Bellingham's Best Thrift Stores: Where to Shop, Sell, and Donate
Donate and discover one-of-a-kind apparel at these vintage boutiques and thrift stores in Bellingham and Whatcom County.
Looking for rare vintage pieces or a more affordable, sustainable way to refresh your wardrobe?
Bellingham and Whatcom County have no shortage of curated vintage shops, thrift boutiques, secondhand stores, and consignment shops. Many are volunteer-run and have a philanthropic component, funding community programs through the sale of pre-loved items. If you’re doing a closet cleanout, consider donating, consigning, or selling your pieces to the stores below.
Shop sustainably and locally at these shops throughout Whatcom County:
Worn Again Thrift
232 E Champion St., Bellingham
Worn Again carries highly curated vintage and vintage-inspired pieces, like ‘70s leather jackets, Carhartt overalls, graphic t-shirts, embroidered jeans, and wool knitwear. They also carry shoes, bags, accessories, and children’s clothing. You’re unlikely to find any fast fashion brands on the racks: the focus is on one-of-a-kind pieces, with some modern designer labels mixed in. Check out their buying guidelines if you’re interested in selling some pieces.
Buffalo Exchange
1209 N State St., Bellingham
Buffalo Exchange on State Street in Bellingham is one of 40 locations across the U.S. They carry modern and vintage clothing in a variety of styles, and you can almost always find something unique and affordable. If you’re looking to sell your clothes, come with a valid ID. They’ll sort through your items on a first-come first-served basis (no appointment required). You can either get 25% of the item’s selling price in cash or 30% to use in-store.
The Clothes Rack
2426 Yew St., Bellingham
Score designer-label clothing at this women’s consignment shop in Bellingham. They carry affordable, pre-owned apparel from brands like Gucci, Coach, and Ann Taylor. If you’re making room in your closet, The Clothes Rack accepts gently-used items on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and on Saturdays by appointment, and sellers receive a 40% commission if the item sells. For styling ideas for their pieces, check out their Facebook page.
Labels Consignment
3927 Northwest Ave., Bellingham
2332 James St., Bellingham
Labels has locations on James Street across from Trader Joe’s and on Northwest Avenue near the I-5 exit. Spanning 9,000 square feet in total, the locally-owned shop carries secondhand designer clothing and housewares. You won’t have to dig through the racks to find what you’re looking for: items are neatly arranged, curated, and in season. They also offer a detailed guide on how to consign with them here.
Y’s Buys
1224 N State St., Bellingham
Y’s Buys is part of Bellingham’s YWCA, a nonprofit that provides emergency shelter, senior housing, and rental assistance for women. All proceeds from the thrift boutique support YWCA’s housing programs. They offer $20 clothing vouchers and “Back-to-Work” vouchers to ensure equitable access to work attire and interview outfits. They accept donations of gently-used clothing, no appointment necessary.
Assistance League Thrift & Gift Shop
2817 Meridian St., Bellingham
This volunteer-run thrift store carries clothing, jewelry, furniture, antiques, books, and home decor. Proceeds from the shop fund the Assistance League’s philanthropic programs, including Operation School Bell, which provides new clothing and shoes to young students.
Mystery Thrift Store
1874 Main St., Ferndale
Dig through the racks at Mystery Thrift and you’ll be rewarded with something unique at an affordable price. This well-lit shop on Axton Road in Ferndale is your classic thrift store: slightly disorganized, reasonably priced, and with zero pretension. They carry clothing, jewelry, housewares, toys, books, DVDs, and more, and accept donations.
Vintage Depot at Irongate Estate
1806 Cornwall Ave., Bellingham
Vintage Depot carries a curated selection of retro and vintage clothes, costume jewelry, art, furniture, ephemera, and decor. Most items in the inventory are local and one-of-a-kind. Irongate also offers full estate sale services, including in-home or off-site estate sales, auctions, buyouts, and removal, and they also run the Bellingham Coin Shop where they buy and sell rare currency, jewelry, and precious metals.
Habitat for Humanity
1825 Cornwall Ave., Bellingham, WA
The Habitat Store, part of the Habitat for Humanity nonprofit, carries pre-owned furniture, books, electronics, and appliances, as well as construction supplies and hardware. Proceeds from everything sold at the store support Habitat’s mission to provide safe and affordable housing in Whatcom County. If you have items to donate, you can drop them off at the donation dock behind the store (they’ll help you unload the items) or schedule a pickup.
Ragfinery at ReUse Works
1421 N Forest St., Bellingham
ReUse Works is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that offers job training for low-income and disadvantaged residents through partnerships with social service agencies and schools. Their retail store, Ragfinery, carries upcycled fabrics and clothing made from unwanted garments and textiles, and handmade goods from local artisans.
Serendipity
1201 11th St, #102, Fairhaven
Serendipity in Fairhaven is a boutique consignment shop with well cared for vintage and contemporary pieces. They carry rare and designer items from brands like Prada and Emilio Pucci, and more affordable but trendy, quality apparel. Serendipity is your source for high-end blouses, jackets, trousers, boots, dresses, and textiles.
Looking for ways to give back? Habitat for Humanity, the YWCA, ReUse Works, and the Assistance League welcome new volunteers. You can also donate items to places on this list to divert clothing away from landfills, or shop and support their community missions.