A Review: Value Village Boutique
17 November 2022
I like thrifting for several reasons:
The Thrill of It – there’s something magical about searching for and finding gems in unlikely places. Like with a scavenger hunt, I always feel like they were placed there for me to find at exactly the right time. 🐆
Affordable Prices – I like clothing but I don’t know if I value clothing. The idea of value is important to me so I always ask, “what is [insert product or service] worth to me? In other words, what am I willing to pay or give up for it. Worth is always personal and subjective.
Unique Finds – I’m fulfilled when I have something I know is uncommon, that no one else is likely to have. It makes me feel lucky 🐈⬛
Environmentally Friendly – It makes me feel good to know that my shopping habits aren’t contributing in excess to the problem of environmental degradation.
We arrived at the Value Village Boutique at the corner of Queen Street and Bathurst Street in Toronto, Ontario after a short walk. The large two-storey complex replaced DesignRepublic in the Summer of 2022. I’d been meaning to peruse this particular location since its opening, but the opportunity never presented itself … until now that is. We walked through the glass doors and into an expansive space with high ceilings. In front of us were racks filled with neatly arranged clothes, to the right, self-checkout counters and more racks of clothes. We turned left when we spotted a wall rack with handbags, one of the primary reasons for our visit. They had a wide assortment but nothing to my taste, or so I thought. Something told me to look at the window display bench nearby where the most attractive items are placed to lure in customers. There I found a metallic silver pouch with long silver straps, my current favourite handbag, for $6.99. I returned to the wall rack to show it to my shopping companion. “Should I get this?” I asked enthusiastically. A rhetorical question no doubt. She in turn produced a small black velvet shoulder bag with a bow and long gold straps. “$6.99” She said. “What do you think?” I’m having a velvet moment so I immediately wanted the bag, regretful I hadn’t seen it first. She looked unsure. “If you don’t want it, I’m definitely taking it.” I said. That cemented her decision. She was taking the bag.
Having scavenged the purses, we headed up the stairs for new discoveries. In the first room, we saw more clothes, and another rack of purses. We picked up an oxblood tote and continued through the entryway into the next room. More clothes, all sized for convenience and women’s shoes, lingerie and sleepwear. As we made our way through the racks, pausing occasionally to look at the pieces that stood out, I said,
“You know what my biggest fear is?”
“What?” my companion asked.
“That thrift culture is corrupted by capitalism. I mean it’s already happening. Thrifting is not the trend its becoming. It’s a lifestyle that promotes mindful consumption. If people don’t see this and thrift in the same way they consume fast fashion we’re not solving the problem are we?”
“Yeah, I see what you’re saying.” She responded.
We continued our walk through and picked up two dresses, original tags still attached, and a pair of barely worn brown mules, all for less than $20 each.
The real magic happened at the base of the stairs on our way back down where I saw a four-way rack I hadn’t noticed before. There I found the best sheer dress, a hand-knitted wool sweater and a fuzzy leopard print sweater, all in shades of brown and beige, all $15 or less! I was ecstatic hardly believing my luck! It’s as if they had been grouped together on that one rack for me to find. Minimum effort, maximum reward. I tried them on in the open on top of my clothes as there are no fitting rooms. They were the perfect fit. Good! Because although they have a generous exchange policy, there is a no return policy.
Before we checked out, I went through a stack of belts and other accessories hanging nearby. There I found a white leather belt with gold buckle detail for $3.99. “Should I get it? I don’t have a white belt.” Another rhetorical question. Self-checkout was a breeze and there were shop attendants available to help us with the process. We tossed our items in the large paper bags they provided for a nominal fee and headed for the exit.
To end I’ll say that we had a pleasant and fruitful experience at the Value Village Boutique on Queen Street West save for a minor incident. In typical Tipora fashion, I almost lost my handbag which I left hanging on one of the racks while I tried on my unique finds. Oops. Luckily, it was returned to me intact by a shop attendant just before we checked out 😅😁 YAY
If you haven’t caught on yet, my toxic trait is that I almost always forget and leave things, sometimes people, behind [see A Review: El Rey Mezcal Bar]
