Thrift Store Review: Salvation Army on Michigan Ave Detroit, Mi

Warning! This review contains extreme shade:

There are places and times in America where the lines of first world sophistication becomes blurred with third world reality. The Salvation Army Thrift Store on Michigan Avenue in Detroit is one of those places. If I never got in my car and drove home I would think that I entered a portal and was dumped in a Lagos marketplace, not searching for fashion deals but some exotic meat like cow tonsils for my stew. 

Really.

The price is what draws you in. You enter because all clothes are $1. But from the stench and first glance , you realize that you are getting what you pay for. All of the clothes are in giant bins, and you have to go through them yourself, and hope that the glitter fabric  that you spotted is the shirt for you and not the fabric from a Doc Mc Stuffins doll with the foot chewed up by some unruly beagle (true story).

There are so many people there that you cannot find a cart, or a parking space. There is a parking lot in the back but you would be safer driving down I-96 in its current state that parking in that place. I suggest parking in the Comerica Bank across the street they seem to be cool with it.

If you are looking for a cheap quick shoe, you have come to the wrong place. This is what it is like looking for a shoe in this place, and they are not included in the $1 sale. The nerve.  

Like every other Salvation Army, this place takes donations, all the time and is closed on Sundays. They also receive the un-purchased merchandise from all other Salvation Army Stores in the metro area so you actually can find some really cute things. Like this vintage BB Dakota leather jumper for my daughter.  This place also has an abundance of vintage pieces for men and women.

If you do chose to shop here I have some words of advice for you:

1. Know thy size: there are no exchanges returns, with or without your receipt so if you   don't want it don't get it. Remember when Toccarra from Top Model taught us the neck test?
2. Block out some time: If you have an event tonight, you are not going to find something to wear at this place, unless the thrift gods are really with you. 
3. Lower your standards for retail and everything decent about shopping: I have been here a few times and there is always so much going on. This particular trip my foot was ran over by a little boy who was riding a big wheel around the store. Where was his mother? I don't know. I just had to let it slide. 
4. Be ready to wash: Just don't wear this stuff without washing first. That is trife. 
5. Brush up on your Spanish: You are in Mexican town, and these ladies are not playing with the art of thrift. You really need to only know the basics: "Excuse me" is "discúlpeme" and "This is mine" is "esto es mío"

Somehow, this place has managed to strip all of the dignity out of thrifting. This is sad, because the Salvation Army is a resource for those in poverty. You would think that they would attempt to make people feel more dignified in all of their stores. But not here. So if you have the time, energy, and patience it may be a worth it trip for you. I suggest you go in the morning. 

This salvation army is located at 7640 Michigan Avenue Detroit, Michigan