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| By John Petersik | January 24, 2009 | 37 Comments

Feelin’ Thrifty: What Would Jesus Do?

We know a lot of our fellow Richmonders are always trolling for sweet thrift store finds, so we thought we’d dedicate a few posts to profiling our go-to spots for gently (or not so gently) used home furnishings and accessories here in the river city. Richmond has its fair share of Goodwill and Salvation Army stores but personally we’ve only actually purchased furniture or home accessories from other independent thrift stores in the area. So we’re here to share the goods. And bear with us all you non-locals, there are a few ideas that you can apply to your area. And hopefully this thrift store tour will inspire you to ask your friends about their favorite thrifting places- or even dedicate a weekend to hitting up a bunch of thrift stores that you find on google to suss out your very own favorite haunts. Happy hunting…

We’ve gotta dedicate this first thrift store profile to our absolute favorite: . Can I get a “hallelujah”?

loveofjesusthiftfront

The Love of Jesus has , but so far we’ve only visited the one on the Southside. It’s got a smorgasbord of everything – clothes, accessories, electronics, toys, sporting goods and (our personal fav) furniture and home accessories. My sister introduced us to Love of Jesus a few months ago after she snagged a chair for her new house (it’s the second chair in this post) and we’ve been hooked ever since. We even brought our camera on a recent trip so we could show you some of the cool pieces you’re likely to discover there. But of course it bears mentioning that not everything is a treasure. Sometimes one man’s trash is another man’s trash too. So be prepared to dig around a little. Consider it a home decor scavenger hunt of sorts.

loveofjesusthiftcouches

As you can see, they’ve got an abundance of upholstered furniture, but we think they excel most in the wooden furniture department. Check out this beauty of a coffee table. It’s extremely solid and extra long, so it could be the perfect anchor in a spacious living room – especially if you’ve got an oversized couch. And of course it could always be primed and painted (glossy black? crisp white? emerald green? soft greige?) to work better with any existing decor.

loveofjesuscoffeetable

You’ll have to forgive us for not writing down more prices as we went, but rest assured that everything’s very reasonable (they are “thrift”, not “antique” prices). Like this sweet console table with a woven brass shelf for a touch of old school style going for $15. Oh and if you do happen to fall for something that seems a bit pricey, we’ve had extremely good luck haggling for a better deal here (as in, they’ve never said no). If you’re like Sherry, you’ll haggle even if something’s already a steal. She once got a $7 bench down to $5… that’s my girl. Oh and remember that price isn’t the only issue, figuring out where something will go in your home is another good idea before you get to the checkout to purchase yet another chair that you have no place for.

loveofjesusconsoletable

They also carried a few retro finds in the lighting section with these poppy lamp bases that were just begging for a home (and a crisp new shade). It’s important to get thrift store lights checked out by a local electrician or lighting specialist to ensure that they’re safe so the whole house doesn’t go up in flames. But at $10 a pop, these schoolbus yellow and midnight blue lamp bases both leave room in the budget for some new wiring if it comes to that. Which one would you go for, the punchy yellow or the moody blue?

loveofjesuslamps

But if you’re looking for something less curvacious and more architectural, this massive, geometric glass chandelier would certainly do the trick.

loveofjesuschandelier

And while we typically only swing through the home decor and accessory section, we’ll admit that we occasionally find other little treasures that catch our eye. Like this riveting novella based on the hit ’90s series Saved By The Bell. Fifty cent copies are clearly selling like hot cakes, so hurry in.

loveofjesuskellyshero

Sadly, we didn’t splurge on a copy of “Kelly’s Hero” this time. In fact, we didn’t take anything home on this particular pilgrimage. But not to worry, we can always rely on The Love of Jesus’ #1 fan (my sister) to show us how a piece of recently thrifted furniture can look right at home in her modern loft-like casa. Here’s a buffet she recently snagged for a mere $75 (with delivery included, no less) that perfectly divides her living and dining areas. Jealous? We are. We’ve seen other vintage modern pieces just like it for hundreds more. Go sis.

loveofjesusemilysconsole

So that’s our quick profile of The Love of Jesus Thrift Store, one of favorite thrifting hot spots here in Richmond. Stay tuned for more thrift store profiles in the coming weeks. And we’d love to hear what you guys think about LOJ Thrift. Have any of you guys been? Found anything especially wonderful? Do tell.

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Comments

  1. says

    January 24, 2009 at 11:15 am

    That does look like a great thrift store! Wish we had one like that here with all that furniture!

    Reply
  2. says

    January 24, 2009 at 12:13 pm

    I love thrift stores! They can be a challenge to get used to- but once you get the hang of singling a piece out and looking at it for its own qualities, it can be quite rewarding.

    Reply
  3. Lori says

    January 24, 2009 at 12:15 pm

    S and J,
    A Richmonder here. Have been wanting to go to TLOJ store since I read about it here. Will plan to do so soon! If you haven’t been to Circa in Charlottesville (a quick hour trip) then you don’t know what you are missing! Three buildings of great used furniture, some if it delightfully vintage! And really inexpensive. Love your site…I have gotten so many great tips from you two. I am saving hours of time using Google Reader. I looove Rustoleum Universal spray paint, and lots of other good info. Keep up the good work!

    Reply
  4. Melissa says

    January 24, 2009 at 12:44 pm

    I love these types of stores. There is nothing better than finding a diamond in the rough. I currently have a old silverware/linen sidetable and a nightstand I need to get refinished. The 2 pieces came in at $30 bucks for both, what a steal. The nightstand is bombay company so I was even more stoked to score it for $10. I can’t wait to see the rest of your hot spots.

    Reply
  5. says

    January 24, 2009 at 12:52 pm

    That looks like a great thrift store! Here in the Winston-Salem, NC area, we have a really large Habitat ReStore with tons of furniture and from the photos, it looks like it’s rather similar–some lovely pieces and others that are… less lovely. Does your local ReStore stock furniture?

    Reply
  6. Erica says

    January 24, 2009 at 1:17 pm

    I dont know how you two have such good luck at thrift stores. Everytime I’ve walked into a thrift store… I walk right back out, empty handed. Maybe I’m going to the wrong stores, know of any in the Northern Virginia area? If so, please share!!

    Reply
  7. says

    January 24, 2009 at 8:20 pm

    Wow! What great pieces!

    How fun would it be to have a whole home of retro stuff?

    Great post!

    Reply
  8. says

    January 24, 2009 at 10:38 pm

    You’ve been thrifting for Jesus! Amen!

    Love me a good thrift store find.

    Reply
  9. Laura Lynn says

    January 24, 2009 at 11:48 pm

    What? No “Kelly’s Hero?” And it would’ve looked so nice on the side table with your glass gourd lamp…

    It’s always fun to check out the thrift shops and flea markets here in Central PA. Yours look good there too and I love your sister’s buffet! Good eye!

    Reply
  10. says

    January 25, 2009 at 3:33 am

    hmmm, not bad…

    Reply
  11. says

    January 25, 2009 at 11:15 am

    I dragged my husband over there this morning in the hopes that the console table was still there because it matches our coffee table perfectly. But, alas. It was gone. Sadness.

    Reply
  12. says

    January 25, 2009 at 12:42 pm

    That buffet! My mom has the same thing, but it is actually a dresser! Funny huh? It’s part of a set. :) I guess they made stuff for every part of the house in that style.

    Reply
  13. jbhat says

    January 25, 2009 at 1:40 pm

    Fun stuff. Would your sister consent to you showing us more photos of her home? I like her taste too. Pretty please?

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 25, 2009 at 2:13 pm

      Hey jbhat,

      We actually did an old house tour post about Em’s home here. And we helped her redo her daughter Olivia’s room here. Happy house touring!

      xo,
      Sherry

  14. says

    January 25, 2009 at 2:52 pm

    I love Diversity Thrift as well, also here in Richmond. I just scored a fabu credenza similar to the one your sister picked up for $59. It needs a new coat of paint, but when refinished, it will be a perfect piece for my new dining room! Fan thrift is also good for smaller stuff. I haven’t been to the FTLOJ here in the East End yet, but I’ll have to check it out.

    Reply
  15. says

    January 25, 2009 at 2:56 pm

    The Love of Jesus thrift store is incredible! We were on our way to get a craigslist $350 couch (how naive we were) when we popped in, and found a way cooler couch for $75! It was a thrill, and we hoisted it up in our appartment just in time for company to scoot in and compliment our gorgeous couch! If I were living in Richmond still I would be a frequent loiterer…

    Reply
  16. says

    January 25, 2009 at 6:58 pm

    I love this store! I’ve found some great “art” and some fun lamps. Family Thrift across the road is also awesome. I found a vintage dresser with dove tailed drawers and the original glass knobs for only $20.00. It now has a shabby white paint job and looks great in our bedroom. Fantastic Thrift also has some good deals, but Class and Trash on Route 1 in Ashland is my all time favorite.

    Reply
  17. Nancy says

    January 25, 2009 at 7:11 pm

    We have tons of great thrift stores around where we live. Thrifting is my favorite thing to do!! I actually get most of my clothes there as well…lots of great brand names that I could never afford otherwise. We also have some cool hotel outlets here. Do you have any of those there? They sell all the stuff that hotels get rid of when they redecorate/remomdel. They have everything you’d find in a hotel room or lobby….those cool wall-mounted blow dryers, mirrors, tables, sofas, chairs…you name it. Fun stuff!

    Reply
  18. says

    January 26, 2009 at 8:51 am

    Absolutely love thrifting. I went on Saturday and found a how-to book on wiring (unchartered territory for me) and a great pair of like-new Cole Haan boots for $2.99. Score!

    Reply
  19. YoungHouseLove says

    January 26, 2009 at 9:45 am

    Hey everyone!

    “Thrifting for Jesus,” ha! Love it, Meg.

    Lori, thanks for the tip about Circa in Charlottesville. We’ll be there in June for my 5-year college reunion so we’ll definitely plan a stop. I wonder if I just overlooked it when I was in college. Hmmm.

    Jessica, we do have a ReStore in Richmond and our experience has been that it’s got fewer furniture items and much more in the way of cabinets, doors, paint, tile, fixtures, etc. But my sister did snag a funky piece of art from there the other day. And we almost bought some doorknobs there two weekends ago, so it’s definitely another one of our go-to spots.

    Erica, let us get back to you on recommends in Northern Virginia. All I knew of growing up there was the Salvation Army on Little River Turnpike, but I was always hunting for vintage t-shirts and never checked out the furniture. If any other current NoVa residents have any suggestions – please steer us in the right direction!

    Laura Lynn, sadly no “Kelly’s Hero” for me on that trip. But let me know if you want me to pick you up a copy. :)

    Tamisha and Hattie – you’re right that Fantastic Thrift is great for littler stuff. We haven’t been to Family Thrift or Class and Trash, so thanks for adding some new places to our list.

    And Nancy, sadly it doesn’t look like we have any hotel outlets nearby (although we sometimes swear the stuff at our ReStore is hotel leftovers). Sounds like a great resource so we’re certainly jealous.

    Happy continued hunting everyone,
    John

    Reply
  20. EastEnd says

    January 26, 2009 at 10:20 am

    Wow! I pass the Love of Jesus all the time on Nine Mile, never went in. Now I can’t wait!

    Reply
  21. says

    January 26, 2009 at 11:33 am

    Definitely the yellow lamp! I am so getting into yellow this year.

    Reply
  22. says

    January 26, 2009 at 12:05 pm

    I’ve had the hankering to do some thrifting for a while, and have been waiting for this upcoming Saturday ( when I have the day off) to get out and do some, so this post came at a great time. Love the buffet!!! Although, WOW $15.00 the prices at Thrift stores in Richmond are astronomially cheaper than they are in Edmonton, Alberta.. must be the exchange rate :) oh and by the way, I like blue, but that’s only cause I don’t like yellow.

    Reply
  23. Jen says

    January 26, 2009 at 1:03 pm

    Hey, I love thrift stores! I like the Love of Jesus, but my favorites are the Fantastic Thrift and Family Thrift. I was sad when the big Salvation Army up Midlothian Tpk closed a few years ago. I could always score furniture or dishes there. The Diversity Thrift is always good, too. For dishes or accessories (baskets, vases) try the Thrifty Quaker in Midlothian. Not much furniture there, though.

    I would pick the blue lamp for my boys’ room.

    Reply
  24. Sarah says

    January 26, 2009 at 2:03 pm

    Forget thrift stores, auctions are where it’s at! If you have not been to a bonefide estate auction, check it out.

    Reply
  25. says

    January 26, 2009 at 2:19 pm

    Aw, man, you gave South Side’s best kept secret away.

    That’s okay, I already got the 1960s Gretsch blue sparkle floor tom for $10, and one of my friends got a pair of signed and numbered Paul Bond cowboy boots for $5.

    Plus they are always super nice there. We love LOJ.

    Reply
  26. Cathy says

    January 26, 2009 at 6:54 pm

    How strange is this. The chair that you and your SIL re-did with the black suede? It’s sister is for sale in DALLAS.

    This is nuts!!!!

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      January 26, 2009 at 7:08 pm

      That’s so funny Cathy! It looks identical to the one we snagged at the thrift store. In wonder if it was as cheap in Dallas!

      xo,
      s

  27. says

    January 29, 2009 at 12:08 am

    Love that console…wish I were closer!

    Reply
  28. says

    November 30, 2009 at 10:42 am

    I’m in love! Why oh why don’t we have any of these amazing thrift stores near us or any empty room to put any of this stuff? Sigh.
    And to answer your question, I’d take the yellow and the blue! Love them.
    And I actually looked up the word “greige.” Did you mean a grey/beige hybrid? Because it means…
    –noun
    1. Textiles. gray goods.
    –adjective
    2. unbleached and undyed: linen. greige
    According to the lovely dictionary.com. But whatever it is, it sounds awesome.

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      November 30, 2009 at 10:46 am

      Yup greige = gray beige in the design world. It’s sort of the new tan when it comes to neutrals that designers are loving. We totally had no idea what it meant when we first heard it though so you’re way ahead of us by guessing it correctly! Hope it helps!

      xo,
      s

  29. Erin says

    February 22, 2010 at 9:25 am

    I realize this post is over a year old, but I’m working my way through the YHL archives :)

    Hubby and I bought a coffee table identical to the first one pictured in this post for $9.99 this past summer. We refinished it and it looks great in our living room!

    Reply
  30. Marilyn says

    March 2, 2010 at 9:05 am

    We have the same buffet that we got at a second hand store.
    Ours has a mirror that attaches to it so I’m wondering if it is really a dresser, but we also use it like a buffet.

    Reply
  31. Stacy says

    May 12, 2010 at 10:04 am

    First off, I love your website!

    I have been finding fabulous art (original watercolors) at the Goodwill’s in my area (NOVA) for $5 a pop! It really is amazing what great finds you can get at thrift stores.

    To the people that live in the VA Beach area, there are a few good thrift stores too. My mom finds awesome house stuff. :)

    Reply
    • Emily says

      July 23, 2011 at 7:29 pm

      I have that yellow lamp! I’ve had it since I was a little girl. I can’t seem to part with it, even though my husband is not keen on the thing. Still works perfectly too!

      Which stores are the good ones in VB? I get frustrated searching and the Goodwill on VB blvd closed sometime last year I think.

  32. sarah b says

    February 26, 2011 at 5:51 pm

    have yall been to Class and Trash yet? Technically in Glen Allen, but almost in Ashland? SO fun. outside is littered with doors and windows for $10 or $20 perfect for DIY projects. They’ve also got lots of outdoor furniture. Then inside is stocked with antiques, newer junk, furniture, dishes, you name it. LOVE it. good prices, awesome stuff. Not stroller friendly! I put my baby in the moby when we go. :)

    Reply
    • YoungHouseLove says

      February 26, 2011 at 6:49 pm

      Oh yes we love that place! Just went a few months ago.
      Love it.

      xo,
      s

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