Tucked away at 614 Alabama St in Redlands, California, The Redlands Thrift Store is one of the most talked-about secondhand shops in the Inland Empire. Shoppers love it for its massive inventory, surprising deals, and special sale events that can stretch every dollar incredibly far.
Whether you are hunting for furniture, clothing, books, or hidden treasures, this store has something for everyone. Read on to discover 13 reasons why this thrift store is worth every minute of your visit.
The Famous $25 Cart Deal That Shoppers Go Crazy For
Imagine wheeling a cart through a store and knowing that everything inside it will cost you just $25 at checkout. That is exactly the kind of deal that has made The Redlands Thrift Store a local legend in Southern California.
Shoppers plan entire trips around this offer, arriving early to get the best picks before the cart fills up.
The trick is to grab a mix of items — clothing, small household goods, books, and accessories — to make the most of your cart space. Experienced thrifters say layering flat items on the bottom and stacking bulkier things on top helps you fit more in.
It is basically a game, and winning feels amazing.
Special sale events like this one bring in crowds from surrounding cities, so arriving right when the store opens at 10:30 AM on weekdays gives you the best advantage.
Massive Inventory That Keeps Surprising You
Walking into The Redlands Thrift Store feels a little like stepping into a treasure hunt where the map changes every day. The inventory is enormous, covering everything from vintage home decor to everyday clothing, books, electronics, and furniture.
No two visits are ever quite the same, which keeps regulars coming back week after week.
One shopper described it perfectly as “organized chaos” — it is not a polished retail display, but that is part of the charm. The more time you spend browsing, the more gems you are likely to uncover hiding between ordinary items on the shelf.
Special events bring in even more donated merchandise, making those days especially exciting for dedicated thrifters. If you love the thrill of not knowing what you will find next, this store delivers that feeling every single time you walk through the door.
Clothing Finds for Every Style and Size
Flipping through clothing racks at a thrift store is genuinely one of life’s small pleasures, and The Redlands Thrift Store gives you plenty of racks to work through. The clothing section carries a wide range of styles, from casual everyday wear to vintage-inspired pieces that look straight out of a decade ago in the best possible way.
Some reviews mention that pricing on name-brand clothing has crept up in recent years, similar to trends seen at larger thrift chains. Still, savvy shoppers who visit during sale days report walking away with full bags for just a few dollars.
The key is patience and a willingness to look past the ordinary stuff.
Layering basics found here with one or two statement pieces can build a completely fresh wardrobe without spending much at all. Thrift fashion is having a major moment, and this store is a great place to participate.
Book Sales That Bookworms Absolutely Love
For anyone who devours books faster than their budget can keep up, The Redlands Thrift Store runs a weekly book sale that feels like a small miracle. Hardbacks and paperbacks line the shelves, covering everything from classic literature to self-help, cookbooks, and children’s stories.
Finding a beloved title for under a dollar is not unusual here.
A fun deal to know about: on the last Wednesday of every month, shoppers can grab ten books for just one dollar. That is basically free reading material for an entire month, which is a dream for classroom teachers, students, or anyone building a home library on a tight budget.
Some reviews suggest the book section could use a bit more organization, with spines sometimes facing the wrong way. But if you enjoy a relaxed browse rather than a quick grab-and-go, the book section rewards your patience with some genuinely great finds.
Furniture Pieces That Can Transform a Room
Furniture shopping at a thrift store is a completely different experience from walking into a big-box retailer, and The Redlands Thrift Store proves that point with a rotating selection of secondhand pieces. Dressers, tables, chairs, and shelving units cycle through regularly, often donated in decent condition and ready for a new home.
Pricing on furniture has been a hot topic in recent customer reviews, with some shoppers feeling that certain pieces are priced higher than expected for used items. That said, auction events at the store sometimes offer a different route to snagging a quality piece at a lower price point.
If you are furnishing a first apartment, refreshing a bedroom, or looking for a DIY project piece to paint and upcycle, keeping an eye on the furniture section during your visits can pay off. Checking in frequently increases your odds of finding something worth taking home.
Special Sale Events That Bring the Best Deals
One of the biggest reasons regulars keep returning to The Redlands Thrift Store is the lineup of special sale events that roll through throughout the year. These events bring in fresh donations, deeply discounted prices, and sometimes the entire cart-for-$25 deal that has become something of a local legend among bargain hunters.
Staying connected to the store’s schedule is the smartest move a thrifter can make. Following their website at redlandsthrift.com or calling ahead at 909-793-6470 helps you plan visits around the best sale days rather than showing up on a random Tuesday and missing out on the action.
Shoppers who time their visits around these events describe the experience as genuinely exciting — almost like a community gathering where everyone is hunting for deals together. The energy in the store on sale days is noticeably higher, making the whole trip feel worth the effort.
Standout Customer Service From Employees Like Cris
Not every thrift store experience comes with genuinely warm customer service, which is exactly what makes employees like Cris such a standout at The Redlands Thrift Store. Multiple shoppers have gone out of their way to mention her by name in reviews, describing her energy as contagious and her helpfulness as truly above and beyond.
One customer, Wendy Staggs-Sharp, even drove from Central California specifically to revisit the store — and credited Cris as one of the main reasons she keeps coming back. That kind of loyalty says a lot about how much a single great employee can shape the entire feel of a place.
Cris has been praised for ringing up purchases cheerfully, informing shoppers about current sales, and never making anyone feel like a bother. In a store where customer reviews are mixed, her name consistently appears as a bright spot worth mentioning.
Donation Drop-Off That Supports the Local Community
The Redlands Thrift Store is not just a place to shop — it is also a place where the community gives back. Donors regularly drop off clothing, furniture, books, household goods, and more, keeping the inventory fresh and the prices accessible for shoppers who rely on affordable options.
One reviewer shared an incredible story about arriving on a Sunday afternoon with a rental truck full of furniture after being turned away elsewhere. The Redlands Thrift Store not only accepted the donation but called out a crew of polite, hard-working teenagers to unload everything efficiently.
That kind of community spirit sets the store apart from larger chain thrift operations.
An employee named Miguel was also called out by name for being professional and warm during a donation drop-off experience. Supporting this store by donating keeps the cycle going — your old items become someone else’s next great find at an unbeatable price.
Vintage and Unique Items Hidden Throughout the Store
There is a certain magic to spotting something truly vintage among the everyday donated goods at a thrift store, and The Redlands Thrift Store has built a bit of a reputation for stocking interesting older pieces. Retro kitchen items, quirky home decor, and collectible-style objects regularly pop up throughout the shelves.
Pricing on vintage items has been a point of debate among shoppers, with some feeling that the store leans heavily on the “vintage” label to justify higher prices. Fair or not, the reality is that genuinely rare finds do surface here — you just need to look carefully and visit often enough to catch them before someone else does.
Collectors and vintage enthusiasts who enjoy the hunt rather than guaranteed results will feel right at home browsing the shelves. Bring patience, keep your eyes open, and you might walk out with something that looks incredible on a shelf at home.
Convenient Hours and a Central Redlands Location
Located at 614 Alabama St in Redlands, CA 92373, The Redlands Thrift Store sits right in the heart of the community it serves. Getting there is straightforward whether you are coming from nearby neighborhoods or driving in from a surrounding city like San Bernardino or Loma Linda.
The store is open Monday through Saturday from 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM, giving shoppers a solid window of time to browse without feeling rushed. Sunday hours are a bit shorter, running from 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM, so planning ahead on weekends helps you make the most of your visit.
For questions about current sales or donation drop-offs, calling ahead at 909-793-6470 is always a smart move. You can also check redlandsthrift.com for updates on upcoming events and deals.
A little planning goes a long way when you are chasing the best finds.
A Budget-Friendly Option for Classroom Teachers
Teachers are some of the savviest thrift store shoppers around, and The Redlands Thrift Store has proven itself as a genuinely useful resource for classroom needs. One reviewer mentioned visiting specifically to stock up on books for her students and walking away thrilled with what she found — all at prices that would not dent a teacher’s personal budget.
Beyond books, the store regularly carries art supplies, decorative items, storage solutions, and reading materials that can bring a classroom to life without requiring a grant or a fundraiser. The weekly book sale and the monthly ten-books-for-one-dollar deal are especially practical for educators building classroom libraries.
Shopping here also teaches students an important real-world lesson about sustainability and resourcefulness when teachers share where their classroom materials came from. Reusing donated goods cuts waste and stretches limited school budgets further than any retail store ever could.
An Ever-Changing Inventory That Rewards Return Visits
One of the most underrated things about The Redlands Thrift Store is how dramatically the inventory can shift from one week to the next. Because the stock depends entirely on what the community donates, no visit is ever a carbon copy of the last one.
That unpredictability is genuinely part of the appeal for loyal shoppers.
Several long-time customers mention shopping here for years, with some saying it is their favorite thrift store in the entire area. The key to getting the most out of each visit is treating it less like a mission and more like a leisurely browse — you rarely find the best stuff when you are in a hurry.
Checking in after weekends or following major donation drives tends to yield the freshest selection. Think of each trip as a new chapter in an ongoing treasure hunt where the prizes genuinely change every single time.
Supporting a Local Business That Gives Back
Every dollar spent at The Redlands Thrift Store stays closer to home than money spent at a national chain. The owner’s response to one glowing review put it simply and sincerely: purchases support the staff and customer programs that keep the store running and connected to its community.
That is a meaningful reason to choose local when you can.
The store has been a fixture in Redlands for years, earning loyal customers who describe it as one of the most exquisite treasures in the area. Community members donate, shop, and volunteer in ways that keep the whole operation feeling personal rather than corporate.
Shopping secondhand also carries a quiet environmental benefit — every item purchased here is one less thing ending up in a landfill. Choosing The Redlands Thrift Store over fast fashion or brand-new goods is a small but real way to shop with both your wallet and your values in mind.