Thrift, discount stores stock bargains
Campus Times
October 11, 1996
If shopping could be called an art, a fine craftsman of the trade would
have a passion for finding the prime pick for the least money. College students
seem to have more of a motivation to acquire this skill, with declining
bank accounts becoming a casualty of student accounts.
One of the newest ways to cut down on a college student's budget for clothing
is to work harder at the shopping craft. Spending extra time looking, driving
a little bit farther and going through crowded racks of designer threads
instead of one stop shopping at the mall can mean extra green in the pocketbook.
Stores like Ross and Marshall's not only offer cheaper prices, but designer
labels at discount rates. Currently, some of the designer labels these stores
have in stock are Calvin Klein for both men and women, Ralph Lauren/Polo,
Levi Strauss and Tommy Hilfiger for men, and Liz Claiborne, Jones N.Y.,
Limited, Lerner and Donna Karan for women.
According to Jason Lee, retail associate at Ross, over 20 percent of the
Rancho Cucamonga store is stocked with big brand names.
For men's clothing, a pair of Calvin Klein jeans costs $29.99 compared to
Nordstrom's $47 price tag. Ross' Tommy Hilfiger dress shirts start at $19.99
while retail prices can cost up to $78 elsewhere. Nordstrom's Polo dress
shirts range anywhere from $72.50 to $79.50, while Ross offers Polo dress
shirts for $29.99.
For women, Calvin Klein jeans run $42 at Nordstrom's Brass Plum, while Ross
offers them for 35 percent less. Guess jeans at Marshall's cost $29.99 while
the retail prices range from $48 to $66.
A customer service representative from the Marshall's store in Monrovia
explained that the stores pick up this merchandise from big department stores
when clothing lines are discontinued, out of season, left over or are irregularly
sized. By purchasing these lines at cheaper prices, discount stores can
sell the named brand fashions at 20 to 60 percent less and sometimes even
more.
Because Ross and Marshall's are chain stores, there are several around the
area. Most offer the same kinds of merchandise, though some stores get different
shipments of brands from time to time.
Discount stores nearby include Ross and Marshall's, both which are located
on Eastland Center Drive in West Covina.
For those students who don't mind second-hand clothing and digging pretty
hard through undesirable clothing items, thrift stores are the way to go.
With typical prices ranging anywhere from 95 cents to $4.95, you can assemble
and purchase an entire outfit for under $10.
Two thrift shops that are within proximity and are stocked full of bargains
are Quality thrift store on Holt Blvd. in Montclair and Veterans Thrift
Store off of Garey Ave. in downtown Pomona.
Quality has racks of clothing, shoes, toys, books and even cassette tapes.
There are housewares such as lamps, couches and end tables. There is also
an occasional futon, which is convenient for a student moving into their
own apartment or residence hall.
Slacks, pants and jeans line the racks. Prices range from a couple of dollars
to as much as $9.98, depending on the condition and name brand of the item.
The Salvation Army thrift stores price T-shirts at $1.50 to $3.50, pants
at $4 to $6.50, dresses at $8 and jeans at $5. Pasadena manager Ken Varela
says all clothing is donation based.
A popular misconception about thrift stores is that they are dirty, where
poverty-stricken people shop in search of other people's trash. Besides
people's donations, department stores often donate boxes of overstock or
discontinued clothing items to thrift stores. While donators receive a tax
write-off, thrift store shoppers can stock up on new clothing for only a
fraction of the price.
Veterans thrift store functions basically the same way. Featuring bargain
buys, a student can find shoes, blouses, pants and jackets, while paying,
in reality, only a few dollars for each item.
Another benefit of thrift stores, is that shoppers can be picky by spending
that extra time looking for a designer item or even a new item with the
original price tag intact.
Thrift and discount stores have the potential to save the consumer money
while offering them anything from used merchandise to designer labels. With
microscopic defects pretty rare, the majority of the merchandise has the
same quality as anywhere else. Students can save more than they thought
possible, giving them stylish outfits the common man would think came out
of Nordy's.