SPCA Albrecht Center Thrift Store — Local services in Aiken County

For many years myself and my family have donated to this store/organization for the love of the animals and the foundation of what this organization was built on and for. I began donating when the store was on Richland Avenue. Today, my stomach cramped and I felt so let down while visiting the store. I brought my mother who has a form of cancer that wearing a mask is difficult for her. It is not about her being stubborn, ignorant, or any other assumptions that could be made. Yes, there is a sign on the door, as there are at all businesses. However, any time she comes in without one she explains her health issue which for 1 is no ones business and 2, not something she enjoys advertising to the world, but we are in a pandemic and times are different. Quite understood. All other businesses let her go on or either they politely ask to at least take her temperature in which she has no issue with. However for the first time we were met by a RUDE employee who decided the most professional way to ask my mother to leave was to raise her voice across other people to my mother and tell her to leave as if she was a child being scorned. My mother immediately advised said employee she would leave and it was not an issue. The employee continued to go on to say it was the rules of the CEO and she needed to leave. My mother was on her way out already. I’m sorry, but I have a hard time believing any CEO of a thrift store that is supported and makes money from LITERALLY the community and FREE items as well as hard working peoples donations has any business making health related mandates or having such rude unprofessional employees barking orders about masks. The law even states that people with health issues are exempt. NEVER and I mean NEVER will this store or CEO have to worry about my family stepping foot back in the SPCA thrift store or business again. The sign says those under 5 years of age are not required....I guess children don’t carry COVID. I am all for understanding kids don’t tolerate masks, but have that same brain function tell you that there are people with health issues that also cannot tolerate masks. R-U-D-E!!!!! We learned how to be nice as children, some were never taught or forgot. Shame on you. I will continue to support animals in my community as I see fit, as animals have always proven to be more kind and loving than humans, as noted again today. Also, the animals shouldn’t have to lose out because people can’t be nice at a thrift store. My goodness. I love how they responded to every other review, except this one. Also, your replies to other negative comments prove there has been no change in behavior from this...

Our family has loved supporting SPCA for years, generations, actually. We are longtime patrons and contributors. We have given thousands of dollars of furniture, clothing, and cash donations over the years.

Lately, our experience at this location has been deeply disappointing... in fact, after today I want to never go back. Last year SPCA started a membership type program, with which we receive text message offers, deals, and announcements. Every time we went in to take advantage of the offers, they had expired or were no longer valid. This whole aspect was confusing and disappointing, but mostly difficult because of the register employee’s attitude. This one particular lady, again and again, very rude, with little patience, and even mean. She acts as if she enjoys disappointing people.

Today my husband and I decided to stop in. The winter clothes were on sale, and we were excited to make some purchases, many of which were going to be donated to some neighbors in need. It was over an hour of searching thru the marked areas and clearance boxes, for me a very difficult task, as I am disabled, in a wheelchair, and just using my arms causes me severe pain in days to come. But it was worth it, because I was finding some really great scarves. The scarves hanging next to the $1 sweaters and scarves, were all dark winters colors, forest green, navy, black... they were individually priced, so we were under the assumption they were half off. My husband found a heavy winter coat with a goose down insert. We were buying a cart full of mostly winter items.

All in all, most of everything we had selected was apparently not on sale, including the winter coat. In fact, my husband noticed that many of the items in the men’s department, although winter items, were not on sale, and had been there since last year or even before that. The cashier said most everything that we found in the $1 bins and tables were actually not supposed to be there. She was extremely rude. And, it was confusing, because in retrospect, I would have still bought several of the items... but she acted very put out and angry, telling another clerk loudly, “She doesn’t want these ones!” Also, I reminded my husband to enter our phone number into the system. I said, “Oh, sweetie don’t forget to enter our number.” But the lady just wanted to get our sale finished quickly. She was mad and did not offer to enter our number.

In the end, the shopping bag she put our purchases in was a dirty McDonalds fast food bag [see pic]. We were horrified! And just so saddened by how that lady treats us. We really do not want to...

Ever since this store opened we have donated all of our donation items believing it was the greatest cause in the area (for us). We come shop here and there but I do believe I’ve given my last donation and shopped my last time here. The place is not morally right in their practices or sales and is a very misleading store. I recall donating and hearing a woman say she knows someone who needed the stroller and other baby items I donated but I blew it off. I’ve never seen a single item I donated in the store and we donate fairly high end items or at least items in new condition. I’ve wondered where they went. You also see very little great items here and when you do they have a “sold” ticket on them EVERY SINGLE TIME. Today my answers were answered. As I’m shopping I see a lady worker come out the back with a large box of sports related cards. An aimlessly walking female who didn’t even know where things were in the store because she had just asked me, says “oh there you are” & begins to dig through unsure if she wants the cards. I proceed to ask if I can view others as they claim they have many many more boxes in the back. The lady advises me she’s buying them all. I proceed to ask her how she was able to know about them and get them and she became defensive and told me she’s called “for years” asking for them. Then the staff proceeds to tell her to go to the back to get them. I’m sure they did, less visible. Guess they don’t know not everyone is deaf and blind. I’ve asked them a couple of times for various items I’ve been on the lookout for and have been told every time items aren’t held for anybody. I guess anybody that doesn’t have a “connection”. I am saddened that a store I thought so highly of and an organization that represents themselves as a charity donation site to raise funds for our animals is as crooked as they are. They truly need to be investigated and exposed. I have given of so many items to this place as well as the SPCA itself with pet food and blankets etc. It certainly has some fishy behind the door...