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Category: Used, Vintage & Consignment [Edit]
Neighborhood: ClintonvilleMon-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
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Mixed emotions about this store. A lot of the staff seems really unfriendly. Even in big cities like San Fran you'll go to the vintage stores that literally have tons of people going in and out every day- never to return again, but they treat you like a regular.
The pricing is ridiculous, and makes no sense. and for being so picky about what they take in- you can't really tell on the racks. There is a lot of stuff that I don't think anyone would wear, no matter what they're style or level of irony they're going for.
It's one of those places you just have to visit with a grain of salt. You may find something decent, chances are you won't.
Every store has its pro's and con's...
**Rag-o-Rama is very selective in what they buy, seemingly without rhyme or reason.
Con: If you try to sell your stuff, you'll likely be left with a lot of quality unwanted items you'll still need to get rid of.
Pro: The Clintonville Goodwill is usually STOCKED with the leftovers. :) http://www.yelp.com/bi...
**Rag-o-Rama's prices never seem to be what they should.
Con: $12 for a used graphic tee? No thanks.
Pro: $12 for a mint condition BCBG dress? Yes please!!!
**Rag-o-Rama is filled to the brim with "stuff"
Con: When you're looking for something in particular, it's impossible.
Pro: When you're looking for just something, you'll need to pull your car around to carry all the loot you'll come up with... Like that purple 1920s bowler you couldn't live without and those $9 brown corduroys that fit like a glove. Oh yeah, and the Kate Gosselin wig. Just cuz... ya know.
Kind of a mixed bag of overpriced thrift store clothing. Most of the items you could find on your own and for a better price. I don't know if it's under new ownership, but it's nowhere near as good as it used to be.
I think "meh" does sum it up. Nothing spectacular, nothing horrid about it. Just average at best. Big collection of scarves and hats.
Every time I come in here I have left empty handed. I stop in quite often with friends who think that this place is a gold mine, but it never seems to turn out well for me. Maybe it is because I am between adult and kids sizes so many adult smalls will even end up being to large on me. Also since I have a 27-28 waist there are few pants that will fit me correctly. Also I have found that shirts that are thrift store quality are priced at times as high as 15 dollars. I once saw a shirt in here that was made with puff paint, and they wanted 14 dollars for it. Nothing on it other than some writing about some child's birthday on a child's undershirt.
I am not surprised to see that others have had as negative thoughts as I have about this place. But I will probably stop in more, because my friends love the place (and to them this is thrifting...), and who knows maybe one time I could hit the jackpot... Unlikely, but it could happen.
The first time I visited this store I felt they got it right with their word choice for the place.
I blew it off as a second season clearinghouse for Urban Outfitters and a collection of unwanted 'designer' rags that offer nothing more than a label. (You know those jeans that don't fit right, but you bought them at a Macy's one day sale because you couldn't pass up t. hilfiger for only $40).
However, during the recent arctic blast i found myself in clintonville about to get on the road to do some field work in Indiana....sans hat!! I hoped to find something cheap and functional just for the trip. During my mission for the perfect blizzard bonnet I realized that this store actually has some really good accessories that are BRAND new, trendy yet functional, and very inexpensive.
Highlights:
1. Hats: Many colors, styles, and prices. I got a great knit cap for only $8.00 and a hunting hat (think holden caulfield) for only $15.
2. Sunglasses: Trendy and cheap-you will lose them before they go out of style.
3. Scarves: Bright, vibrant...and cheap!
4. Novelty stockings: $10-$15
Lesson learned: Don't waste time shopping beyond the awesome accessories collection upon entering.
I used to love this store when it was at it's older location. The selection was much better then, and the store had an overall better vibe. I miss the way this store used to be. Still can find a diamond in the rough every once in awhile.
I'll agree with what everyone has said.
*Yeah, they are picky about what you sell. If they don't buy your clothes, stuff 'em in the night drop box of your local Blockbuster.
*Yeah, they can seem snobbish but who cares?! This isn't middle school.
*Yeah, the prices may seem steep but it depends on what you're buying. Gucci boots for $12!!! Yessir.
*Yeah, there is an abundance of "junk" in every rack.
In their defense, it is a best of from the thrifts around town. Want a vintage shirt? If you've been to any area thrift lately, you know how difficult it is to find nice vintage clothing. I often turn up empty handed while thrifting. Rag-O-Rama will likely have something up your alley. You may pay a couple of bucks more but view it as a "finders fee". Jeans are modestly priced. It's simply a good place to rummage for clothes. Go in with low expectations and you may strike gold. For godsakes, don't go to the mall until you've checked here first.
Rag O Rama is great only because it is the only place in Columbus of its kind.
Their selection is lacking in variety. They usually have a dozen pair of chuck taylors in green, white, black, skull pattern.. you know, the usual.
If you're in the market for cheap jeans, you can probably find a decent pair there for under 30 dollars. But they are all the same. All the jeans are skinny, hipster jeans. Which is cool, I guess.
But the jeans you REALLY want are like 50 bucks. And that's not really 'thrifty'.
But I'm not gonna lie. When I have some extra money to go shopping, Rag O Rama is definitely one of the first places I'll hit.
But I really wish they'd expand their inventory or something.
Rag-O Rama, at one point in time, was my favorite thrift store on the planet. That changed soon after they moved out of the storefront on the same block as Hound Dogs, and in my mind they have gotten just a little bit worse every time they have moved. Why has this store moved so much? They only move a few blocks every time.
The service here has gotten progressively worse with each move. It is almost like every time they move to a bigger store the staff gets just a little bit snobbier. Either that or they are forced to personally carry all the store's stuff the few blocks down the street when they moved and they are just pissed off about it.
Still - I kind of the the "Best of ThrifStore" feel of Rag-O-Rama. I am busy guy. I will gladly pay a slightly higher than thrift store stuff for someone else to sort through all the crap in thriftstores and then put in a better smelling place that plays better music. It saves me time and hassle. And sure I am missing out on the whole thrifting experience, but I don't mind. There is a Salvation Army a few blocks down the street if I really get the itch.
Although I hated Rag O Rama at first for bleeding all of my favorite thrift stores dry of their ironic t shirts and tacky polyester button downs, I'd gotten enough dirty looks from illegal immigrants at places like Ohio's Best and the Village Discount that I finally decided to throw in the towel. The moth ball stench and the 70's AM gold soundtrack was trying enough on my patience, but getting cursed out in broken English by an Olive Garden line cook for swiping the Adidas track jacket he claimed to be eying was the final straw. From here on out, Rag O Rama has my undying allegiance.
Although rifling through useless crap is part of the Rag O Rama experience as well, at least the useless crap here is of the semi-clean, [possibly] not-worn-by-a-diseased-schizophrenic variety. Why any consenting male over the age of 21 would still wear clothing from Abercrombie or Hollister is beyond me, but at least the interested party can pay a far more reasonable amount for being a walking billboard when shopping at Rag O Rama.
Like most vintage stores, the staff here is often way too cool for their own good. Bad news when you're trying to unload a basketfull of plaid American Eagle shirts that helped you make it through high school alive, but good news when it comes to everything else that makes Rag O Rama unique. The music here is generally of the electro/disco punk variety that's generally made by bisexual Brooklynites that sport Romulan haircuts and are known for checking their email on stage. This provides an upbeat score for The Search For a New Pair of Jeans (gasp!) at worst, and a more-than-acceptable alternative to the Loggins & Mussina soundtrack of "real" thrift stores at best. Plus, you'll rarely catch anyone beating their kids here. Thank god for free enterprise!
The prices here can't touch the half off senior citizens Mondays or the color-coded tag sale days, but like I said before, the price of convenience at Rag O Rama is worth it. Most t-shirts range from five to ten dollars, with some brand new shirts (like a plethora of American Apparel 50/50 t's I ran across a month ago) going for around $15. The jeans range anywhere from $10 to $50, depending on the brand and whatnot. I found a pair of almost brand new Diesels for only $30, which seemed like a hell of a deal to me. If you're in the market for a pair of 38x30 Southpoles with cartoon characters embroidered all over the pockets for only $15, get up here as soon as possible!
Like any thrift store, you may not always leave Rag O Rama happy, but I suppose that's half the fun. The selection is constantly changing,and thanks to a crew of malnourished, uber-tatted hipsters, you're guaranteed to find something fresh at a tasty price.
My view of this place may be a little colored. Some years ago I first visited to look for accessories to create a Halloween costume. Ever since then, when I go I think of it as a place to get a costume. Perhaps it's the combination of shockingly bright wigs on display coupled with the vintage and unique clothing. I also think of it as a place with a sense of humor. Maybe it's how the manikins in the store front window are often dressed in costume, or the music that's usually playing in the background that seems a tinge sarcastic.
I have found some cute clothing for everyday wear as well. The prices are kind of hit and miss. Mostly, they're on the expensive side, but not quite full store price. That makes me think of Rag-O-Rama as more of a boutique than a thrift store. Yet, if you dig around enough you can find some decent deals.
Let me age myself by saying that I remember the good ol' days when Rag-O-Rama was a mecca of good finds and homemade styles where you could leave feeling good about the money you paid. Nowadays it can be disappointing to go into the current location on High St. in Clintonville (it used to occupy the space on the corner of Ackerman and High next to Hounddog's Pizza) and see that it's overrun with trend-friendly t-shirts and lots of brand name overstock from seasons past. It's almost too manicured for me and definitely overpriced.
When I think about it though, I'm glad to see a business like this thriving. The fact that it has been around so long is good, however, it has been able to do so by being the way you find it now, unfortunately. It's almost like selling out to the masses to stay afloat. That's why I say it's kind of disappointing. I still frequent this store however, even though this is mostly because of its convenient location. I mean, there are still good things to be found in here--I just found a faux fur cropped jacket that I love for less than 10 just last week--but if you're looking for something unique as well as cheap, I would suggest doing some good old digging at the thrift stores. or just raiding old ladies closets. your choice :)
I've been shopping at Rag-O-Rama for almost 10 years and I've always had good experiences there. I've found some amazing things at this store: a pair of Dior sunglasses, an Armani coat, a Catherine Coatney skirt, a BCBG skirt, and plenty of basic staples too. Rag O Rama can be a great source for models, photographers, and stylists who need to pull looks together very cheaply and quickly for photo shoots.
I think it's strange that other reviewers have said they're expensive, I really can't imagine what their basis for comparison is. $18 for a pair of pants is a deal in my book. Running a retail store is really difficult and expensive, and so of course they have a mark up. They do have to pay their employees, who have always been perfectly sweet to me, a living wage. I think a lot of the time when people accuse others of being snobby, it's more indicative of that person's self esteem level rather than the employee's job performance. Is the employee doing their job? Are you finding what you need and being rung up properly? Yes? Then who cares. Like the other reviewer said, this isn't high school.
I do understand what some have said about the t-shirts. I usually skip this rack because sometimes the condition or quality isn't the greatest or the design just isn't my style. And they are choosy about what they buy, but hey, who knows what their budget or needs are when you come in to sell. It's probably not a personal insult that they can't buy your pants today. Overall, I think is a good clothing store.
Rag-O Rama is a quality vintage store. Very simply put,this place has a lot to offer.A massive collection of vintage tshirts(some faux vintage) ranging from classic Nike/rock tees/Wu tang to American Apparel gear.The selection for tshirts is huge for both guys and girls. Prices range from 8 to 20 bucks for shirts. I even found a Ernest goes to camp tshirt, so they have some rare vintage gems.
For Columbus sneaker heads,this is the holy grail of kicks. J's,dunks,Ice creams,Reebok and basically every ting sneaker junkies need.Being a sneaker junkie myself, I can say this place has the most to offer in whole of Cbus. Sometimes the prices can be a little steep, but overall it saves some time from the thrift store grind.
Well, let me break with the crowd and make a controversial statement: I don't dig Rag-O-Rama. At all.
This place has been a hipster haven for several years now, and I'm probably committing some sort of blasphemy by writing this!
Rag-O-Rama's appeal rests in its relative consistency. Unlike most thrift stores, Rag-O-Rama accepts only "quality" clothing. Thus, its selection can be much better than the average Salvation Army or Goodwill. In this way, it is almost like a vintage clothing store -- except the clothes are generally newer than vintage threads.
The store has prices to match. Paying double digits for a single item of clothing (even $10) at a thrift store is tough to swallow.
Even tougher is the sizing. The place just doesn't play well with men who wear larges or extra larges. And women who wear anything over size 10 should generally look elsewhere.
This is just my experience, though; maybe the store had those sizes and they were snatched up already.
They claim to buy clothing (you have to replenish those racks somehow), but they have stringent standards -- more stringent than those racks might indicate.
Call me crazy, but I just love the hunt of scouring the generally-awful racks at Volunteers of America for that perfect find.
95% of their stock is overpriced. The other 5% is awesome. Unfortunately, you have to claw through racks of used Charlotte Rousse, Forever 21, and even Target clothes that cost up to and above their original price to find that one treasure which makes thrift shopping so thrilling. To their credit, the store is clean and well kept - but then again so are many area thrift stores whose prices are way lower. Why not just shop at those instead?
Rag-O-Rama is kind of funny: a sort of "best of" compilation of thrift store finds. And, like a lot of best of albums, the choices appeal to a wide base but seem to miss out on the real heart and soul of the thrift store experience.
There's something about grubbin' through all those racks at the Goodwill and finding that one impossibly perfect shirt from 1976 that has somehow hidden all this time just for you to find it and, by Jesus, it FITS. Hot DAMN!
And you lose all that at Rag-O-Rama. Sometimes I stop in to get jeans on the cheap but that's about it these days. I'm not in the business of ironic t-shirts or big sunglasses, so I've moved on. So it goes.
it's true - rag-O rama does have bizarre and incomprehensible buying policies, leading to merchandise that's sometimes surprisingly undesirable. I'm not going to knock the prices though - whenever I buy something, I come out feeling like I did pretty well. So sue me, I'm sometimes willing to pay more for the "lazy girls" thrift store in which some of the crap is sifted out. Time is money. It's hit or miss - sometimes I feel like the place is full of gold, and sometimes I'm just not in the mood.
Rag-o rama has been particularly useful to me in cases where I needed to buy a really nice piece of clothing for a more formal, conservative atmosphere. Typically these occasions require spending lots of money on something I'll never wear again. But rag-O rama can really save you with a nice semi-formal dress or interview-worthy sweater that someone else only wore a few times before - that kind of stuff just can't be found in thrift stores (not with my last-minute operation, anyway), and it's not worth buying at retail prices. Rag-O rama has come to my rescue in this department countless times. They also get a lot of samples and some overstock merchandise, which can be a phenomenal deal - I got two pairs of the same jeans, tags on, for $20 and have pretty much worn them nonstop since I bought them two years ago. Gotta love that.
You're not cool enough to shop here. You're not cool enough to sell here. Just keep repeating that to yourself. That'll prepare you for the reception you'll get when you go to Rag-O-Rama.
I remember when this store was next to Hound Dogs Pizza. I have to say this so it seems like I'm cool enough to shop here. I'm not, but you don't know that.
I really can't figure out their method for selling and buying. Sometimes when I sell clothes to them, I can get $50 and sometimes I won't get a dime. I think it depends on how far from reality the person sorting through my clothes might be. As far as buying clothes, I do like to find pants here. Their pants tend to be really well priced, between $8 to $16 depending on quality and brand. But rarely do they have anything "plus sized". 20 racks of small, mediums, and larges and there's only one rack dedicated to plus sized clothing. I know there's more fatties in Columbus than this.
However, Rag-O-Rama is a great place to buy Halloween costumes. Year round they always have a costume rack usually stocked with odd vintage dresses and shirts, but Halloween they really have a huge selection. Keep an ear to the ground for their Dollar Days sales as well.
Rag-O-Rama was a better place to shop years ago when it was located further south on High Street. Since it moved to its larger Clintonville location, the prices have risen repulsively and--while some of the employees are friendly--the store has taken on a bit of a snooty, pretentious vibe. All of that said, one can still find a good deal here now and then. Disparities exist in the pricing of different items: if an item doesn't clearly qualify as hip, the price tag will often be less insulting. I was happy to find a nice black coat for $20 at Rag-O-Rama recently.
As far as selling clothes to Rag-O-Rama, maybe you will fare better than I have. I schlepped some of my dry goods in there on maybe three occasions and each time the pile has been summarily rejected. To have one's pants and shirts appraised by the withering gaze of someone perched on the pinnacle of hipness and then hear the dreaded verdict that not one item is usable could tear a fragile ego apart. Ancient myths in which a wayfarer's heart is measured on a golden scale and either allowed to pass into the land of immortality or dismembered by a taloned god-bird come to mind.
I credit Rag-O-Rama with ridding me of my last delusion of hipness. I now live in the burning light of TRUTH.
Anyway, Rag-O-Rama is worth a look now and then, but other thrift stores accomplish the same thing and you spend less.
I was shocked (SHOCKED!) on my first trip to St. Louis to find a Rag-O Rama. Same logo, same sign, everything. How could this type of business be worth making into a chain? You just go to thrift stores and buy stuff, add in whatever you can get at wholesale closeout, put up a sign "We Buy Your Worn Fashionable Clothes" and sell everything at a 700% markup. What is the benefit of expanding to different cities? You do no national advertising. You do not produce anything, so there's no economy of scale. No one looks at your sign and thinks, "Rag-O Rama, a name I trust in the field of used clothing." I don't get it.
My puzzlement about the multiple locations aside, Rag-O Rama is your run-of-the-mill shop buying and selling clothes for twentysomethings. It's hit or miss, both buying and selling, with more misses than hits in my experience.
Rag-O-Rama blows. Simply put.
If you are a lazy hipster who is not willing to put in the work of sifting through the muck to find the gems in a regular thrift store, and you are perfectly willing to pay about 10 times the thrift store price for used clothing, Go for it.
The worst thing about this place is the staff. They are complete mockeries of themselves, and you can bet your ass that when you lug in your used clothes, they will pick through them like Tim Gunn at a K-Mart and then turn to you and say,
"Ummm....ohkayy..we can offer you $1.80."
...and then send you packing like a rejected street urchin.
I have tried selling my clothes here TIME AND TIME AGAIN, and I swear to you that I always try to bring in my best/coolest/hippest stuff, clean, no wear and tear, in season, and they ALWAYS REJECT IT. Then you go look on the racks and see a billion musty old ridiculous t-shirts for 24 bucks a pop.
The only person I have EVER known who actually made money at this place is my good friend who went through a 'I only shop at Urban Outfitters' phase. They loved her stuff.
Seriously, there IS cool stuff here. But it is most certainly and absolutely NOT worth the price. All Rag-O-Rama does is send out their hipster-bots to thrift stores to find all the good stuff, bring it back, and mark it up like crazy.
Plus, the music they play is loud and annoying, and ever since I was 12 years old and came here for the first time, the place smells like a cathouse full of mothballs. Disgusting.
waaaaay over priced and too hipster. It's like going to a thrift store with all the good stuff picked out and then the good stuff been gone through and now the bad good stuff is left.
Sucks.
thatisall
Thrift store wading pool where those not ready to fully dive in can still shop. Personally I'm not into "pre-found" thrift clothes. I go for accessories, shoes, and the far off chance clothes will be appropriately priced.
I have found Rag-o-Rama to be alternately wonderful and very frustrating!
The selection is constantly changing, which can be good or bad. Like a real thrift store, you have to sift through a lot of stuff to find what you're looking for, and the organization can be a little confusing. Sometimes I think the prices are high for used stuff, but I've also scored some great deals (Steve Madden shoes for $10 that looked like they'd been worn once, vintage Levi jacket for $12, jewelry for a couple bucks that I always get compliments on, etc). They have a great array of vintage and costumey stuff for Halloween or theme parties.
I've also sold clothes here several times, and had mixed results. I think it just depends on who is looking at your stuff as to how picky they will be; some staff are snooty and will look down their noses at whatever you bring in, others are friendly and fair.
I am giving Rag-o-Rama four stars because it is way better than buying clothes at a chain store (yes, it is a small chain itself with a store in Atlanta, one in St. Louis, and one opening this summer in Indy). "Real" thrift stores are better for the deals, but the proportion of wearable clothing is much higher here than at Goodwill, for example. It's also fun just to browse if you're wandering around Clintonville. Definitely go in when you have a lot of time to look around.
This place is expensive. I bought a pair of cords here for $18, only to discover a thrift store tag that hadn't been removed on the side that said $4. With a little effort you can visit the local thrift store and find the same stuff for more than half the price. Lately, Rag-O-Rama's selection has been really lacking. It's not uncommon to search a rack and see three of the same "coca cola" or other screen printed shirt. Moreover, the staff here isn't very helpful and they come off as judgmental. Sometimes you can find something interesting that's worth the price, but you'll probably have more luck at Volunteers of America.
This place is just OK. It reminds me a lot of Buffalo Exchange in other cities. They have mostly second hand contemporary clothes that could still be considered "trendy" as well as some vintage items plus new hosiery and costumes. I went in here today to browse but didn't find anything. That said, had I not been completely exhausted from GOTVing all week (woo! Obama!) I might have found something I liked enough to buy. No comment on the sales staff - I didn't encounter any. But the dressing rooms are nice and well lit.
My friend and I visited this store before Halloween looking for costumes...I loved this store!! I was amazed of the shoes they had from many years gone by. It was fun looking through all the stuff they had.
This may be my favorite clothing store. Whenever I come up from Athens, I always make a beeline here. I have found some of my most cherished clothing items here, including a $10 green suede skirt. I have never sold clothes here, but then again, I usually find that selling clothes at a place like this is a rip-off. I agree that a place like this is not the cheapest way to buy clothing, but it is close. There are times when you don't feel like waiting for that "Moby Dick" score at thrift store. Sometimes you just want to march in to a store, and leave with a huge pile of cool clothes at a fair price. If you feel that way, join me in making a beeline here.
Columbus, OH
Category: Used, Vintage & Consignment
Neighborhood: Worthington
Category: Used, Vintage & Consignment
