Goodwill on Loop 323

1817 W.S.W. Loop 323
Tyler, TX 75701
(903) 581-5422
9am – 8pm

This Goodwill store is located on the South West side of Loop 323 in Tyler, TX. If you are unfamiliar with Tyler just ask someone how to get to the mall, and there’s a good chance you’ll see the Goodwill on the way there. It has an almost ridiculously large and attractive sign for the type of store it is. The parking lot is attractive as far as thrift stores usually go. Though, be warned. This parking lot is on a fairly steep hill. Sometimes it causes awkward entrances and exits in my car.

The most obvious reason people go to a Goodwill thrift store is for the clothes. This branch offers a huge supply of men’s, women’s and children’s clothing. One interesting fact about this store is that they also have a few racks of completely brand new women’s clothes. Though, the prices are pretty high for these new items. These new clothes will usually be all within a similar style. I assume that they are overstock from a clothing store or something along those lines.

Being a man, I’ve spent most of my shopping for clothes in the men’s section. They have the stereotypical suit section that I rarely see people shopping in, but the bulk of this section is devoted to t-shirts, pants, and collared shirts. This is a really good store if you are looking for a new addition to your funny or ironic vintage t-shirt collection. You may pay a dollar or two more than you are used to paying for t-shirts at a thrift store, but I think that the huge selection makes it worth the effort and much more likely that you’ll find a keeper. The dress shirts are in my opinion over priced and not impressive. I can often find a better shirt in the clearance rack at Old Navy for cheaper.

I often check the tie section in hopes of adding some variety to my work attire, but the tie section is a little underwhelming. They are one dollar a piece. That is an awesome price, but in all of my trips I’ve only found one tie worth buying. So keep your eyes open for the chance of getting a nice tie for only a dollar. Also be sure to stop by the two shopping carts full of belts. Most of these are unattractive eighties style, but don’t let that stop you. I recently found four designer belts in near perfect condition for fifty cents a piece! Three of these were nice leather. One was a modern style canvas belt. All of these were name brand and probably worth fifteen dollars or more new. I almost couldn’t believe it, but with Goodwill I’ve learned to not be surprised.

Now why should you make a special trip to this Goodwill? My number one reason for visiting this store is for the book and media section. They have a five or six bookshelf unit section in the back full of books. There is one fully dedicated to children’s books which I usually avoid due to the messy nature of children’s book sections. The rest of the section is pretty incredible. There are new and used books of every genre. You can find most of the John Grisham books on any day. Besides that, it’s the luck of the draw. I never enter the store without checking through the book section, and I’d say that at least half of the time I leave with a book or two or twelve. Also in this section you’ll find a pretty decent selection of audio CDs, computer software CDs, DVDs, VHS tapes and vinyl records. There are certainly more efficient ways to buy CDs and software than a thrift store, but it’s worth the effort to possibly find a gem.

Are there any negative things about this store? There is one major negative. The furniture. In other parts of the country used and outdated furniture gets cheaper and cheaper until it is eventually close to free. This store sells furniture for fifty dollars or more regardless of the condition or style. There are occasionally really good finds on couches or chairs. In fact, I’ve purchased a really nice mirror and a small wooden night stand, that were both reasonably priced. But usually the couches and chairs are ridiculously ugly and still priced at fifty to eighty dollars a piece. Some of these, I would just throw away if I owned them. Regardless of this, eighty dollars is cheaper than a thousand, so maybe I shouldn’t complain about it.

There is one last thing to mention about this Goodwill. If you are in need of a costume, be it for Halloween or just a random themed costume party, I can not think of a better place in Tyler to go for it. This Goodwill has supplied me with costume pieces for at least five different costume parties. I’ve been able to find robes, pants, shirts, jewelry, accessories, and even a couple of wigs and beards. My experience has taught me to skip Wal-Mart and other retailers completely and go straight to Goodwill for costumes and accessories.

So if you are in Tyler and are looking for good thrift store deals, I would suggest going to the other Goodwill in downtown Tyler on Locust St or the Salvation Army store. But if you don’t have time for hunting, this Goodwill on the Loop will most certainly have what you are looking for. You may just have to spend a little more, fight more traffic and weed around way more customers. If you do decide on this store, you can rest assured that at the least they have a pretty amazing set of staff. You should see at least five employees at any given moment who can help you find things or even to help carry out your overpriced and ugly furniture.