Deseret Industries Thrift Store & Donation Center — Attraction in American Fork

A body, in his peregrinations through this vale of tears and second-hand dealings, generally expects a certain level of – shall we say – predictability when it comes to the pricing of literary cast-offs at a place like the local Deseret Industries. One anticipates finding treasures of a bygone era at prices that don't make a fellow's purse strings quiver like a sinner in a tent revival. But it appears the good folks at this particular establishment have either taken leave of their senses or mistaken their thrift store for a first-edition auction house in some high-toned Eastern city. And I ain't just spinning a yarn, mind you—I took the very pictures myself, which ought to be attached right alongside this here account, showin' a common garden-variety book marked at fifteen dollars! For that kind of money, a man could be forgiven for thinking such a tome was bound in unicorn hide and inscribed by ol’ Saint Peter himself, especially when it’s a specimen that’s likely seen more thumbs than a politician’s promises. But no, these ain't rare antiquities; these are books that have already lived a full life, and now they sit on the shelves priced as if they were penned by royalty. And this fifteen-dollar spectacle ain't an isolated incident, not by a long shot. The shelves fairly groan under the weight of these so-called "well-read" books, each sporting a price tag that would make a riverboat gambler blush – three to five dollars a piece is the common demand! Even the little children's books, oft-dog-eared and jelly-stained as they are, don't escape this peculiar fiscal ambition. This is a far cry from most other Deseret Industries I've frequented, where a dollar a book, or thereabouts, is the generally accepted and fair tariff. Now, I hear tell that a body willing to undertake a modest pilgrimage, say to the Deseret Industries in Sandy or perhaps West Jordan (right here in Utah, mind you), might find themselves in a veritable paradise of more reasonably priced literary fodder. It's a curious state of affairs, indeed, when a fellow has to burn daylight and wagon fuel just to find a fairly priced story. Mark my words, this sort of highway robbery at the book counter, even if it's delivered with a smile, is enough to make a man want to swear off reading altogether – or at the very least, swear off buying his books at this particular location. You'd be better off saving your pennies and your patience for a trip to a thrift store that understands the meaning...

Literally just ran out of Deseret Industries scearming and crying. I have a mood disorder and tourettes. I came into DI to shop and relax, but at some point I needed to use the restroom. I had items that I wished to purchase and asked the gentleman working the register if he would hold them for me to which he agreed. I then tried to go to the restroom, but it was closed for cleaning. I waited for nearly twenty minutes until I was in distress and tried to ask another cashier for help, but when I spoke to her she just gave me a blank stare and turned away from me and proceeded to ignore me like I didn't exist. At this point my mood disorder began to act up and I let out a scream of confusion. A manager noticed me and asked what was wrong and I told her THREE times what my situation was but she either didn't listen or didn't care. Finally she just said, "We close in five minutes." I guess she didn't want to help me and just wanted me out of the store. Unable to handle the stress anymore I ended up abandoning the items I wished to buy and ran from the store crying. It was humiliating and I felt like a freak. It's good to know that employees and managers at DI are taught to handle situations with indifference and insensitivity. I cannot believe how bad I...

My husband and I just left the American Fork D.I. feeling extremely insulted. We have two matching bookshelves we no longer need. They are tall and not damaged. Dark, unscratched walnut finish. They are heavy and well cared for! It was a struggle for the two of us to get them into my car. We pulled up, opened the car and were immediately told in these exact words, “oh, nope, particle wood. We can’t take them. We are buckling down. It’s a new policy. They are cheap, flimsy, and will fall apart in damp environments LIKE OUR STORE.” What?! Does the AF DI have a leaky roof or a ventilation problem? He went on to say, “ if you leave these here, the minute you drive away we will toss them in the compactor. We like to take donations, not garbage.” My husband said, “they are not garbage.” The answer? “Well, here they are.” I wanted to take back the two very nice lamps they had just removed from the car.

To those in charge…if you have new donation policies it would be very helpful to update your website! That, along with drilling it into your helpers that they need to be gracious when helping the public who support you, would be most appreciated. We were embarrassed and insulted. I won’t be donating your way...