DCA Thrift Shop — Local services in Darien

Here’s a deliberately long, meandering, and confusing one-star review of a fictional thrift store:

"This store is like a fever dream where time, pricing, and logic do not apply."

I walked into Good Treasure Times (that’s what the faded sign says, though half the letters have gone missing) expecting the usual thrift store experience: maybe some gently used clothes, a few books with cracked spines, perhaps a charmingly outdated lamp. What I found instead was… an enigma.

The first thing I noticed was the smell. It wasn’t bad, exactly — not like spoiled food or mildew — but more like someone tried to bottle the concept of “1974” and spray it directly into my nostrils. I wandered toward the clothing racks, but they weren’t organized by size, color, gender, or even by clothing type. It was just… fabric. Pants hung next to curtains, which were draped over an ominous leather jacket with pockets that felt like they were hiding secrets.

Then there was the pricing. A slightly cracked ceramic mug was \

12.99, but a brand new pair of boots still in their box was \\

I tried to ask the cashier for clarification, but I’m not entirely sure the cashier worked there. They were sitting behind the register knitting something that looked like a very long sock, and when I asked if there was a fitting room, they said, “In this life? No.” I’m still thinking about what that means.

Halfway through my visit, I stumbled into a “furniture section” that was just one armchair surrounded by 14 mismatched dining chairs, all facing the wrong way. A large sign on the wall read: "No returns after 2006." I asked another customer about it and they told me they had been coming here for years — but also that they had never bought anything.

By the time I left, I wasn’t sure if I had been shopping or participating in an abstract art installation. I didn’t buy anything, but somehow I left carrying a paper bag with a single spoon in it, which I don’t recall picking up or paying for.

⭐ 1/5 — I’ll be back next week, but only because I feel like I have unfinished business with that leather jacket.

If you want, I can also write an even more surreal version where the thrift store feels like it might be haunted or part of a secret government experiment. That could...

Been going here for years. Every time I visit my sister, this is one of the first stops I make. They seem to be getting progressively worse. They aren't all bad but honestly, I think the shop is just weird. Literally one of the wealthiest parts of the state but it seems like all the donations they put out on the floor are gross? I'm guessing they keep the good stuff for their special sales and rack. Either way, I've hit my limit. The lighting is bad and this is probably the sixth thing I brought home that I then realized had a huge flaw. I'm not talking about a rip but a huge stain I somehow missed. I've been in the store and touched something with literal crust on it. Not to mention, there used to be some nice (particularly one older woman) people working the registers and now there's some of the most unhinged, rude volunteers I've ever encountered. One lady started talking very loudly to the other trying to convince her a political candidate is the devil. Believe what you want to believe, but I don't want to hear it yelled into the shop when I'm trying to look at china. One of the woman I've also heard talk not so nicely about a certain group of people. It's funny because sometimes the music is blaring and you can't hear anything and sometimes its soft and you can hear every hateful or rude encounter throughout the whole store. I remember years ago this store was managed by someone else and it was a pleasant experience going there. Subdued and reasonably priced. Last time I visited I was uncomfortable hearing how one of the staff was talking to a shopper. Will not be back unfortunately. Heartbreaking. Better off going to a goodwill or driving upstate for good consignment...

I love this place. I have been going here for the past year and am on a first name basis with several of the women there. Barbara and Nancy recommend things to me and always point out when things are on sale. I've read the other review about people who volunteer there buying what they want for themselves, essentially getting first access to everything. As a thrift store addict, let me state, that happens everywhere. Even the retail thrift stores like Salvation Army or Goodwill, the employees all hoard the good stuff for themselves. I dont have a problem with it as all the money collected from me, you and the women who volunteer, it all goes to charity. And, a person volunteering their time and effort deserves the right to buy whatever they want to first. Beyond all that, at DCA Thrift, i was able to purchase things at amazing prices by some absolutely wonderful volunteers. Great people working towards a better community, of course this place deserves the highest...