This place is often closed on days when their online hours say they’re open. When they are open I’ve found their selection to be pretty sparse. I wish this place would step up their game and keep more regular hours until then I’ll make the longer trip to New Paltz.
A somewhat nice place to buy things at a decent and adorable price. That said however, the store could seriously benefit from better management. The store is a completely disorganized (people putting things pretty much wherever they want,) the amount of filth and every time you go in there, the employees just seem miserable. They are severely understaffed and under payed, and despite it being good to thrift shop and to help out the environment instead of purchasing things brand new, I feel bad for the employees there.
A lot of the items in there also don't have a price tag or anything to indicate the cost of something even though it's likely going to be at a decent price.
But the fact remains that there are better thrift stores out there that are more professionally run.
Also, in a place as run down as this and the way the employees are, NEVER used your card for purchasing. Always, always, ALWAYS pay with cash when coming here. I just read a review about a woman who got $190 stolen from her over a $19 purchase (or something insane like that) Learn from her. I was just in this store yesterday and thank god I decided to pay in cash.
Went There On a weekday and think they have improved seeing all these reviews. Found A lot of great items here which were priced fairly too and that day it was blue tags day 50% off on all blue tag. Found some danskin, calvin klein and polo there too. Customer service was quick and good too. Would come back if i'm around the area again.
Everytime I come here I am always amazed (and disappointed) by how expensive an item is. The cost of their items are actually more then the value of the item when it's new. It's absolutely disgusting what they are doing here. I once saw a pair of shoes that brand new retail are 12.99 they were selling them for $20.00. It's ridiculous. And it sucks because I try to be a conscious shopper and prefer thrift stores over department stores but what they are doing here with 100% donated items should be illegal. Also be mindful when they're ringing up their items, once the cashier tried to charge me an extra 8$ and i asked him to redue the transaction and miraculously it was correct. Such greed. it's just sad.
My sister & I decided to check out the local thrift stores. One would be AMAZED at what you could find. I don't really mess with their clothing, but there's always awesome pieces of jewelry, knick knacks, furniture, and pictures to discover. We started here at the Salvation Army on Ulster Avenue. It's not a huge place, but it's nicely kept, the customers are friendly, and the staff is AWESOME. We were greeted as soon as we walked in, with a smile, hello, and a wave by an employee that stood out. His name is Jackson. He's helpful, a great conversationalist, and has great customer service skills. I must admit, it was his energy that encouraged me to buy something. Every now and then? I'll pop in to say hello. He's what we'd call "Good People." Thanks again Jackson!
It's important to support our local businesses and services. I'm actually on a mission to scout out and report on what I find here in Kingston and will be publishing it in my magazine PLOTS JAMERICAN MAGAZINE "The Jamaican-American Diaspora (available on Amazon). To highlight what Kingston has to offer, from services, healthcare, food, you name it, that is included in daily life here. I'll share the good, bad, and the ugly, lol! Why? Because as a licensed business owner here myself (I publish books for poets only through Amazon KDP & am a virtual assistant), and a local resident for over a year now, it matters to me where I live and how I and my community are being viewed and treated. So, stay tuned as I share my views of life in Kingston, NY.
Prices have been going up by the month. And if the item is new with tags, it will be priced at about 50% of retail or more, no matter if it is 5 years old or more. I saw a top today priced at $97 and another over $100. These are not Salvation Army thrift store prices. And the store is overrun with clothing, somewhat poorly organized. Women's items mixed in the men's section, pajamas mixed in with the the street clothes. The employees are trying but they can't keep up with the volume of donations. But they keep raising their prices rather than sell things to the public and move them out of the store.
Please use caution when buying from the Kingston Store I would say to use cash only. I have made a purchase using my Debit card and found out the woman added an extra 0 so my 29.00 purchase somehow hit my bank account for 290.00 but she would not give me back my money. I believe this is probably a on going theme definitely an inside job . It’s a shame for stealing people money . Buyers Beware!
This is the new a d improved SA. The store a d merchandise is CLEAN and well organized. I have been sending all my friends to them and no has been disappointed.
I was aware of the staffing issues at this location, so I called ahead. Their automated service indicated that the hours were from 10am - 6pm on a Saturday. I arrived at 4pm, a full two hours before they should have been closed: it didn't seem that they had opened at all for the day. The parking lot was still closed.
Instead of going here, I recommend going to "Free to Thrift" just down Morton, less than a mile away. They have great features including: doors that open! Things you can buy! Friendly staff! True innovations that this store hasn't adopted yet.
(I don't normally bring snark into my reviews, but this location is so unprofessionally run that it should just be closed down already.)
I initially had no intention of rating this shop because I saw the responses from other ratings explaining why they had shortened business hours due to the fact they couldn't fully staff the store.
However when I arrived yesterday they were open and I looked at the hours listed on a piece of paper on the door, it said they were open till 5:00 p.m. I arrived at 4:40 pm.
Upon entering the store, a person who I believe was a manager stopped me and said "Excuse me but we close in 2 minutes so you're not going to be able to do any shopping" mind you, I came 20 minutes before the list closing time. Yet I was basically asked to leave. I came in looking for one item specifically it was able to see in less than 30 seconds that they didn't have it and quickly left.
If you don't intend on being open during the hours you listed on your own door, then maybe don't post any hours at all or just better yet close the whole shop down since it's never open anyway. It's unprofessional for staff to act this way and inconvenient on the customers trying to shop here. I went to the other thrift shop down the road on Morton Boulevard where they actually kept to the hours and had more inventory and the staff was very pleasant.
Google says it is open on saturday. It is definitely not, and the signs all over make that very clear. Also the place is completely trashed in the front with donations that have been gone through by other people and clearly left outside, and it's pouring rain.
Why are they closed? There was a hand printed note on the door today saying temporarily closed until further notice. Probably "cleaning" again.
Update: Two months later, still not open. Trashed in the front.
In response to Paul Nuccio( hope I spelled your last name correctly!)
I agree 100% about Mike. He was fun,helpful, interested and interesting.
I looked forward to our wide ranging chats♡ I hadn't been there in a few months; when I went a couple of weeks ago I was very disappointed to find he'd been let go for an absurd reason imho. My old friend Nancy (former manager for many years) has long been ousted. At least Beverly is delightful. But the gal at the register was
Due to the death of my wife I was forced to donate many boxes of knickknacks that she had collected through the years. A lot of these things were highly collectible and worth money but I could not deal with them or keep them. I was shocked when the Salvation Army refused to take any of my stuff! And then the attitude! From the truck driver to the cashier everyone was rude didn’t even bother to look at me. I took my stuff to the SPCA thrift shop in Saugerties. They were grateful.
I like to donate good and reasonably valued items but unfortunately often I’am told that they no longer accept items and wouldn’t tell me when they will be accepting. It is really frustrating experience with Ulster Avenue Store. Most of the time time they do not answer the phone and when you take the items to the store we are turned away with the same answer each time.
Made a 30 minute trip to Kingston today, Saturday, July 2nd, to drop off a large box of winter coats to find handmade signs plastered all over the front windows and doors saying they are not accepting donations today. I asked the woman who was working there why not and she said they were "cleaning." She wouldn't even look me in the eye. I've made many donations over the years to my local Salvation Army in NJ and have never seen anything like this. We left the coats out front anyway. Hopefully they will bring them in when they are done "cleaning."
Visited this store today and there was the most unfriendliest woman at the checkout. Several people wanted to drop off donations and she told them no. One woman who was trying came from New Paltz and another gentleman had tried several times before. I found a couple of plates and cups so she rang me up, took my money and just looked at me. I asked for a bag so I could carry them out and she said we don’t have anything. What a miserable woman.
Door says they open at 10AM. I entered the store around 10:15. There were about 5 other people shopping. The girl starts screaming at us THE STORES NOT OPEN LEAVE NOW. I ask what time do they open since the door says 10Am she yells back WHENEVER I WANT. She throws us all out, 5-10 other people are about to enter but she locks the door. Everyone was just confused. This store needs a complete overhaul in management. Very embarrassing. Close this store for good if you don’t want to be open
Salvation army is one of the best charities in America!
The Kingston location is clean and organized.
Mike is an exceptional employee and deserves a raise! Everyone is very polite and hard working.
Merry Christmas to all the sidewalk Santas too!
Hours on this site say they are open till 7pm. I loaded my car after I got off work drove 25 minutes to donate my car full of clothing and when I got there at 530pm the door was locked. On the door the hours were open until 5pm and another sign said open till 430. They need to get there act together. The local church was grateful for my donation
don't donate here. they are very picky about what they take and don't even offer the courteous of throwing out your stuff; in the dumpster 10 feet away if they don't take it. The cause may be good but there are more places that aren't so picky and more appreciative of your donations. Only take top notch stuff here.
What a wonderful place there's one lady there that's been there forever I call her mama she's always nice and considerate and fair everything is clean and in order this lady Works her tail off when the people come to inspect and see what is up in the store I understand it's hard for her and she gets overwhelmed but I look up to her she pulls her weight and then some I recommend this place their prices are fair and the people are good
Website says 7p.m front door says 6:45 I got to the store at 6:50 return to turn some clothesy in, two bags they will not, will not open the doors not to even toss the bags in & leave. Bad business practice, the website should jive w/ the time on the door!
Too expensive and service is horrible. The clerks are often rude and dimissive. Digging through the racks is tough work. Not very good inventory. Has three dressing rooms and the doors lock and they have mirrors so they get two instead of one star.
there are some nice things but one of the female staff is rude and cold, there is no flexibility on prices and the items are very expensive, some things are the cost of new items! This is not a place anyone poor could find any house wear items or furniture for a decent cost they had couches that cost more then bought new!
Bottom of the barrel, no stellar bargains or finds. Items in housewares are a shambling pile, literally. Multiple items are stained visibly, torn, broken; and there is no option to ask for a reduction. Staff are seriously over it, and conversations between them sounded hostile. Run away to one of the other local options, or regret your time lost sifting this jetsam.
The cashiers here are often terrible and the Salvation Army organization itself is pretty much trash. Arguably no other thrift shop around has such a selection of stuff in this low of a price range, but you're still far better off getting that same variety of selection by simply going to multiple small locally-organized thrift shops that are even cheaper, have helpful people behind the counters, and spend the proceeds doing actual good.
264 Old Flatbush Rd, Kingston, NYGarbage collection service
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