Downtown Wayne isn’t just for Main Line moms! While many of the boutiques, sports shops, and other local retail stores tend to be a bit pricey for the typical college student, there are still plenty of options for those of us living on a tight budget. One of the best ways to enjoy some retail therapy without breaking the bank is to opt for thrift shopping. (And yes, it was cool even before Macklemore sang about it.) Whether it’s a quaint, floral teacup or a rad pair of high-waisted shorts, thrift shops have all those items you just can’t find anywhere else. Perhaps the most difficult part of thrifting is knowing where to go. Luckily, there are a few places right around the corner:
Neighborhood League Shop
191 E. Lancaster Avenue
Wayne, Pa. 19087
Store Hours: Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Just under 1.5 miles from Eastern’s St. Davids campus are the Neighborhood League Shops, three small shops all located on the same block. The main shop, designated the Neighborhood League Shop, has a variety of glassware, ceramics, China, silver, textiles, jewelery, and artwork. The shop has several complete tea sets available, but most of the pieces can be purchased as separates. The lower level of the shop includes small furniture, more artwork, and other decorating items—the perfect finishing touches to make a dorm room or apartment feel like home.
Clothing Shop (located above Neighborhood League Shop)
187 E. Lancaster Avenue
Store Hours: Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Right next-door to the Neighborhood League Shop is one of its sister stores: the Clothing Shop. As the name implies, the Clothing Shop has an assortment of brand name clothing and shoes for men and women. Other fun accessories like jewelry, scarves, and hats can also be found here.
The Alley Door (located behind the Neighborhood League Shop)
6 Louella Court
Store Hours: Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
The last branch of the Neighborhood League Shops is the Alley Door, which sits right behind the main shop. Unlike the other two stores (which are considered consignment shops), the Alley Door is comprised solely of donations. This shop has a wide assortment of items from clothing to dishware to household knick-knacks. The Neighborhood League Shops is a nonprofit organization that donates all proceeds to local, nonprofit associations. Their 2014 Grant Recipients include the Wayne Senior Center, Women’s Resource Center, Timothy School, Peter’s Place, The Clinic, Foundation for Learning in Tredyffrin/Easttown (FLITE), Interfaith Hospitality Network of the Main Line (IHN-Main Line), and Radnor ABC Program.
Noah’s Ark (located in the basement of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church)
104 Louella Avenue
Store Hours: Wed., Fri., Sat. 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Right across the street from the Neighborhood League Shop is Noah’s Ark Thrift Shop, located in the basement of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. All merchandise is donated from members of the community, and includes everything from clothing to books to kitchen items (and more!). During the summer and winter, Noah’s Ark closes for a few weeks and donates any unsold items to churches in need both locally and internationally, as well as to Planet Aid (www.planetaid.org), so nothing donated to the store will ever go unused! New donations are then collected and displayed in the store, so that completely “new” merchandise will be available to shoppers each season. Noah’s Ark was started by members of St. Mary’s Altar Guild. Proceeds from the thrift shop go toward the Altar Guild, as well as to various church groups like Episcopal Community Services (CES), St. Gabriel’s Episcopal Church, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church (Chester, PA), St. Peter’s Clinic, Seamen’s Church Institute, Episcopal Relief, and the South Philadelphia Compassion Baptist Church.
Sources: www.nlshops.org, www.stmaryswaynepa.org