Planning a road trip can be stressful for a lot of people, including myself. But a thriftcation? Where do I even begin?! When my friend Shannon suggested we go on a thrift road trip I loved the idea but wasn’t sure where to find the best thrift shops in Columbus, Ohio. Luckily she took the lead and planned the most epic thriftcation. Listen to the episode and scroll down for a full itinerary of thrift stores we visited in Columbus.

flower child columbus

How to plan the perfect thrift road trip

Start planning early

Shannon suggests giving yourself enough time to plan in advance to research a route. Try planning a month in advance.

Create a master list of stores in the area

Google as many stores as you can and add them to a document immediately so you don’t forget them. Don’t worry about reviews, exact location, or anything else. Just add them to a master list. You’ll narrow it down later.

Narrow your list down to these three key categories

After you create a master list of all the stores you found in the area, Shannon suggests narrowing it to three categories: places unique to the area, stores that offer a one-of-a-kind experience, and stores that are familiar to you, such as a traditional retail thrift store.

Map out the route
Now that you’ve narrowed it down to three categories, begin selecting the exact stores you want to visit based on the amount of time you have. Then, look up the addresses of each store and map out the route based on distance. Be sure to consider other plans such as attractions and restaurants and include them in your daily route.

For example, this was our itinerary for Day Two:

Breakfast
Goodwill Outlet
St. Vincent de Paul Thrift
Family Thrift
Lunch
Hotel / Rest
Comedy Club

Allot time for rest and food
A thrifting marathon like this will leave you exhausted and hungry. Shannon highly recommends including meal and rest times throughout your day so you can stay on track. Research restaurants nearby in advance so you’re not frantically looking for a meal in between stops.

Create an actual itinerary
Make a list on your phone or even create a Google slide (that’s what Shannon did!) and list everything you’re going to do that day in order. This will help you stay organized and ready to take on the day!

Limit the time spent in each location
I’m a marathon thrifter, meaning I can easily spend hours upon hours in a store. Shannon made sure we spent 60 minutes at each location to avoid burnout and so we could have time to visit all of the planned stores on our list. If you don’t have a buddy to hold you accountable, set a timer. Highly recommend this!

Clean out your car
The first thing I did before hitting the road was to clean out my car. I also folded down the seats in my backseat to make room for big treasures!

St. Vincent De Paul Thrift

Pink phones at Flower Child

Finds at Rag-o-Rama

Where to Thrift Shop in Columbus, Ohio

There are many wonderful thrift stores in Columbus, these are the stores we visited during a weekend road trip.

Flower Child Columbus
233 East Fifth Ave, Columbus, OH 43201
Exquisitely curated vintage unique to the Cleveland and Columbus area. Definitely a splurge but worth the one-of-a-kind experience.

Goodwill Outlet Columbus
2675 Brice Road, Columbus, OH 43232
Shop clothing, books, and goods by the pound.

St. Vincent De Paul Thrift Store
5969 East Main Street, Columbus, OH 43213
Great for housewares and furniture!

Family Thrift Store
4815 East Main Street, Columbus OH 43213

A nice mix of secondhand and liquidated retail items such as Target overstock.

Volunteers of American Thrift Store
1800 W Henderson Road, Columbus, OH 43220

Rag-o-Rama Columbus
3301 N High Street, Columbus, OH 43202
Buy, sell, and trade vintage, trendy, and streetwear clothing, shoes, and accessories for men and women.

Shannon’s finds from Volunteers of America

Follow us on Instagram to watch reels from our thrift road trip!

Thanks to this episode’s sponsor

This episode is sponsored by ReLyst.com, a software solution designed to help e-commerce sellers create listings that are both efficient and accurate for multiple online marketplaces. Get 30 days free plus 50% off a scanner and printer combo. Use the code DINA when you sign up on the Get Started page.

About the podcast

Thanks, it’s Thrifted is a podcast about secondhand shopping hosted by two treasure-hunting friends, Dina & Shannon. Subscribe today. Follow on Instagram @dinasdays and @thanksitsthrifted.pod. For more about the podcast visit dinasdays.com/podcast.