Texas Thrift Store Multiple locations, buythrift.com For decades, Texas Thrift has remained a dependable spot for thrifting, no matter what you’re on the prowl for. Yes, that includes vinyl. At any of the locations across the city, you’ll be able to hunt down some solid finds — just be patient as you skim through the catalog of records on deck. Photo via Google Maps Credit: Photo via Google Maps

Attention bargain shoppers: you’re in the right place.

San Antonio is one of the nation’s best cities to scour for vintage treasures at second-hand stores, according to a recent study from online lawn-service provider Lawn Love.

The Alamo City placed fifth on the list, which ranks cities based on their number of thrift shops, flea markets and consignment shops. Researchers also looked at Google search interest in thrift-related keywords over the past year, which fed into the rankings.

New York City took the top spot, followed by Houston and Los Angles, in respective order.

San Antonio’s No. 5 finish put it ahead of thrift-happy Austin, which landed in eighth place. Even so, with three Texas cities making it into the top 10, one could argue that Lone Star State is a gold mine for thrifters.

Earlier this year, a Goodwill store in Austin grabbed national headlines after a woman paid $35 for what turned out to be a 2,000-year-old Roman bust. That find is now on display at the San Antonio Museum of Art.

Perhaps as an indication of just how thrift-store hungry San Antonio is, Goodwill recently announced plans to open a 25,000-square-foot retail spot in the Live Oak area.

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This article appears in Aug 24 – Sep 6, 2022.

Michael Karlis is a multimedia journalist at the San Antonio Current, whose coverage in print and on social media focuses on local and state politics. He is a graduate of American University in Washington,...