American Thrift opens in Farmingville
Long Island bargain hunters have a new place to shop for resale treasures.
American Thrift, a store that specializes in “gently used” clothing and household goods, opened in January at the Expressway Plaza in Farmingville.
“We like to provide quality secondhand merchandise at a very fair and reasonable price,” says owner Robert Geller, 25, who lives in Westbury.
About half the store is dedicated to clothing for men, women and kids, he says, adding that they also carry small appliances, homewares and other items. Average prices run around $4 to $5.
American Thrift in Farmingville is organized by color and items are color-tagged for deals per day of the week. Credit: Morgan Campbell
“We have a fun and exciting toy department for all ages with puzzles, games and bikes,” Geller says. “Our media department has books, CDs and vinyl records. We also carry jewelry. So we have everything for all kinds of shoppers.”
The 27,000-square-foot store joins Geller’s other area locations of American Thrift. One in Baldwin opened in March 2019, another in Passaic, New Jersey launched a year later.
For Geller, thrifting is a personal interest — and a family affair. He grew up in Florida and worked in his father’s American Thrift stores before moving to Long Island five years ago.
The stores share the name, says Geller, but are “privately owned and completely separate businesses.”
Store items are updated on a daily basis. “We purchase all of our merchandise from the United Breast Cancer Foundation,” says Geller. The UBCF website notes that the organization recycles “tons of items through our thrift relationships each year.”
Find "gently used" shoes, bags and clothing for men, women and kids at American Thrift in Farmingville. Credit: Morgan Campbell
Merchandise deliveries are like a box of chocolates. “Each day we have trucks to get unloaded into the store,” says Geller. “We have no idea what we're gonna get.”
The thrill of discovery — and the hunt — drew Freeport resident William Wagner, 34, to thrifting a dozen years ago. He’s left with great finds from his visits to the Farmingville store. His tip for thrift shoppers: “Patience. It takes time to look around.”
“I got a WWF snapback hat for under a buck,” adds Wagner, who sources clothing for brands and stores. “I got a pair of New York Knicks basketball shorts for $9.99.”
At American Thrift, merchandise is tagged with colored tickets that indicate when they were put out on the floor. TVs throughout the store and signs posted near registers keep customers up to speed with specials.
In addition to daily deals up to 50% off based on ticket colors, there are “happy hour” discounts from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday. Shoppers who are 50-plus get a break on Wednesday, while rewards-program members get one on Thursday.
In a statement about American Thrift, Ron Bondy, executive vice president of leasing for the plaza owners, notes that it fills the “demand for high-quality resale that shoppers are looking for.”
And keep coming back for, according to Geller. “Customers feel like they’re missing out if they’re not here,” he says. “They think, ‘I wonder what's getting put out today.’ ”
American Thrift, 2280 N. Ocean Ave., Farmingville, 516-202-0817, americanthrift.com