Thrift Stores in Franklin Sit Less Than a Mile Apart

The thrift stores we list sit on Franklin's east edge, along South 27th Street and Riverwood Boulevard. Of the thrift stores Franklin has, the three we list are donation stores within about three-quarters of a mile of each other: a Goodwill, a Habitat for Humanity ReStore next door to it, and a Salvation Army Family Store up the road. Each one sells something different, so it pays to know which to visit for clothes, for furniture and for building supplies.

Goodwill on Riverwood Boulevard

For clothes and everyday housewares, start at Goodwill.

Goodwill's page does not mention sale days or a loyalty program for this location, so ask at the register if you are hunting for a discount. Our listing describes Goodwill as a long-standing nonprofit chain.

Habitat for Humanity ReStore, next door

For furniture, building materials and appliances, walk next door to the ReStore.

Much of its stock comes from donations, so it is worth a quick look whenever you are at Goodwill anyway. The listing also mentions new items alongside the used ones, so not everything on the floor is secondhand.

Salvation Army Family Store on 27th Street

The third stop is about 0.7 miles north, on South 27th Street.

A thrift loop in one afternoon

The three stores are close enough to shop in one afternoon; check the ReStore's hours before you go. Park once for Goodwill and the ReStore, which sit about 300 feet apart on Riverwood Boulevard, then drive up 27th Street to the Salvation Army, about 0.7 miles north as the crow flies.

For a coffee between stops, the Starbucks in Tri City Commons on South 27th Street is about 0.3 miles south of the Salvation Army store, and it serves breakfast, lunch and pastries along with coffee and tea. Shop the ReStore early in a trip if you are after something heavy, so the car is still empty.

Which store for what

Go to Goodwill first for women's, men's and children's clothing, kids' toys and games, books, movies and kitchen basics. Go to the ReStore for anything that attaches to a house: building supplies, appliances and lawn equipment, along with furniture and some new items. Go to the Salvation Army for a second pass at donated household goods, and for the satisfaction of knowing where the money goes.

All three run on donations, so what is on the shelves depends on what people bring in.

Before you go

Measure the space at home before you look at furniture, and bring straps or a blanket for the car. If you are buying something large at the ReStore and cannot haul it, ask the staff about options before you pay; Habitat's site mentions pickup only for donations. Keep Goodwill's donation receipt if you itemize, since its page says attendants can give you one. And for the Salvation Army, confirm hours before you drive.

Donating in Franklin

All three stores take donations, and they suit different things. Bring clothes, books, toys and kitchenware to Goodwill's donation center, where staff help unload. Send furniture, decor and tools to the ReStore, and use its pickup service for anything too big for your car. Household goods also go to the Salvation Army donation center on 27th Street, where the sales support its rehabilitation and veterans programs. If an item is broken or stained, skip the drop-off; all three sell what they take in, so donate what you would buy yourself. Bundle smaller things in bags or boxes you do not need back, and keep large furniture for the ReStore, which is set up for it.

More thrift stores nearby

Franklin's three stores are also an easy trip for Greenfield shoppers, about 2.3 to 2.8 miles from Konkel Park.

North of the city line, the thrift stores in Greenfield cluster along Highway 100 and 74th Street, with resale shops for clothes, sports gear and music equipment.

For vintage clothing, the Milwaukee thrift stores are where to look.

And when the car is full, Whitnall Park, Ballpark Commons and the rest of Franklin are a few miles west.