Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
L to R: St. Vincent de Paul, The Little Shop Around the Corner, Link Auction Galleries, The Green Shag Market
St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Stores
Nine locations
The organization operates eight traditional thrift stores that specialize in gently used goods. St. Vincent also carries a selection of new items provided by corporate donors, as well as mattresses made from recycled metal springs and all-new fabrics. The ninth location—Cool Valley Thrift Outlet, in North County—sells clothing, housewares, and glassware by the pound.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: “Cool Valley is our outlet,” says Mary Gehrig, assistant director of stores. “We have 15 to 20 people in line before opening every day.”
The Little Shop Around the Corner
4474 Castleman
This resale shop, which opened in 2005, supports the mission of the Missouri Botanical Garden and accepts a range of donated furniture, glassware, and decorative items. Recent finds have included Steuben vases, a Lalique crystal cake plate, and a wood armoire.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: Members of the Missouri Botanical Garden should bring their member cards to receive a discount, says supervisor Mitzi Streeter.
Link Auction Galleries
5000 Washington Place
In 2014, Link Auction Galleries opened in a Central West End church designed by the architect Theodore Link. Since then, the company has become a go-to for high-quality decorative arts, jewelry, collectibles, and furniture. Link holds a formal gallery auction every six weeks, and an informal bazaar every three months. The company recently started holding estate auctions, too.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: “We charge a buyer’s premium. It’s 20 percent, which is standard in the auction industry,” says Susan Kime, president. “Say you bid $100. You will pay $120 plus sales tax. If you bid online, there are [also] fees.”
The Green Shag Market
5733 Manchester
Opened in 2011, the shop boasts 55 vendors. It accepts purchases in person or over the phone and offers an online wishlist feature that allows customers to indicate interest in specific items. In 2022, Apartment Therapy named The Green Shag Market to its list of best thrift shops in every state.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: “We are open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. During the pandemic, we didn’t have enough staff to open the whole week, but we found that business was better being open only on these days, so we’ve stuck with that model,” says co-owner Karen Tipton.
