Thrift stores really vary in quality.
Where I live now, the St. Vincent de Paul is hideous. It's a large, dilapidated gym, and the thrift store doubles as a flophouse at night. I'm not opposed to the idea of a shelter (especially in winter) but I wish they had a separate facility, not on the thrift store floor. But maybe I'm just being uncharitable
The St. Vincent de Paul near where the bf is from is amazing. Smells like laundry detergent and dryer sheets- clean clean clean. And books are 20 cents apiece. I can load up an entire friggin' shopping cart.
The Goodwill here smells like BO and that earwaxy smell of stored clothes.
The Salvation Army used to be a smoking-allowed flea market and everything there smells like cigarette smoke.