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Categories: Religious Organizations, Used, Vintage & Consignment [Edit]
Neighborhood: LakeviewPaulina (Brown)
Mon-Thu. 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Fri. 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Do not be fooled by the liquidation signs in the window; I spoke to one of the employees, and they are definitely remaining open.
I guess it's like any thrift store in that it's mostly garbage with some treasure mixed in here and there. You would probably have to spend a few days to peruse the entire books section properly, but please don't. That's where I find most of my treasure.
I wondered about why this place was closed on a Saturday, but I came back the next day. Once I headed to their basement, I wondered no more. ...
Let's just say there was a buffet of Jewish music AWESOMENESS in their LP collection , from Neil Diamond to Beverly Sills, Barry Manilow, and even some cantorial classics. You'll also find each and every show Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote, and everything is still in pristine condition.
The Ark is so, so,so much fun to browse!
That is, if you stick mainly to their basement. I wasn't overly impressed with their main floor or their clothing selections upstairs, but YMMV.
But that basement....head down there! Not only is the record collection a hoot, but the books are AMAZING! They have it all organized so neatly, and you'll find plenty of new titles in there- fiction and non-fiction. This was by far one of the most impressive set ups I've seen as far as used books in a resale shop. Funniest find: "Why Be Catholic?"
Why be Catholic, indeed, when their resale shops pale in comparison?
went by here Tuesday Nov 3 --- they are CLOSED indefinitely :(
i used to love this place. why are they closed ? this one was way better than the one on Milwaukee Ave.
SAD :(
The thrift shop IS open again, but under new management. If you are looking to donate, Urban Liquidators is there accepting donations. They have not yet worked out a deal with the Ark to make your donation tax deductible, but hope to soon.
Meck.
Origin: (Meh + Yuck).
Used in a sentence: The Ark is totally "meck."
Mecky Items:
Ripped, stained chair: $40
Tattered, gross brown ottoman: $25
Plastic framed mirror: $40 (craaaaacked)
Now, seriously...I can thrift. It's just...genetic. However, disorganized stuff better come cheap. If I have to dig through a bunch of crap, I better come out a better person. I feel if I had dug through this clustercrunk of a store, I could've come out with...I don't know, rabies?
WAY overpriced.
Ewww. Not recommended. Sorry fellow thrift people. Maybe I went on an off day, but this just skeezed me out. Major.
My God, I love this place. Yes, it's just across the street from my apartment, and there's the convenience. But I'm willing to go out on a limb and say I'd travel far and wide to shop here. MUCH better than Village or Brown Elephant.
Books and records in the basement, furniture on the ground floor, and clothing and shoes upstairs. Stuff isn't super inexpensive, but I got a pair of flawless purple BCBG shoes for $6!
Yes, I also bought my velvet blazer and white fedora for my Michael Jackson party, too ($10 total). So thank you, Ark Thrift Shop, thank you for making my party oh-so-much better.
Let's compare a Christian thrift store like Salvation Army or Goodwill and the Ark, which is affiliated with a Jewish charity.
Sal Arm: Lots of religious books, Bibles, etc.
The Ark: "How to Talk Dirty and Influence People" by Lenny Bruce.
Goodwill: Paintings of Jesus, the Last Supper, etc.
The Ark: Painting of a sweet, brown unicorn.
Sal Arm: Crappy penny loafers and shitty Sonoma sandals.
The Ark: Mint leather Kenneth Cole dress shoes and cowboy boots.
Goodwill: A "Throwing Copper" concert tee.
The Ark: Brooks Brothers fitted silk shirts.
Sal Arm: A dirty bassinette.
The Ark: A paisley retro couch.
You get the idea. This wouldn't even be that great if it all wasn't so goddamned cheap. I came out with 2 blazers, 4 pairs of leather dress shoes, 4 dress shirts, and a few other random things for $28. All suits and dress shoes were 50% off, so each $10 blazer or pair of shoes was $5. How can you possibly beat this???
Thank you, Ark, for not being an Evangelical thrift store where cheap Dutch people get rid of their K-Mart wares and Left Behind books. I'd also like to give a shout out to the nice Jewish gentleman I saw when I came out grinning like a fool. I had two giant garbage bags of nice clothing. He was unloading his Audi of what I could only assume were more stylish, expensive clothes. He filled three laundry containers worth. I wanted to shake his hand and tell him what a life-changing experience this was for me... but I decided that might be a bit weird.
Instead I just rode away with a new understanding and a shitload of great clothes.
I saw my shoes in there, well my shoes a 1/2 size smaller. I know why they are there despite their original price ($80) and style (new)- they're uncomfortable. My feet sport them only while doing anything not involving walking or standing. No, my husband does not have a shoe fetish. And there were other newish styles in decent shape, all causing me to ponder why? You know, those meaning-of-life questions. (There's a pile of self-help books and Gideon's in basement if you're really interested in figuring out life. )
I wonder aloud all the time about the abandoned wedding dresses- their owners and future owners. Just think about the stories behind donating or buying a used wedding gown. Yeah, maybe you're making mosquito netting for your mission trip to Brazil, OK maybe.
And why does it take ten years to donate a stroller from the early 1990s, thoughts of another baby?
The Arc is chock full of opportunities to ponder life today and yesterday and if you're lucky you'll come away with a cute H&M skirt and lavender 1970s sweater top like me. At least you will wonder, and like all solid thrift stores the Ark delivers on the "wonders" account.
+
clothes separated by sizes
nice staff
-
book room a disaster
I have not really shopped the furniture here, but as another reviewer noted, it seems very 80's--lots of white lacquered bedroom sets and chrome--which might be just your thing!
The books area in the basement is almost like a good quality used bookstore, with much better prices. The books are somewhat organized by subject but it's best just to browse.
The upstairs clothing area has some great deals to be found--my favorite purchases include a brand-new Longchamp Type "L" tote bag for $4, a pair of Navy surplus 13-button wool pants (great for winter!) for $3, and a couple of cashmere pashminas for $1 each. The prices are slightly above those of most Salvation Army thrifts or the Village chain, but I think your chances of finding a really unique item are better.
Overall, a funky and interesting thrift!
I used to shop here for myself and for art projects for school. You could definitely load up on really odd clothes. They had a great way of flat pricing everything. For example, all shirts were $0.50 or purses were $1.00. Now when I come here there are still some items that are at a fixed price or otherwise marked. Really? They've got sequiny jackets for $100. I don't go thrifting to pay new clothes prices.
Recently I discovered that a company by the name "Bookmark" is handling the books in the basement. I'm a total book junkie and was amazed how well organized and reasonably priced all the books are. Very impressive. If you are in the need for reading material come here first, the selection is vast.
I passed this place a few times on Lincoln then decided to stop there yesterday. I found a new sweater for the winter with rabbit heads and robots on it. Brand new for $5. Like another Yelper mentioned, it is a hit-or-miss with the selection. Good prices on most of the clothes.
Their awesome book basement is going to be a bit different soon due to mr. bernie madoff. Apparently they lost their funding because they made a madoff-investment. The books will no longer be maintained, according to the guy I talked to who is losing his job at the Ark.
My boyfriend constantly brings home boxes of books, but only pays about 20 bucks a visit.
I have got some pretty great deals on kitchen stuff too.
WHOOWOOO! my favorite thrift shop. I always find cute things here at such awesome prices. Everything is just so organized. The book section is super impressive and i find cute clothes for .50 cents. I love it here.
Stores like this are hit or miss. Just keep checking back. Definitely a miss on the furniture when I went in this week.
BIG place. If you have the chance, go downstairs or next door. Way more furniture, way more random stuff. I would say it's a good place to look for some furniture, not all. Also, huge collection of creepy walkers and canes.
Didn't have what i was looking for, so I can't give it a great review.
This store is highly organized and the clothes are reasonably priced. I almost left the store thinking, "eh", when I came upon the staff pics clothing selection. I found what is possibly the world's cutest vintage jacket for $4 dollars. I suggest you head straight for the staff pics!
I used to go here a lot. I found some great pairs of shoes here. Channel shoes for $3.00. The furniture is always cool, I think the best deals are on the clothes.
Ladies and Gentlemen, you may be jealous, you may not believe me, you may accuse me of lying, and you may in fact try making me offers I cannot refuse (good luck with that)... but I found, buried beneath some yellowed cookbooks from the sixties: the entire series of "Sex and the City" here in immaculate condition for $30.00!!!
I did not bother to look in any other section... clutching my precious find I raced the counter and whipped out the Amex so fast I'm sure the charming lady behind the register thought I was a jittery freak going to hold her up... it was beautiful, it was magnificent... once in a lifetime baby, once in a lifetime...
I am a business neighbor of the ark and I am very pleased with the changes that the new management have made. The store is clean and well organized and the prices seem fair and logical for the stuff being sold. The book section in the basement is wonderful.
I think they have returned to the original mission for all thrifts stores, which is to make money for the charity they represent but also provide a source of low cost merchandise for people in need. Hats off to them!!
I have no idea where people are getting the overpriced issue from. We have gone here twice now- the first time we bought 40 some odd t-shirts (yes 40 for an art project that failed miserably) priced at $0.50 a piece. When we get to the register he charges us $11. He claims that it is a 20% off sale... not sure where he learned math but sign me up! I've always been a big fan of long sleeved t-shirts and old t-shirts to work out in- this place is the best bargain for both. As an added bonus, their clothing section is extremely organized. There is a section for suits, dresses, t-shirts, dress pants, jeans, etc. and each one of those sections is organized by color AND size. Most of the stuff on the racks is actual brands you've heard of and you don't have to go digging through some 1980s blazers with shoulder pads the size of your head to find them. Love it here.
Gah! I don't understand why thrift stores charge so much money for basically their junk that they got for free. They have alot of the really cool Pyrex glassware that comes in those funky colors from the 60s and 70s - my mom had them, and I've been on a mad hunt for them to add to my mini collection. When I saw all the bowls, I thought "rock on - I'll be getting somewhere!" That is, until I looked at the prices - $12, $10???
You're a frickin' THRIFT shop. Where's the thrift? Other than in the name of your store? And what really got me was the chipped and faded ones were more expensive than the nice ones - I got a decent bowl for $2.50. The ones that I do have, I never paid more than $2 a piece elsewhere (and most of them under a buck). I know they're collector's items, but everything else seemed just as expensive, including $5 for a chipped "World's Best Mom" coffee mug. Why don't you show mom how you *really* feel about her.
FOLLOW UP - THE 'HIGH PRICED' STUFF IS GONE! Went somewhere!
Some people are really better suited to Target or Walmart than Designer Showrooms. I was there yesterday and they had some fabulous designer furniture (used) with recent appraisals in the many thousand$$$. Many pieces signed by the designer/artist. This is not a Salvation Army thirft store.
Like all thrift stores, timing is key. Some stuff is priced with inflated pride, it won't sell. Simple.
Some things appear pricey - like $12 ($6 on 50% sale) for a used belt - ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA, near new condition. Tori Richard - $3.50 (50% off). Diesel jeans - $2.50 (50% off)
Many items are high end. You will usually find antique dealers, Interior designers and vintage clothing store owners poking around.
Frequent sales, easy parking and friendly staff make this a bargain hunter's boon. A bit more funky than THREADS, but more fun.
This is, hands down, the craziest "thrift" shop I've ever been in. And we're talking thrift stores here, people, so you KNOW it has to be insane. I've never seen so much crappy used furniture priced so high. Whoever does the pricing here (we'll meet her later in the review, actually) is delusional. I swear I saw a crappy art poster--not a lithograph or print, mind you, but the kind of poster you find at a Hallmark store for $12--in an equally junky frame priced at $85! Pardon the ancient Jay-Z reference, but jigga wha? And I doubt I'm in the minority when thinking, "Who would pay $8 for a ratty old used hand towel when you can get a brand new one ANYWHERE ELSE ON THE PLANET for less?"
Along with the prohibitive pricing, the *cough* ambiance *cough* was severely lacking as well. While I was there, I overheard (it was impossible not to because she was yelling at the top of her lungs) the owner or manager complaining to the guy behind the register about one of the employees. She went on and on for about 10 minutes about all of the "mind games" of which said employee is allegedly guilty and all of the lies he tells and the day he "tried on some clothes and danced around" and how she told him off for being unprofessional. Because, as we all know, an owner/manager yelling for 10 minutes about the actions of an employee within full view and earshot of customers is TOTALLY professional. Later, I overheard Ol' Screamy tell the cashier guy to price what looked to be a faux leather laptop attache at $50 because "those go for about $150 new." Seriously, this place is effing nuts.
That said, I did manage to find a reasonably priced item that I wanted, and I'm sure there were other potential deals to be had. Unfortunately, the time it would take to hunt out the few bargains could be better spent at a thrift shop where most of the items are realistically priced and where your senses aren't assaulted. I will never return unless I feel the need to show off its insanity to friends.
Not a bad place to pick up some used furniture if you don't mind shopping among freaking would-be serial killers!!!
My fiance and I need a sofa but we can't really afford a new one so I stopped in here on my way home from work today. As I was browsing the furniture I overheard an employee in the back telling several of his fellow employees how fun it was to kill people and how he like to take off their head like pop caps and drink their blood.
Now I've worked a long time in retail and I know talking shit behind the customers' backs is an age-old and much-loved past-time but I've never heard anyone take it that far before.
I know you're thinking he was probably just joking around or trying to mess with me because what real serial killer would talk about this sort of thing in public, but I'm not so sure because...
A. I'm pretty sure he didn't know I was there - he was well into his diatribe when I came in.
B. something about his tone and the way he went on and on about it (it definitely wasn't a quick stab at macabre/dry humor) made me think he wasn't kidding
and
C. psychopaths aren't always the sharpest tools in the shed (see Richard Speck).
It creeped me out to the point I'd consider letting the police know if I thought they'd care.
Meanwhile, I'll give the Ark two stars because I'd probably still buy a couch there.
I've read the previous reviews and I'm going to tell it how it is. It's AWESOME! You want a clean store? Go to a new retail store.
Resale stores are what they are........ RESALE (i.e. they are not going to scrub every item down before putting the item out for sale.) Try Salvation Army and see the difference, it's much cleaner.
Under new management now, this place is improved with the pricing and the way it's organized. Clothes upstairs which could be better sized. Main floor is premium quality funiture; toys; kitchen; bric-a-brac; furniture & accessories. Basement is books and closeout priced lower end furniture.
A person who is on a budget; in college; or starting their own first place must shop here!!! Yes, everyone who is "In the know" shops at The Ark!!!!
2nd Floor and basement is NOT wheel chair accessible, main floor is.
The furniture seems a bit over priced and not really great quality. Every time I've been there, I keep thinking 80's furniture. I haven't been there in several months, so perhaps some of the inventory has been updated. The shoe selection is good, but I've never found anything I wanted there. The coat section, IMO is probably the best. I've never found a good deal on their clothing, though.
By far the most overpriced 'thrift" store I have ever been to. I won't deny that the place has some very nice finds, and good quality used merchandise, but I was there today and they were selling a couch for $3000. Despite what another reviewer says, I just don't think there is a market for that kind of price in a thrift store, and that's certainly not what I go to thrift stores for. Even some of the stained furniture was priced in the high hundreds. The pictures they sell for your walls are also priced so obnoxiously that it will make you laugh.
However, if you look around long enough you will find some good stuff, I got some really nice mugs and plates for $2 and $4 each respectively. Their merchandise is very nice but too rich for my (and probably most other thrift shoppers') blood.
Hey it's a thrift store! Don't expect Gimbals and you won't be disappointed. It's kind of like the Salvation Army, but Kosher.
If your used to going to places like Value Village you might appreciate the Ark's less pungent bouquet, which seems to Permeate the Village air.
When I go to a thrift store it's usually clothing optional, if I see something cool I'll give it a look. I like the other weird stuff one can find in these places.
If you read; the books in the basement are categorized(fiction, bio's, self-help, etc...), with new arrivals in the front. Some fine authors too. I walked out of there with: Kafka, Kesey, Milton (hard cover), Steinbeck and Fitzgerald on the first day I went. I went back the next day and found : Twain, Joyce, Thomas, Dumas,and Castaneda.
I found the coolest shoe there; I might go back tomorrow to see I can find the other one.
I dropped my hair dryer in the toilet today. After staring at it for a full minute, shaking my head at what an idiot I am, and retrieving it (and thankfully not electrocuting myself as I forgot to unplug it) I headed down the road to the Ark (with a head of wet hair, thank you very much). I was on a serious mission: new (to me) hair dryer.
Unfortunately, there were no decent hair dryers to be found. Apparently there's not a lot of turnover in the hairdryer world, well, until someone tries to drown theirs.
Actually, to be honest, there were a few decent hair dryers to be found, but I wasn't paying $8 for a used hair dryer when I could get a new (untainted) one at Target for $10.
Like all thrift stores, it's hit or miss. They have a fair amount of furniture and a lot of clothes, not as much in the housewares department. The place is relatively clean, but bring your energy if you're going to wade through the clothing department - it's not sorted by color or size, just by style. It's true what they say, stuff is more expensive than other thrift stores... I just have to remind myself that at least it's going to support a non-profit, you just have to consider it a donation.
BOTTOM LINE: Higher prices than other nearby places, but also less crowded (bonus). Don't go on a Saturday, they're closed!!
If you're looking for good quality, sent free used furniture this is your place! I love making old furniture look beautiful again and have had luck every time I go to the Ark. And while it is not the most "clean" looking place , I can assure you there are worse thrift stores out there! This place is so organized and reasonably priced!
So, why not 5 stars then? Well the hours are weird! I feel like every time the mood strikes to stop by, it's not open! If I didn't have a job and could go midday it would be perfect!
This place is a total joke. They want crazy money for used furniture.
We are talking like 200 bucks for a used scratched coffee table. The clothing is awesome but way overpriced. Not worth the trip to me anymore....there is another one on milwaukee but it's not much better..decent stuff but prices are a little much....
BTW- what's with the target jab above? I was going to the ark because of the charity they represent-NOT just the merch. If they would like to be referred to as a designer showroom then call it the ark- used designer showroom. Have a feeling you were there the day before because you work there??? No need for the claws here poeple....
THIS PLACE ROCKS!!! I was blown away when I walked into this place. It is crazy big!
I found some amazing clothes. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning.
The staff was really cool also. There is this really cute guy who is the cashier.I wish I could put him in a bag to take home .
I found these great jeans, only thing is they would not let me buy them.
The cashier said he could not sell it unless it had a tag with a price attached to it.
THIS PLACE RULES!!!!
I have been here on several occasions to relieve myself of some boredom. The store is pretty organized for a thrift store but some of the prices are ridiculous. The customer service here is okay and I agree with the other yelpers the basement is a definite must, good selection at even better prices! Overall a good place to shop, they just need to make sure their prices aren't higher than stores on Michigan Avenue!
Are you looking for a lumpy '60s floral couch you can nickname 'the Beast'? Maybe you want to get a bunch of random wooden chairs for your dining room table? This is the place for you. The 'Bargain Basement' has items like that. There's nicer furniture on the main floor, and clothes and bedding upstairs.
I don't know that I'd exactly call this a 'thrift' shop, because the prices are up there. They know they have nice stuff, and for nice name brands, it's a good deal--if you're used to paying that much. I'm used to getting clothes for less than $2 and furniture for less than $10, and that definitely doesn't happen here. That said, I know they do have good sales on occasion. The people were friendly, and the place was pretty well organised. It's someplace I'd check back to from time to time.
The furniture is kinda pricey, but on their 1?2 off days it doesn't hurt the wallet so bad. The staff is pretty nice and it takes some digging but there are some gems here.
I've never looked at the clothes. For furniture, there were a few nicer (for a thrift store) couches, as well as tons of really beat up stuff. The prices were a bit high. They have TVs and VCRs that are cheap, but they are all older models. Their board game selection was pretty good, as was their kitchenware.
Downstairs are the books. At first, I thought they had a good selection, but on closer inspection it's mostly just the same mass market paperbacks a thousand times each. Last time I was there, they had a mound of John Grishom novels stacked almost to the ceiling. It seems they are perpetually reorganizing and attempting to alphabatize, so don't expect to find anything specific quickly. This is definitely a browsers place, and the books are very cheap. I'd recommend it for used book hounds who enjoy the hunt, but keep your expectations on the low side.
Great prices great selection tons of clothes, books and retro household items.
I've been to the Ark a few times and am always amazed at my bargain finds. I've purchased clothes, a table and books here. Today I went in and got 3 t-shirts, an old navy fleece, a tank top, 2 headband scarves and a belt all for $9 bucks! I think this place is definitely more organized as well compared to the other thrift shops out there. The one thing that is kinda of inconvenient is the hours but I don't mind, I feel like there's better bargain finds because of this.
This place is crazy big.
I got lucky when I walked in with a girlfriend cause everything that I got was 50% off the already dirt cheap prices!
Eh. I was excited to see the books in the basement, but the lighting is so poor! I can't find any books because I can't see a damn thing. I know that most Thrift stores are disorganized, but I wish this one could be a LITTLE bit more organized.
Neighborhood: Lakeview
Category: Thrift Stores
Neighborhood: Lakeview
Category: Used, Vintage & Consignment
Neighborhood: Bucktown
Category: Used, Vintage & Consignment
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Category: Used, Vintage & Consignment
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Category: Used, Vintage & Consignment
I like to read. I will read just about anything...…
People often wonder how I look so freaking cool,…
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