Are you trying to minimise our impact on Planet Earth, reduce our usage of plastic, packaging, energy and water? We are. It’s not always easy – but one of the simplest things we can all do is to reuse things that other people have bought new and then discarded. This saves all the manufacturing and packaging resources. Charity Shops (Thrift Stores) allow us to do all this and they also help the world go round by passing a bit of money to those who need it most.
We spent part of last Autumn and this Spring in Shrewsbury, UK . Here in the shires of old England, Charity shopping has become a popular activity for all levels of society. There is no stigma of being seen buying second hand – rather it has become a social trading game where everyone enjoys the mix of treasure-hunting and charitable feel-good. This discovery and these shops are a great joy to me. I am an avid reader or rather book-buyer. And my daughters love these shops too. Treasure hunting (they call it “thing-finding”) is one of their favourite games – and pocket money goes much father here than it does in any kind of toyshop.
If you ever plan to visit Shrewsbury and if you enjoy finding a bargain or just love browsing then a round of the Charity Shops in Shrewsbury is a fun way to spend the day. Read our review here and maybe snap up a rare treat too.
The British Red Cross
Address: 14 Mardol, Shrewsbury SY1 1PY, UK
Opening hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM
The shop is under a new manager and has a very fresh feel. The interior is also fascinating as the the structure of the building is an 800 year old oak frame despite its 18th century exterior facade.
Best for: Variety of clothes,
Average price for books: £2 – selection is not the best
Marie Curie
Address: 4 Mardol, Shrewsbury SY1 1PY, UK
Opening hours:
- Monday – Saturday 9:30AM – 5:00PM
- Sunday 10:00AM – 4:00PM
Best for: Clothes. They are displayed in this shop sorted by colour. There is a smaller selection of clothes here than in other shops but they are carefully selected, and well displayed. If you see something here that you fancy snap it up immediately, the turnover of clothes is very fast. There is a small selection of kids clothes too, and always well priced.
Average price for books: between £1-2
Severn Hospice
Address: 71 Mardol, Shrewsbury SY1 1PZ, UK
Opening hours:
- Monday – Saturday 9:30AM – 5:00PM
- Sunday 10:00AM – 4:00PM
Best for: Books – great selection of books for kids and adults
Average price for books: adults £1-49 to £1-79; kids books £0.79 to £1-29 – bargain place when comes to books
Age UK Shrewsbury
Address:72 Mardol, Shrewsbury SY1 1PZ, UK
Opening hours: Tuesday – Saturday 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Best for: Hard to say – Clothes display is too crowded which makes it difficult to find anything.
Average price for books : £2-3, small selection and it’s hard to get to them past all the clothes.
Mind
Address: 76 Mardol, Shrewsbury SY1 1PZ
Opening hours:
- Monday – Saturday 9:00AM – 5:00PM
- Sunday 10:00AM – 4:00PM
Best for: Books and DVDs- they always have great selection of books at good prices. The clothes display is too crowded.
Average price for books: £1-75
British Heart Foundation
Address: 1 Mardol, Shrewsbury SY1 1PY
Opening hours: 9:30AM – 5PM
Best for: Men’s clothes especially. They have a bigger selection than in other charity shops, clothes generally, books and DVDs,
Average price for books: Adult £2, Kids books £1-2
Scope
Address: 12/13 Claremont St, Shrewsbury SY1 1QG, UK
Opening hours:
- Monday – Saturday 9:00AM – 5:00PM
- Sunday 10:00AM – 4:00PM
Best for: Clothes, toys for children, wide selection of clothes
Average price for books: £1 to £3
Hope House
Address: 23 Shoplatch, Shrewsbury SY1 1HS,
Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 9:00AM – 5:00PM
Best for: Books are cheap here, though the selection is limited.
Average price for books: £1-50
Shropshire Cat Rescue
Address: 3 Roushill Bank, Shrewsbury, SY1 1PN
Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 9:30 – 5:00
Best for: Cheap books, and good display of shoes. Clothes are crowded so its hard to find anything.
Average price for books: £0-50 to £1
Cancer Research UK
Address: 30 Castle St, Shrewsbury SY1 2BQ, UK
Opening hours:
- Monday – Saturday 9:00AM – 5:30PM
- Sunday 10:00AM – 4:00PM
Best for: Clothes – very well displayed by colour, easy to browse and find something special
Average price for books: £1.75 Small selection of books
Blue Cross
Address: 5 High St, Shrewsbury SY1 1SP
Opening hours:
- Monday – Saturday 9:30AM – 5:30PM
- Sunday 11:00 AM – 4:00PM
Best for: Clothes – well displayed by colors, easy to spot something extraordinary. If some of the clothes don’t match their selection they are often on “hot hanger” priced £1 each
Average price for books: No books in there
Oxfam
Address: 44 High St, Shrewsbury SY1 1ST
Opening hours:
- Monday – Saturday 9:30AM – 5:00PM
Best for: Unfortunately seems to be overpriced in comparison with the other charity shops, and since they don’t have books, I didn’t visit it often.
Average price for books: no books
Severn Hospice
Address: 12A Wyle Cop, Shrewsbury SY1 1XB, UK
Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 9:00AM – 5:00PM
Best for: Books, Toys for children, Clothes well-displayed by colour.
Average price for books: £1-49 to £1-79
Save The Children
Address: 70 Wyle Cop, Shrewsbury SY1 1UX, UK
Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 10:00AM – 4:00PM
Best for: Variety of women’s clothes, all well displayed, always with nicely arranged window display, Sometimes can be rather crowded for clothes.
Average price for books: £1 to £3
Oxfam Bookshop Shrewsbury
Address: 10 Dogpole, Shrewsbury SY1 1EN
Opening hours:
- Monday – Saturday 9:30AM – 5:30PM
- Sunday 12:00 PM – 4:00PM
Best for: books and vinyl records – great selection of books and Vinyl LPs, You can spend long time in here browsing and reading books, very nice and helpful staff
Average price for books: £3-4 which is more then average price in other charity shops but selection is much bigger
Dogs Trust
Address:6 St Mary’s St, Shrewsbury SY1 1EB, UK
Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 9:00AM – 5:00PMP
Best for: Plus size clothes
Average price for books: no books
The Shrewsbury Ark
Address: 14 Castle St, Shrewsbury SY1 2BB, UK
Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 9:30 – 4:30
Best for: Cheap books, Other than that the place seems rather to be in an 80’s time warp with regards to fashion and display. I never found any clothes I liked..
Average price for books: £1
Moorlands K9 Rescue
Address: Riverside Shopping Centre, Raven Meadows, SY1 1PB
Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 10:00 – 4:30
Best for: Great selection of cheap books Everything else is very cheap, but also generally unattractive.
Average price for books: average price for book is £0-50 to £1
North Shrewsbury Friendly Neighbours
Address: Riverside Shopping Center
Opening hours: Monday – Saturday 10:00 – 4:30
Best for: cheap books, unfortunately the rest of the stuff I wouldnt even want to touch,
Average price for books: average price for book is £0.5 or 3 books £1
Severn Hospice Superstore
Address: Beacall’s Ln, Shrewsbury SY1 2HU, UK
Opening hours: 9:00AM – 5:00PM
This shop is a bit away from the town centre – behind the station and the Dana (old prison) It is in a big building.
Best for: Vast amount of clothes, In front of the shop you can find good quality branded clothes (Fat Face, Acrombie&Fitch, ) which are a bit more expensive, At the back an enormous selection of clothes for everyone. Big selection of kitchenware and best of all – lots of cheap books
Average price for books: £1