Back in November, Savers opened a new store in Santa Clara at 3510 Homestead Road (off Lawrence Expressway) in the same shopping center as Orenchi Ramen. The enormous store carries secondhand gems for everyone – kitchen appliances, dining ware, furniture, electronics, CDs, books, DVDs, home accessories, art, toys, children’s accessories and clothing, handbags, backpacks, shoes, jewelry and infinite racks of men and women’s clothing for casual, home and professional wear.
At this store, a men’s Hilfiger sweatshirt is priced at $14.99. A white gown passing for a wedding dress is $39.99. A men’s terry Van Heusen sleep robe is $5.79. A women’s Kenneth Cole Reaction pea coat is $11.99. A men’s Banana Republic dress shirt is $9.29. A women’s Tahari blazer is $8.29.
“We serve the environment by inspiring a future where secondhand is second nature,” said Ashley, an assistant store manager. “We want to keep clothes out of landfill. As a company, we’re big on helping the environment.”
According to Saver’s 2022 ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) report, the company redirected over 3.4 billion pounds of goods “from landfills in the United States and Canada between 2016-2020.”
Savers is not a consignment store. Unlike the model for other thrift stores, people do not bring unwanted clothing and items to Savers for the store to purchase. Rather, the store accepts donated goods. Donations are tax-deductible.
Savers takes bed and bath items, books and media, clothing and shoes, electronics, exercise and sporting goods, games and toys, housewares, small appliances and small furniture. Depending on a donated item’s quality, not everything that gets donated makes it onto the sales floor.
Also, Savers does not accept certain items. According to the Savers web site, the store does not take large appliances, automobile parts, construction materials, damaged furniture, flammable and hazardous materials, food, infant products, mattresses, swimming pools, TV and computer monitors, weapons and money.
“When Savers takes donations from a donor, the store gives a 20% off coupon for up to a $100 purchase for the donor to use that is for a one-time use,” Ashley said. “But a donor gets a coupon each time they make a donation.”
Savers is a for-profit business with stores partnering with various local nonprofit organizations. The Savers store in Santa Clara and the San Jose Almaden’s Savers store work with a nonprofit organization called PARCA (Partners and Advocates for Remarkable Children and Adults). These stores pay PARCA for every pound of donations received.
“We don’t have fitting rooms,” Ashley said. “But we do have an exchange policy for clothing and shoes only. Everything else is a final sale. Let’s say someone were to come and buy a pair of pants. If they come home and find that it doesn’t fit, they can do an exchange within two weeks. We don’t give store credit. But they can do an exchange as long as the tag is still attached to the item.”
Savers also works with local organizations to raise money through FUNDrives. Click here for more details.
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