Value Village — Local services in Toronto

Edited Review (from 5 stars to 1 star)

I’m updating my review because, unfortunately, a lot has changed at this Value Village over the last few months—and not for the better.

When they first opened, I genuinely thought this was the best Value Village location I’d ever been to. Prices were fair, the store was clean and organized, and the staff were welcoming and helpful. I even wrote in my original review, “Please don’t change this store.” Sadly, they did—and the changes are impossible to ignore.

Prices have skyrocketed. The same types of items I used to buy here for reasonable thrift-store prices are now being marked up at least 4x higher. What used to be a hunt for affordable treasures now feels like shopping at a boutique that forgot it’s supposed to be secondhand.

Even worse, I’ve witnessed firsthand a troubling practice: the store manager regularly pulls items off the sales floor, takes them into his office to reprice them higher, and only then puts them back out for sale—if at all. And it doesn’t stop there. I’ve learned that staff who bring new items onto the floor are required to hand over any “premium” items directly to the manager. These items are then held in his office for days or weeks, while customers are left empty-handed.

Apparently, there’s a “backstock” section in this store where these premium items are kept out of public view. I witnessed two entire shopping carts of showcase-worthy items get rolled upstairs, only for customers to be told they weren’t available yet because they needed to be “sorted.” Hours later, instead of putting them out for sale, almost everything was wheeled back downstairs to backstock, with just a few broken phones and a fake Prada bag making it into the showcase.

When I asked the manager about it—someone who had previously told me his goal was to “give everyone a chance to find what they’re looking for”—he outright denied that the store had backstock at all. Yet, I wouldn’t even know the term backstock if it hadn’t been used openly by his own supervisor while literally returning those carts. And I’ve heard it multiple times from the floor staff themselves, who consistently say, “That needs to go to the manager” whenever something remotely valuable arrives.

Why? If the goal is truly to give everyone a chance to find something, why hide items in an office, selectively price them, or withhold them from the floor altogether? I understand rotating seasonal inventory—but today is May 1st, and they just rolled out a brand-new pair of snowshoes. Meanwhile, I’m told I can’t buy a Sony record player or Xbox because they’re “waiting to be sorted.” How does that align with letting customers have a fair chance?

While I still appreciate some of the staff here—many have been friendly and helpful from day one—others have become noticeably disengaged. Some seem lacking in basic customer service skills and can’t even be bothered to return a simple “hello.” I understand working retail near the Eaton Centre comes with its challenges, but basic courtesy shouldn’t be optional.

And unlike other Value Village locations that are happy to answer when you call and ask whether they’ve put out certain items, this location refuses to give any info. You’re left wasting hours hoping something shows up—when in reality, it’s sitting hidden away in the manager’s office, waiting to be marked up and withheld.

I’m dropping my review from 5 stars because this location has fundamentally changed, and not for the better. I hope they truly mean it when they say they’re “always changing,” because this store needs to do better—for its customers, for transparency, and...

This is my favorite Value Village in Toronto, and I’ve been to several across the city. Compared to other locations like the Queen West Boutique and the Bloor Street store, the Edward Street location stands out for its spacious layout, great selection, and consistently well-stocked racks. The staff are hardworking and always restocking, which makes a big difference in the shopping experience. I’ve found some amazing deals here, including a FRAME tank top for $3.49 (retail $207), a Lululemon sweater for $5.99 (retail over $100), a prom dress for $17.49 (which could retail for $100 or more depending on the brand), and even Gymshark pieces. The women’s section downstairs is massive and includes clothing, shoes, textiles, home goods, books, and more.

One downside is that pricing can be hit or miss. Some items are extremely affordable, while others feel overpriced or inconsistent. I once bought a top in orange for $3.49, then saw the same one in black labeled as a dress for $9.49. It’s also important to note that Value Village removed all changing rooms as part of their company policy, so trying things on in private is no longer an option. Many people choose to try items over their clothes in the aisles, but this can lead to clutter and disorganization during busy times. There is a public washroom available on-site, which is helpful if you plan to spend extra time shopping or need a quick break, but you cannot bring any merchandise into the washroom due to obvious security reasons. Additionally, the textile and home goods section often has a strong odour, so I tend to avoid that area when browsing. The store can also get a bit hectic during peak hours, and it is common to see resellers grabbing large quantities of items, which may feel overwhelming for casual thrifters.

My advice is to sign up for the Super Savers Club to take advantage of their rotating discounts and visit when you have enough time and patience to explore the racks. Thrifting here takes effort, but the rewards are often worth it. Overall, this is one of the best Value Villages in the city and absolutely worth visiting if you enjoy the thrill of the hunt and discovering unique,...

I went to this location at around 5:30pm today and saw found a camera I really wanted so I asked a worker to help me get it from the display (the CHARGER, CASE, BOX AND BATTERY were still on display so I thought it was still being sold) and grabbed the camera from a drawer behind the counter. I thought this was just a security thing but I guess not. I was a second away from tapping my card at the self-checkout and another worker came in and rudely stopped me and said "Oh, this is for another customer it was on hold". The worker who was kindly helping me said "Oh, I didn't see a sticky note or anything on it so I did not know it was on hold". At this point I thought it would be fair that I purchase the camera but she then turned to me and said "I'm so sorry but it seems like they had this on hold first". She was very apologetic even though it wasn't her fault, it was the other worker's mistake for not putting it on hold for her customers. The other worker did not even apologize for her incompetence. I had also been to this location before and they had told me previously that they weren't allowed to put things like this on hold so I was confused and incredibly annoyed but I gave the camera anyway to be fair.

I just think that if a customer asks you to put things on hold maybe put a note on it so other kind, helpful, competent workers and other customers don't look stupid because of your own mistakes.

I am extremely disappointed and frustrated at this situation. If they had stepped in a second later I would have already paid for it and left with it, so the other customers were lucky. Ultimately, it wasn't their fault, it was the...