By: Gabby Sabater, Staff Writer
Have you been wanting to transform your drab wardrobe with vintage pieces and thrift flips but are unsure of where to start? Well, I’ve got a suggestion, however, it’s not one for the faint of heart: Goodwill Outlet World, otherwise known as the Bins. This gem is located a mere ten minutes down I-70 East and is a must-go for thrifters in Denver.
When I stepped into the store for the first time, I was overwhelmed by bins upon bins filled with clothes, shoes, furniture, and lost treasures. Thrifting warriors were armed with double N95s, latex gloves, and strapped with hand sanitizer. This spot was indeed a mixed bag of folks: moms and Depop-sellers galore were eager to claim cheap, unique finds as their own.
I looked around me and shoppers were lined against the wall as employees shuffled the bins around. My friends mentioned that they exchange some of the bins out every twenty minutes or so, but it was an odd sight to see in action. Shoppers had their finds stockpiled up against the walls and stared down the employees as they replenished the floor. As the last employee lingered out of the aisle and toward the back, he gave out a muffled “alright” and scavengers booked it to the bins.
The staticky early-2000s music and fluorescent lights gave it an eerie ambiance along with the shirts, scarves, hats, and pants that were soaring across the room. Shouts of “Hell yeah!” and “No way bro” scattered into the air and echoed throughout the warehouse. If you’ve seen the Hannah Montana movie, picture the scene where Tyra Banks and Miley Cyrus are hashing it out over a pair of pumps. Yeah, you could say that’s pretty spot-on to the energy here.
I shuffled my way in with some elbow grease and parsed through the endless clothing. While the contents were rather picked over and now consisted mostly of baby clothes and lone gloves, I ended up collecting two solid t-shirts and a Pashmina. I’d grown exhausted of the clothes – it was time to take a stroll over to the shoes and home goods.
In the land of used shoes that seemed to stretch on for miles, it was love at first sight; I’d come across a pair of the most lovely little cowboy boots. I’d been searching for a pair like these high and low and had thus made my time here most definitely worthwhile.
When I thought it couldn’t get any better, I began rummaging through a few bins down and another pair of boots caught my eye– vintage Steve Madden 3-inch platforms. Are you kidding me? Yes, they had very much been pre-loved but I didn’t mind the scuffs and rips this time around. They were mine.
And the best part of it all – checking out. At the Bins, you pay for your items by the pound as opposed to individually-priced items, making purchases super low-cost. I loaded up my finds on the scale and paid $11 for everything. Talk about staying on a college budget.
Overall, I would definitely recommend heading to the Bins for people who really enjoy digging for unique and rare pieces; although here they may be a little pre-worn, they’re still very much really awesome finds. However, you may spend a ridiculous amount of time looking for something that might not even be there.
If you’re not doing anything over spring break and might want to do a little thrifting, go for it! Bring a friend and let the hunt begin.