used to be more disorganized but now they're organized by COLOR which is always fun.  Recently, I found an old Olivetti Valentine typewriter there.  That is really weird for this store - nothing like that ever happens there.  But I'm just saying that this place ISN'T a total waste of time although it's close to it (esp. for guys because there are hardly any jeans or shirts there for them).

This one is further down the road from the Good Samaritan, in a shopping plaza on the RIGHT...
Goodwill
2139 North Church Street, Burlington, NC 27217
(336) 229-5872

There's one more thrift.  I almost forgot about it, possibly because it's sort of new.  It's a Salvation Army downtown, next to a car dealership.  Actually, it shares a parking lot with the car dealership, pretty much.

This one is really sparse.  There was some kind of interesting furniture there once.  And I got a really good ashtray there once.  But it's just not that great.... yet.  In a pinch, totally don't feel guilty about passing it up.

Salvation Army Thrift Store
310 West Front Street, Burlington, NC 27215
(336) 570-2244

Thrift on!

[Runder]

You've hit the big four with this description.  I would add that the Goodwill near the Waffle House has a good selection of jackets, and Good Samaritan often has 50% off furniture weeks.  Good Samaritan also seems to get a lot of surplus UNC dorm furniture if you are looking for a dresser or a desk.  Any store in town can quickly turn into a thrift store at a moment's notice.  

There is a store called the "Burlington Super Flea" on Hwy 87 between Burlington and Graham which is in a barrell vaulted building.  It is a stall type thrift store, with a bunch of different sellers sharing the space.  They have a lot of new junk -- figurines, license plates,  t-shirts -- as well as electronics, books, and tools.  Lots of 1980s stuff.

Burlington's food claim to fames are hot dogs, and more recently, Mexican food.  There are taquerias on almost every block.  These are not always that vegetarian friendly, however.  If you are a vegetarian, I would recommend El Carbonero in Graham on Hwy. 87.  It is a Salvadorean place that has excellent vegetarian pupusas.  Taqueria Karla on Graham-Hopedale Road, North of Hwy 70 (near Good Samaraitan) is a good taqueria.  

Almost every restaurant in town is a diner that has hot dogs and cheese dogs.  Cheese dogs are a block of orange cheese in the shape of a hot dog in a bun.  A combo dog is a hot dog next to a cheese block in a bun.  The best hot dog place in Zack's located downtown.  You can ususally find it easily on Saturdays because it is the only place to eat downtown open.  It is across from "The Old Timey Place" a new antique store that has expressed a desire to have fast turnover, and therefore have really low prices.  I got a chrome basket weave box purse w/bakelite handle there and a large jewelry box of costume jewelry there cheap.  They've only been open about 2 months, so I don't know how true to their word about price and turnover they will be.

[i zimbra]

I wanted to add on two more thrifts that I figured out in Burlington:
1.  Re-Store.  Open Tuesday-Friday 9:30-5:30 and Saturday 9-4.  Located at 2286 North Church Street in Cum-Park (!!) Plaza.  This is the plaza across from the Goodwill mentioned above.  I think it was a little tricky to find this thrift - as I recall, it was not in the main strip of the shopping center but located to the right after going under an arch or overpass-type of thing.  I thought this thrift had good prices but was not jammed packed with stuff.  Definitely a place I'd hit again though.

2.  The bizarre pentecostal thrift.  It's near that flea market mentioned above at 535 E Webb Ave (which is now less good actually because they converted half of the upstairs to a freaking church!  Yes - thrift + church pews side by side - you've got to see it.)  It is at the intersection of Webb and Tucker.  Look for it on the left (about half a mile after passing the Super Flea).  It's in one of the warehouses and the entrance is facing Tucker.  The place is chock full of crap.  If it's winter, it's freezing in there.  If it's summer, it's absolutely sweltering.  Beware that sometimes they like to get new recruits from people that shop there (it's just that churchy).  But do not fear this thrift.  It has too much stuff to pass up.  Not much new stuff though.  Like, it's not totally awesome.  But it's got a ton of stuff.

Good luck everyone!  I'm moving to Baltimore soon so I'll be posting about my new adventures there in the Maryland forum.